ARROW was selected to deliver an oral statement at the Commission on the Status of Women, Sixty-fifth session (CSW65) – Introduction, action, conclusion and opening of the 66th session. Watch the oral statement here.
Gender equality is indispensable for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and other existing commitments including the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. However, in Asia and the Pacific, deep rooted gender inequality, which is further reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to discriminatory sociocultural norms, underpin structures and systems.
We welcome the theme of the 65th Session of the Commission and reiterate that women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life is crucial for gender equality. However, women’s full participation in public life in Asia and the Pacific is far from being realised. The percentage of ministerial roles held by women in the region has only increased from 8% in 2001 to 12% in 2019 and these numbers have little or no representation of women from marginalised communities.
Gender equality continues to be threatened by multi-dimensional factors arising from but not limited to poverty, lack of food security, climate change related disasters and conflict. Intersecting inequalities and vulnerabilities adversely affect women and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. The pandemic crisis has exacerbated gender-based violence and long-standing issues arising from gender inequality.
We therefore call on the States to take the following key actions:
Endorsing organisations:
