Centrality of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls - Joint Statement
Intergovernmental Negotiations Post-2015
Second Session / Declaration
February 17-20 2015
The Centrality of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls
for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Joint Statement
Mr. co-facilitator,
I have the honor to make this statement on behalf of Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Mexico,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Republic of Korea, Romania, Samoa, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United
Kingdom, Uruguay, Zambia and my own country Suriname.
The Declaration framing the new sustainable development goals must provide strong and
inspirational guidance for all, governments at all levels, as well as the UN system. The promotion of
gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls must be at the center of our declaration.
In the book “Half the Sky”, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn write: “In the nineteenth century,
the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against
totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle
for gender equality around the world.”
In other words, if the Post-2015 Development Agenda is supposed to be truly transformative, it must
transform the lives of women and girls and actively pursue gender equality.
Recognising the intrinsic interlinkage between poverty eradication and promotion of sustainable
development, we underline the need for a coherent approach which integrates in a balanced manner
the three dimensions of sustainable development. The future agenda must address inequalities and
all forms of discrimination that women face.
When working to achieve dignity for all, we must ensure the respect for all human rights. Until this
day women and girls are still disproportionally and systematically deprived of their rights. The
pandemic of violence against women and girls is a critical barrier to sustainable development and
must be addressed.
We must therefore educate and empower men and women, boys and girls to overcome these
injustices and realize that gender equality and empowering women and girls benefits all. Addressing
barriers to women’s leadership and participation is important to increasing economic growth and
eradicating poverty.
Mr. co-facilitator,It is clear that gender equality women’s and girls’ empowerment is critical towards realization of
sustainable development and that it is essential to well-being for our societies. To be able to end
poverty, we must address the persistent and growing poverty experienced by women and girls and
tackle structural causes of gender inequality that perpetuate its cycle.
The proposal of the Open Working Group, the Future We Want and the Millennium Declaration have
all recognized that we should focus on gender equality, not only to uphold the human rights of
women and girls, but also because without gender equality and women’s empowerment we cannot
dream of achieving other goals, be that poverty eradication, reduction of inequalities or inclusive
economic growth.
We have seen for example that when more women work and are empowered at all levels of decision
making, economies grow and better health is achieved for them and their immediate environment. If
women’s paid employment rates were raised to the same level as men’s, the Euro zone’s gross
domestic product would be an estimated 13 per cent higher and Japan’s would be boosted by 16 per
cent. In 15 major developing economies, per capita income would rise by 14 per cent by 2020, 20 per
cent by 2030.
If women had the same access as men to productive assets, agricultural output in 34 developing
countries would rise by an estimated average of up to 4 per cent. This could reduce the number of
undernourished people in those countries by as much as 17 per cent, translating to up to 150 million
fewer hungry people.
Women and girls are both the beneficiaries and the drivers of the new sustainable development
agenda. Gender equality, the empowerment of women and the realization of the human rights of
women and girls are key, as we push for the eradication of poverty and hunger, access to energy for
all, or sustainable patterns of consumption and production. Women make enormous contributions to
economies, whether in businesses or science, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees. Women and
girls are also doing most of the unpaid household and care work. Healthy, educated and empowered
women and girls are key to a healthier planet.
Mr. co-facilitator,
There is general recognition among Member States that the post-2015 development agenda will
include a strong and comprehensive goal on gender equality and the empowerment of women and
girls, as well integrating gender perspectives throughout the entire framework, including with
regards to means of implementation and the revitalized global partnership.
Without a strong, forward-looking statement on gender equality and the empowerment of women
and girls, half of humanity, we cannot claim to have an agenda for the people.
The Declaration should recognize the existing normative framework for gender equality and set a
clear context for our ambitious goals, which can only be achieved if we have the collective courage to
promote gender equality and empower women and girls, and recognize their valuable contribution
to a better future for all.
I thank you.
Second Session / Declaration
February 17-20 2015
The Centrality of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls
for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Joint Statement
Mr. co-facilitator,
I have the honor to make this statement on behalf of Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Mexico,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Republic of Korea, Romania, Samoa, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United
Kingdom, Uruguay, Zambia and my own country Suriname.
The Declaration framing the new sustainable development goals must provide strong and
inspirational guidance for all, governments at all levels, as well as the UN system. The promotion of
gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls must be at the center of our declaration.
In the book “Half the Sky”, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn write: “In the nineteenth century,
the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against
totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle
for gender equality around the world.”
In other words, if the Post-2015 Development Agenda is supposed to be truly transformative, it must
transform the lives of women and girls and actively pursue gender equality.
Recognising the intrinsic interlinkage between poverty eradication and promotion of sustainable
development, we underline the need for a coherent approach which integrates in a balanced manner
the three dimensions of sustainable development. The future agenda must address inequalities and
all forms of discrimination that women face.
When working to achieve dignity for all, we must ensure the respect for all human rights. Until this
day women and girls are still disproportionally and systematically deprived of their rights. The
pandemic of violence against women and girls is a critical barrier to sustainable development and
must be addressed.
We must therefore educate and empower men and women, boys and girls to overcome these
injustices and realize that gender equality and empowering women and girls benefits all. Addressing
barriers to women’s leadership and participation is important to increasing economic growth and
eradicating poverty.
Mr. co-facilitator,It is clear that gender equality women’s and girls’ empowerment is critical towards realization of
sustainable development and that it is essential to well-being for our societies. To be able to end
poverty, we must address the persistent and growing poverty experienced by women and girls and
tackle structural causes of gender inequality that perpetuate its cycle.
The proposal of the Open Working Group, the Future We Want and the Millennium Declaration have
all recognized that we should focus on gender equality, not only to uphold the human rights of
women and girls, but also because without gender equality and women’s empowerment we cannot
dream of achieving other goals, be that poverty eradication, reduction of inequalities or inclusive
economic growth.
We have seen for example that when more women work and are empowered at all levels of decision
making, economies grow and better health is achieved for them and their immediate environment. If
women’s paid employment rates were raised to the same level as men’s, the Euro zone’s gross
domestic product would be an estimated 13 per cent higher and Japan’s would be boosted by 16 per
cent. In 15 major developing economies, per capita income would rise by 14 per cent by 2020, 20 per
cent by 2030.
If women had the same access as men to productive assets, agricultural output in 34 developing
countries would rise by an estimated average of up to 4 per cent. This could reduce the number of
undernourished people in those countries by as much as 17 per cent, translating to up to 150 million
fewer hungry people.
Women and girls are both the beneficiaries and the drivers of the new sustainable development
agenda. Gender equality, the empowerment of women and the realization of the human rights of
women and girls are key, as we push for the eradication of poverty and hunger, access to energy for
all, or sustainable patterns of consumption and production. Women make enormous contributions to
economies, whether in businesses or science, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees. Women and
girls are also doing most of the unpaid household and care work. Healthy, educated and empowered
women and girls are key to a healthier planet.
Mr. co-facilitator,
There is general recognition among Member States that the post-2015 development agenda will
include a strong and comprehensive goal on gender equality and the empowerment of women and
girls, as well integrating gender perspectives throughout the entire framework, including with
regards to means of implementation and the revitalized global partnership.
Without a strong, forward-looking statement on gender equality and the empowerment of women
and girls, half of humanity, we cannot claim to have an agenda for the people.
The Declaration should recognize the existing normative framework for gender equality and set a
clear context for our ambitious goals, which can only be achieved if we have the collective courage to
promote gender equality and empower women and girls, and recognize their valuable contribution
to a better future for all.
I thank you.