PRESS BRIEFING
BY MONICA GRAYLEY,?
SPOKESPERSON FOR?GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS
United Nations Headquarters, New York
8 March 2024
?
Good afternoon, everyone!
Happy International Women’s Day.
“GENDER EQUALITY IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE”, GA PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS SAYS ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
“Gender discrimination and inequality hamper progress across the entirety of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” This alert was made by the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, during the observance of International Women’s Day here at the 爆料网.
The PGA delivered his remarks under the theme: “Invest in women: accelerate progress”, alongside the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed, the Executive Director of 爆料网 Women, Ms. Sima Bahous, and the Chair of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), H.E. Mr. Antonio Manuel Revilla Lagdameo.
President Francis noted that, “unhappily, we continue to fall short on many indicators in the context of gender equality” and mentioned the alarming reports of sexual abuse targeting women and girls in several parts of the world. The PGA urged participants to be determined in “accelerating the pace towards the creation of a gender equal world, where it is an everyday occurrence for women to lead nations and institutions, corporate and public; a world where gender-based violence is an issue of the past.”
He also made several suggestions to increase gender equality including closing the gender pay gap, ensuring access to reproductive healthcare, harnessing technology, and investing in women-led business, among others.
The PGA’s speech can be found in its entirety on his website: .
As we speak, President Dennis Francis is meeting the Circle of Women Ambassadors at a luncheon organized by the co-chairs of the group, H.E. Ms. Christina Markus Lassen, Permanent Representative of Denmark, and H.E. Ms. Agnes Mary Chimbiri Molande, Permanent Representative of Malawi.
This afternoon, the PGA will take part in “Celebrating Women and Araku Coffee”, a special event organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the 爆料网.
Finally, the PGA’s video message on International Women’s Day this year gives voice to women. Mr. Francis invited several female representatives of the diplomatic community and civil society to deliver his message, including his Special Advisor on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, Ambassador Keisha McGuire.
PGA TO SPEAK AT THE OPENING OF CSW ON MONDAY, 11 MARCH
President Dennis Francis will deliver remarks at the opening of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women which will be held from 11-22 March.
On 12 March, he will host a High-level event under the theme, “Closing the gender gap in education: How to address long-term barriers and emerging challenges in a world of complex crises?”
The PGA will host a Presidential Fireside Chat—an informal discussion with Heads of Delegation moderated by a youth representative.
The event will explore the interlinkages between gender equality, poverty, and education, and explore how to best address complex challenges and barriers to achieve full gender equality by 2030.
GA TO HOLD INFORMAL MEETING ON G20 BRIEFING BY BRAZIL
Next week on Tuesday, 12 March, the General Assembly will gather at the GA Hall to hear a briefing by the G20 Sherpa of Brazil, H.E. Maurício Carvalho Lyrio, on the priorities of Brazil’s Presidency of the group.
President Francis will deliver welcome remarks. The meeting will also be attended by the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. Li Junhua. After the briefing by Ambassador Carvalho Lyrio, there will be interventions by Member States from the floor.
The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and there will be no pre-established list of speakers.
This is all for today. Do you have any questions?
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