Video Message
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour to speak at this important side event, organized by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the margins of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Today’s event addresses the critically important topic of women’s economic empowerment. This is closely related to the priority theme of the current CSW session on accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.
Advancing concrete, integrated and targeted policies and actions to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality, with a focus on advancing the rights of women and girls and empowering the most vulnerable was also one of the five critical areas identified in the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Report.
Distinguished delegates,
Ending poverty and achieving inclusive, sustainable development for all requires economic and social policies aimed at advancing women’s full economic participation, supported by gender-responsive and accountable institutions.
Furthermore, ending poverty among women and girls requires financing that enhance women’s economic empowerment through decent work, accessible public services, social protection and sustainable infrastructure.
It is clear that the economic empowerment of women is critical to achieving our goal of eradicating poverty and securing a sustainable future that leaves no one behind.
Today, many families are facing hardships due to the rising cost of living, including the high cost of education. It is only through the economic empowerment of women that some families are able to meet these challenges.
Family-oriented policies and programmes such as child and family benefits, paid parental leave and flexible working arrangements, can enable women to increase their participation in the labour market and support their families.
We must also recognize that women and girls undertake a disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work. Measures must therefore be taken to reduce, redistribute and value unpaid care and domestic work and to promote a more equal sharing of responsibilities within the household.
Distinguished delegates,
Gender-sensitive and family-oriented systems of social protection are therefore crucial for women’s empowerment and for reducing and eradicating poverty.
Such systems, which may include cash transfers for families in vulnerable situations, are most impactful when they are mutually reinforcing and ensure access to essential services, including education and health care.
Such investments are also vital for tackling the types of social exclusion and discrimination that too often hinder women and girls.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This year marks the 30-year anniversary of the International Year of the Family, which has served as a catalyst for initiatives at the national, regional and global levels to fight poverty and hunger and to promote the well-being of all. Such initiatives can accelerate the process of sustainable development and advance gender equality, contributing to better outcomes for children and helping to break intergenerational cycles of poverty.
In conclusion, as we look towards the Summit of the Future later this year, FfD4 in 2025 and the Second World Summit for Social Development, we must acknowledge the deeply intertwined nature of family-oriented and gender-sensitive policy making and the centrality of such approaches in creating a sustainable future for everyone, everywhere.
We must ensure that our actions and commitments to achieve the 2030 Agenda spark urgent investments in the economic empowerment of women and girls, and recognize the central role that families play in securing individual well-being.
I look forward to your consideration of these important issues in the days ahead.
Thank you!