Around the world, progress on women’s rights is vanishing before
our eyes. The latest forecasts estimate that on our current track, it will take
another 300 years to reach full gender equality.
اضافة اعلان
Today’s cascading crises, from the war in Ukraine to the climate
emergency, affect women and girls first and worst. And as part of the global
pushback against democracy, women’s rights over their bodies and autonomy over
their lives are being questioned and denied.
Two statistics make our failure very clear:
Every 10 minutes, one woman or girl is murdered by a family member
or intimate partner.
And one
woman dies every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth. Most of those
deaths are entirely preventable.
On International Women’s Day, we must commit to doing better. We
need to reverse these horrific trends and stand up for the lives and rights of
women and girls, everywhere.
Today’s cascading crises, from the war in Ukraine to the climate emergency, affect women and girls first and worst.
This is one of my core priorities and a central plank of the work
of the UN around the world.
From South Sudan to Myanmar, we are supporting women and girls in
crisis and making sure their voices are heard in peace processes.
Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, recently visited
Afghanistan with a message for the authorities: women and girls have
fundamental human rights, and we will never give up fighting for them.
This year,
International Women’s Day focuses on closing gender gaps in science,
technology, and innovation. Globally,
men are 21 percent more likely to be online than women — and over 50 percent
more likely in low-income countries.
But even
the richest countries lose out because of gender-based stereotypes and historic
bias. In the tech industry, men outnumber women two
to one. In AI, it is five to one.
Big data
is the new gold, and the foundation of today’s political and business
decisions. But it often ignores gender differences — or turns a blind eye to
women altogether.
Big data is the new gold, and the foundation of today’s political and business decisions. But it often ignores gender differences — or turns a blind eye to women altogether.
We
should all be alarmed by products and services that bake in gender inequality
right from the start, and digitize patriarchy and misogyny.
The
Silicon Valleys of this world must not become Death Valleys for women’s rights.
Medical
decisions based on data from men’s bodies can not only harm women; it can be
deadly.
Discrimination
against women in science and technology is the result of centuries of
patriarchy, discrimination, and damaging stereotypes. Women account for just 3
percent of Nobel Prize winners in scientific categories since 1901. And women
online — including scientists and journalists — are often targeted for sexist
hate speech and abuse designed to silence and shame them.
But they will not be silenced. Women and girls everywhere are
demanding their rights, and their words reverberate around the world.
We need action on several fronts to make sure women and girls can
make their full contribution to the world’s knowledge through science and
technology.
We
must break down barriers — from discriminatory data to stereotypes that push
girls away from studying scientific subjects at an early age.
Decisionmakers
of all kinds must broaden women’s participation and leadership in science and
technology, through quotas if necessary.
They should be creative, widening the
recruitment pipeline and hiring for skills. And they must be persistent. Gender
equality will not happen by itself; it has to be prioritized and pursued. This
approach is getting results at the United Nations, where we have our own
strategy for gender parity among our personnel.
Women’s rights are not a luxury that can wait until we solve the climate crisis, end poverty, and create a better world.
We also
need action to create a safe digital environment for women and to hold
accountable both the perpetrators of online abuse, and the digital platforms
that enable them.
The UN
is working with
governments, civil society, the private sector and others on a Code of Conduct
aimed at reducing harm and increasing accountability on digital platforms,
while defending freedom of expression.
Women’s rights are not a luxury that can wait until we solve the
climate crisis, end poverty, and create a better world.
Investing in women and girls is the surest way to uplift all
people, communities, and countries, and to achieve the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development. Together, let us work for a more inclusive, just, and
prosperous world for women and girls, men and boys, everywhere.
Antonio Guterres is the UN secretary-general.
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