As a boy growing up in post-war Korea, I remember asking about a tradition I observed: women going into labour would leave their shoes at the threshold and then look back in fear. “They are wondering if they will ever step into those shoes again,” my mother explained.
More than a half-century later, the memory continues to haunt me. In poor parts of the world today, women still risk death in the process of giving life. Maternal mortality is one of many preventable perils. All too often, female babies are subjected to genital mutilation. Girls are attacked on their way to school. Women’s bodies are used as battlefields in wars. Widows are shunned and impoverished.
We can only address these problems by empowering women as agents of change.
For more than nine years, I have put this philosophy into practice at the United Nations. We have shattered so many glass ceilings we created a carpet of shards. Now we are sweeping away the assumptions and bias of the past so women can advance across new frontiers.
I appointed the first-ever female Force Commander of United Nations troops, and pushed women’s representation at the upper levels of our Organization to historic highs. Women are now leaders at the heart of peace and security – a realm that was once the exclusive province of men. When I arrived at the United Nations, there were no women leading our peace missions in the field. Now, nearly a quarter of all UN missions are headed by women – far from enough but still a vast improvement.
I have signed nearly 150 letters of appointment to women in positions as Assistant Secretary-General or Under-Secretary-General. Some came from top government offices with international renown, others have moved on to leadership positions in their home countries. All helped me prove how often a woman is the best person for a job.
To ensure that this very real progress is lasting, we have built a new framework that holds the entire UN system accountable. Where once gender equality was seen as a laudable idea, now it is a firm policy. Before, gender sensitivity training was optional; now it is mandatory for ever-greater numbers of UN staff. In the past, only a handful of UN budgets tracked resources for gender equality and women’s empowerment; now this is standard for nearly one in three, and counting.
Confucius taught that to put the world in order, we must begin in our own circles. Armed with proof of the value of women leaders at the United Nations, I have spoken out for women’s empowerment everywhere. In speeches at parliaments, universities and street rallies, in private talks with world leaders, in meetings with corporate executives and in tough conversations with powerful men ruling rigidly patriarchal societies, I have insisted on women’s equality and urged measures to achieve it.
When I took office, there were nine parliaments in the world with no women. We helped to drive that number down to four. I launched the UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign in 2008; today, scores of leaders and ministers, hundreds parliamentarians and millions of individuals have added their names to the action call.
I was the first man to sign our HeForShe campaign, and more than a million others have joined since. I stood with activists calling for the abandonment of female genital mutilation and celebrated when the General Assembly adopted its first-ever resolution supporting that goal. I am echoing the calls of many who know women can drive success in achieving our bold 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and advancing the Paris Agreement on climate change.
On this International Women’s Day, I remain outraged by the denial of rights to women and girls – but I take heart from the people everywhere who act on the secure knowledge that women’s empowerment leads to society’s advancement. Let us devote solid funding, courageous advocacy and unbending political will to achieving gender equality around the world. There is no greater investment in our common future.
Ban Ki-moon
UN Secretary General
51 Comments
Cell phone monitoring is a very effective way to help you monitor the cell phone activity of your children or employees.
Wow, amazing blog format! How long have you been blogging for?
you make running a blog glance easy. The full glance
of your web site is fantastic, let alone the content!
You can see similar here najlepszy sklep
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this superb blog!
I suppose for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding
your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand
new updates and will share this blog with my Facebook group.
Talk soon!
Hello to every one, the contents existing at this
site are actually awesome for people experience, well, keep up the good work fellows.
An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who has been conducting a little research on this.
And he actually bought me lunch simply because I discovered it for him…
lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
But yeah, thanks for spending the time to discuss this subject here on your web site.
Today, I went to the beach front with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my
4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed
the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched
her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a
amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you!
By the way, how can we communicate?
Thanks in favor of sharing such a fastidious idea, piece of writing is
fastidious, thats why i have read it entirely
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thanks for supplying this info.
Hello, just wanted to tell you, I enjoyed this post.
It was inspiring. Keep on posting!
Howdy! This post could not be written any better! Reading this post
reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept chatting about this.
I will forward this post to him. Fairly certain he will
have a good read. Thanks for sharing!
Hi to every one, it’s truly a pleasant for me to visit this web site, it consists of important Information.
Nice post. I was checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed!
Very helpful info specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such
information a lot. I was seeking this particular info for
a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
I’m curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be working with?
I’m having some minor security problems with my latest website and I would like to
find something more safeguarded. Do you have any suggestions?
This is a topic that is near to my heart… Best wishes!
Exactly where are your contact details though?
I’m not positive the place you’re getting your information, but great topic.
I must spend a while finding out more or working out more.
Thanks for excellent info I was on the lookout for this info for my mission.
Whoa! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a completely different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout
and design. Wonderful choice of colors!
Hi! I’ve been reading your web site for a while now and finally got the courage to go
ahead and give you a shout out from Porter Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the fantastic
job!
Aw, this was a really nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to create a superb article… but what can I say… I put
things off a lot and don’t manage to get nearly anything
done.
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a blog web site?
The account aided me a appropriate deal. I had been tiny bit familiar
of this your broadcast offered brilliant transparent
idea
This piece of writing is genuinely a good one it helps new internet viewers, who are wishing for blogging.
Excellent article. I am experiencing many of these
issues as well..
I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This paragraph posted at
this web page is truly nice.
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in truth used to be a amusement
account it. Look advanced to far introduced agreeable
from you! By the way, how could we be in contact?
Wow, that’s what I was seeking for, what a material!
existing here at this website, thanks admin of this website.
Hello to every , for the reason that I am truly eager of reading this blog’s post to be updated daily.
It contains good information.
Thank you for some other informative blog. The place else could I am
getting that type of info written in such a perfect manner?
I’ve a venture that I’m simply now working
on, and I’ve been at the look out for such information.
Howdy! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog
platform are you using for this website? I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had problems with hackers
and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform.
I would be fantastic if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
Hi there everyone, it’s my first pay a quick visit at this web site,
and post is genuinely fruitful in support of me, keep up posting such articles.
I’m curious to find out what blog system you’re working with?
I’m experiencing some small security issues with my latest website and I would like
to find something more secure. Do you have any recommendations?
I feel this is among the most vital info for me.
And i am glad reading your article. However want to statement
on few general things, The site style is wonderful, the articles is in point of fact excellent : D.
Excellent activity, cheers
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you need to publish
more on this topic, it may not be a taboo subject but generally people don’t talk about these topics.
To the next! Kind regards!!
This paragraph will help the internet people for building up new weblog or even a weblog
from start to end.
Hey would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
What’s up, after reading this remarkable article i am as well happy to share my
experience here with colleagues.
Howdy! This post couldn’t be written any better!
Reading this post reminds me of my good old room mate! He
always kept chatting about this. I will forward this write-up to him.
Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
This web site truly has all of the information I needed concerning this subject and didn’t know who to
ask.
I do not even understand how I stopped up here, but I thought this put up was once great.
I do not realize who you might be however certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you happen to aren’t already.
Cheers!
Heute wird es oft als “digitales Gold” betrachtet und dient vielen als Mittel zur Wertaufbewahrung, insbesondere zur Absicherung gegen Inflation.
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I believe that you should write more about this
subject, it might not be a taboo matter but typically people don’t talk about these
topics. To the next! Many thanks!!
I am extremely inspired along with your writing talents
and also with the structure in your blog. Is this a paid subject
or did you modify it your self? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it’s uncommon to look a nice weblog like this one today..
Hello to every single one, it’s actually a good for me to pay a
quick visit this web site, it consists of important Information.
certainly like your website however you need to test the
spelling on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and
I to find it very troublesome to inform the truth nevertheless I’ll definitely come back again.
Thanks designed for sharing such a pleasant opinion, piece of writing is
fastidious, thats why i have read it entirely
In tߋday’s diɡitaⅼ age, the wοгld of gɑmbling
haѕ expanded more than thee usual brick-and-moгtar cаsinoѕ.
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any
widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was
hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
Please let me know if you run into anything.
I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.
Spot on with this write-up, I really believe this amazing site needs far
more attention. I’ll probably be returning to see more, thanks for the
information!
hello there and thank you for your information – I’ve
certainly picked up something new from right here.
I did however expertise a few technical issues
using this site, since I experienced to reload the website a lot
of times previous to I could get it to load correctly.
I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK?
Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will
very frequently affect your placement in google and could damage your high quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords.
Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for a lot more of your respective intriguing content.
Ensure that you update this again soon.
You want to obtain back links from a wide range of one-of-a-kind domains.
My web page: https://alpunto.com.co/polemica-en-redes-luego-de-que-alex-char-recogiera-casi-1-millon-de-firmas-en-un-mes/
Right here is the right blog for everyone who
would like to find out about this topic.
You realize so much its almost tough to argue with you (not
that I personally would want to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a subject which has
been discussed for years. Great stuff, just great!