“The rights of women and girls are universal, as are all human rights“said the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, at the inauguration of the Generation Equality Forum, a summit for gender equality that began this Wednesday in Paris, and is the most important international call for gender equality since the Women’s Conference 1995 in Beijing.
It was announced an investment of 40 billion dollars in different programs and actions, which represent the largest collective injection of resources to date in global gender equality.
Presidents, heads of international organizations, civil society activists and youth organizations, philanthropy groups and executives of private sector companies participate in this meeting in which they already a Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality and a Pact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action were launched, with the aim of accelerating gender equality in the next five years.
A combat of all humanity
“Through the Generation of Equality Forum, France’s goal is to affirm loud and clear that the rights of women and girls are universal, like all human rights, everywhere, all the time. It is about reaffirming that no cultural or religious relativism, no regional or identity particularism justifies that a woman cannot enjoy the same rights and the same opportunities as a man, ”Macron said at the inauguration.
Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the Generation Equality Forum in Paris on Wednesday. Photo: Sadak Souici / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA / dpa
“Women are tired of being second-class citizens”, “Feminists are defending human rights”, “This is a fight of all humanity, of men and women together”, were other phrases from Macron. The French government committed $ 100 million to improve access to contraceptives and family planning.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, assured that the Forum is a moment “for correct a global imbalance, with activists, legislators and leaders of all ages shaping our world in a more just society with gender equality“He also argued that” there is still too much discrimination in the world, “that” parity must be achieved in all areas “and that” violence against women must end not only in the streets but in their homes. “
UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the Paris Photo.
The forum coordinator, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, asked to move from promises to action: “This is a new chapter for gender equality. Those with a worldview of radical impatience are converging to create big, well-resourced change. Together we will revitalize Beijing’s unfinished agenda, united by the conviction that we must take risks and do things differently ”.
Democracy, abortion and power
The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, gave a whole speech about the strengthening of democracies: “Democracy is stronger when more people participate, and it becomes weaker when fewer people participate. The more women participate, the stronger democracy will be. Gender equality reinforces democracy“, he assured.
To “adopt strong public policies aimed at eradicate patterns of structural inequality; to reorganize the social life of our peoples aiming at more just and egalitarian human relations, without oppression or discrimination by class, nationality, ethnicity or gender “, spoke the president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, at the inauguration of the Forum. virtual.
Alberto Fernández participated virtually.
“I am proud to say that, with the sanction of the abortion legalization law, the Argentine State assumed responsibility for legislate and protect with public policies, the health and lives of women and of people with other gender identities with the capacity to gestate -added Fernández-. This law will assure us that never again in our country will a woman or person with the ability to carry a child put her life or health at risk in a clandestine abortion, and it will also mean a huge cultural transformation, in terms of autonomy. “
The ceremony focused on the voice of civil society activists and defenders of women’s rights and featured the defender of gender equality and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who maintained an intergenerational dialogue with climate activist Julieta Martínez.
“We have to claim power, because rights without power do not arrive“, said Clinton, who assured that”the new generations of women are more combative and more aware of their rights. We have to make sure that the institutions, whether national or corporate, do not turn their back on us again. Because if they do, the explanations and demands of the new generation will be especially strong “-
Hillary Clinton said that today’s young women are more combative than before. Photo: Sadak Souici / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA / dpa
Martínez is a young Chilean who at the age of 15 he founded the platform “Tremendas”, a network that already includes more than a thousand young people who fight in favor of equality in several countries of the region. Martínez said that it is important for women to be in “decision-making positions. It is not about inviting some girls to give a motivational speech and that’s it. You have to consider the girls as political beings.”
Concrete commitments
The Forum has already begun to show concrete commitments: investments for more than $ 40 billion in programs that benefit women and girls. Government commitments during these three days are also expected to amount to 17 billion.
At the opening ceremony, a commitment of $ 2.1 billion from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote women’s leadership, reproductive health and economic empowerment, along with a $ 420 million investment from the Ford Foundation to address threats to women’s rights caused by COVID.
Generation Equality Forum, summit in Paris to ask for gender equality.
During the following days of the Forum, more financial, policy and programmatic commitments are expected from governments, also commitments led by civil society and youth.
The Forum includes more than 110 events to drive action on gender equality and sessions aligned with the Action Coalitions: the six most necessary actions to accelerate gender equality: economic justice, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, the impact of the climate emergency on women and girls, the need for digital and technological inclusion, and support for feminist movements and leadership.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/gender-summit-in-paris-investments-of-more-than-40-billion-dollars-announced-to-accelerate-equality/
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