AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President, we share our congratulations on your new role with the Executive Board.
Thank you, Madame Executive Director for your remarks. We commend your forward-looking, reform-minded vision at this moment when the risks to women and girls are more acute than ever. This moment demands that UN Women continue to serve as a leading global advocate for the wellbeing and empowerment of women and girls worldwide.
Achieving and protecting gains for women and girls in all their diversity, requires vigilance and perseverance. The United States firmly supports UN Women’s efforts to empower and uplift the rights of women and girls – especially from marginalized populations, including those with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons, and indigenous peoples.
We commend UN Women’s response to global crises, particularly in Afghanistan, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Ukraine. The United States was pleased to provide a recent $30 million contribution to UN Women in Afghanistan to increase social protection, women’s economic empowerment, and support for women-led civil society organizations that advance women’s rights.
Let me emphasize that President Biden remains resolutely committed to advancing and protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights at home and abroad. The United States will continue to prioritize partnerships with organizations that help women and girls realize their full potential and drive social and economic development. Like UN Women, we firmly defend the right of women to have control over their bodies and their futures – an essential prerequisite for achieving the global community’s goals for sustainable development.
We will continue to work robustly to address the growing scourge of online abuse and harassment, including through the Global Partnership on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse. We appreciate UN Women’s participation in this effort as a member of the Partnership’s Steering Committee, along with UNFPA and UNICEF.
The United States remains committed to the success of the Generation Equality Forum and we look forward to ongoing discussion with UN Women about next steps to ensure our collective commitments advance the critical objectives of the Forum.
Madame Executive Director, we welcome your leadership in prioritizing strengthening both UN Women’s institutional capacities, including oversight and internal controls, as well as its financial posture. We particularly commend your initiative to establish an internal ethics function. We look forward to continuing these important discussions with a view to strengthening the performance of the organization, the endurance of its partnerships, and UN Women’s effectiveness in implementing our collective goals.
Lastly, Madame Executive Director, we appreciate you proactively bringing to the Board’s attention the matter regarding UN Women’s surplus for 2021. We look forward to receiving more detailed information about the origin of the funds contained in the surplus, the circumstances that led to an accumulation of surplus, information about UN Women’s policies that govern the use of its surplus, and your plan to draw down the surplus.
At this moment in our history, it is critical that UN organizations effectively implement all resources. You have our full support in this regard.
Thank you.
Original source can be found here.
