Antonio Guterres
The United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has called on African States to enhance women’s social, economic and financial inclusion.
Addressing a High Level Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at the AU Summit, the UN chief said the reality in Africa and the rest of the world, is that poverty “still has a woman’s face.”
He noted that for every 100 men aged 25-34 living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, there are 127 women.
The UN boss indicated that women are often concentrated in precarious jobs and carry a disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work, while violence against women remains pervasive.
“I’m worried about male dominance in high-tech sectors, as we can see in Silicon Valley,” he said.
If we don’t reverse this trend, all of our global efforts for gender equality will be undermined,” he added.
As head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, “I have seen with my own eyes how women and girls are the main victims of conflict, the main victims of displacement and the main victims of in terms of instability in any part of the world”, he said.
Mr. Guterres said as the world recommits to achieving irreversible progress towards gender equality, the United Nations stands alongside the African Union in working to overcome the peace and security, development and human rights challenges that continue to limit African women and girls.
“It means providing true protection against violence – in conflict and in peacetime, on the streets and in the home.
And it means making sure women and girls are encouraged to develop scientific skills and ensuring that they have access to innovation and technology”, he added.
From Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia