New York, On International Women’s Day, United Nations Secretary-General highlighted the significant achievements of women and girls globally in their relentless pursuit of equality, while also pointing out the considerable challenges they continue to face. Despite the progress made in dismantling barriers and stereotypes, billions of women and girls still encounter marginalization, injustice, discrimination, and violence, which collectively undermine humanity’s dignity.
According to United Nations Pakistan, the Secretary-General emphasized that the world remains shaped by age-old male-dominated power structures, with current trends suggesting that achieving legal equality could take up to three hundred years. With women’s rights facing intense opposition, the UN chief underscored the urgent need to bolster efforts to secure their rights and hasten progress towards gender equality.
This year’s theme, “invest in women,” serves as a reminder that substantial financial commitments are essential to dismantle the patriarchal systems that have long governed societies. The Secretary-General advocated for increased support for women’s organizations that are actively campaigning for their rights and called for investments in initiatives aimed at eliminating violence against women. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of promoting women’s inclusion and leadership across various sectors, including the economy, digital technology, peacebuilding, and climate action.
Achieving these goals requires not only direct investment in programs benefiting women and girls but also broader efforts to unlock finance for sustainable development. This would enable countries to allocate the necessary resources towards empowering women and girls. Additionally, increasing the representation of women in leadership roles within the business sector, financial institutions, and governmental bodies is crucial for steering investments towards policies and programs that address the specific needs of women and girls.
The Secretary-General concluded by reaffirming the undeniable link between women’s rights and the development of fair, peaceful, and prosperous societies, underscoring that advancing gender equality benefits everyone. He called for collective and urgent action to transform these aspirations into reality.