War in Gaza and global poverty among the greatest challenges facing women, Minister of State tells UN
The war in Gaza and global poverty are among the major challenges to gender equality and women’s empowerment, Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State, told a session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Delivering the UAE’s national statement in the commission’s debate, Ms Al Kaabi emphasised the need to protect Palestinian women and girls.
She stressed the need to strengthen and develop national institutions, social protection systems and public services to ensure that women and girls have access to quality education and put them at the forefront of efforts to finance climate action.
“With projections that by 2030, 575 million people will still live in extreme poverty, we are finding ourselves in a race against time to achieve sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda,” said Ms Al Kaabi.
“We know all too well the detrimental impact this has had on the progress gained globally for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
“Today’s frameworks to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment ring hollow in the face of the war on Gaza, which is killing Palestinian women and girls.
“Our commitment to the promotion and protection of women and girls worldwide must extend to them, too.”
The priority theme for the commission is “accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”.
The UAE’s delegation to the 68th meeting of the commission was led by Ms Al Kaabi and included Mona Al Marri, vice president of the Gender Balance Council, Hanan Ahli, managing director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, and representatives from the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ms Al Kaabi also participated in a ministerial meeting on raising financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, specifically policies and strategies to end their poverty.
She said that the UAE supported the launch of the joint UN Women and International Trade Centre’s Global Campaign on Gender-Responsive Public Procurement, which aims to reduce barriers for women entrepreneurs competing for public tenders, Wam reported.