Today the United Nations officially launched UN Women, an agency designed to help promote gender equality across the globe. The new branch has been highly publicized and long awaited, thus there was much excitement as it finally became a reality earlier today. UN Women was unanimously voted on by the 192-member General Assembly following years of advocacy by a large variety of women’s rights advocates including activists, organizers, lawyers, health professionals, and artists.
Diplomats, NGO representatives and celebrities gathered at UN headquarters in New York for the official launch. The new body was formed from what was formally known as the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, UN Women now combines four pre-existing UN bodies, creating one larger body which embodies the greater objectives and ambitions to create and protect global gender equality. Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, will lead the newly created UN body as it seeks to overcome early funding shortfalls and meet high expectations of supporters. Bachelet stated about the new body and what achievements it will seek to make to end gender inequality and empower women across the globe;
“Think of how much more we can do once women are fully empowered as active agents of change and progress within their societies,” Bachelet said. “Historically, we are at a point of great potential and change for women. Now we must seize that opportunity.” She added, “My own experience has taught me that there is no limit to what women can do.” (Inter Press Service)
Women and girls across the globe continue to face gender discrimination and marginalization, which hinders the promotion of international cooperation, peace, and sustainable development. Therefore we must ensure that we continue to increase the fight against gender inequality across the globe and UN Women is a historic move to see that the needs of women and girls have full and equal access to their rights. As more and more women and girls around the globe begin to obtain equal access, and have their voices heard loud and clear, then we will begin to see a substantial decrease in instances of sexual violence, abuse, disease, poverty, conflict and displacement. If no one is listening, no one will speak out, and change does not happen in silence. Thus as a global community we must work to see there are no silent victims of gender inequality, and then we will begin to see more and more lasting change in our world.
