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	Women must have an equal say, on par with men, in all decision-making systems by Ana Pelaaez Narvaaez UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, agencies   Mar. 2025   Equality is Crucial for Democracy, by Nadia Samet-Warren for the Institute for War & Peace Reporting   Politicians are fond of announcing that “we are entering a new era”. But the unfortunate truth is that this new era does not exactly seem to be a promising one as far women’s rights are concerned.   Not a single country is on track to achieve gender equality, according to the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Gender Index, the most comprehensive global survey of its kind.   Less than a decade ago, the SDG were established by the international community as part of the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development. This saw 193 countries collectively pledge to eradicate poverty and hunger, find sustainable development solutions, foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies and ensure human rights for all by 2030.   And yet in 2025 we find global solidarity in major crisis. Armed conflicts are proliferating, climate breakdown accelerating, and societies are becoming more hostile, more inward looking and less cooperative.   After years of consistent progess in gender and sexual rights, many parts of the world – including countries that had been championing women’s rights for decades – are now encountering renewed opposition to progress. Resistance – in some cases straight opposition – to equality is evident in efforts to challenge marriage rights, access to abortion, reproductive rights, sex education and anti-discrimination measures.   These rollbacks are taking place amid growing rates of violence against women in the public sphere whether be it politics, journalism or other sectors, including alarming increases in online violence and harassment targeting women and girls.   And yet equality is a crucial feature of democratic societies that protect and promote civil liberties and freedoms. Women's political empowerment is essential for ensuring that decisions are both credible and legitimate. Countries that are stable and democratic are ones that uphold basic freedoms including equality and the right of association and assembly, and in which women are an integral part of political and civic life.   When women and men share leadership and decision-making responsibilities, the positive impact extends across communities, countries and the wider international system.   Evidence clearly demonstrates that involving women in peace processes enhances the success of negotiations and strengthens the implementation and longevity of agreements. A UN study showed that women’s participation increased “the probability of a peace agreement lasting at least two years by 20 per cent, and by 35 per cent the probability of a peace agreement lasting 15 years”.   This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, a bold international agreement on the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Adopted by 189 countries, it set global targets including in areas such as equal political participation between men and women. Three decades later, despite some progress on issues such as legal protections, equality is still an elusive dream for many.   This is particularly acute in conflict-affected countries. According to UN Women, over 170 armed conflicts were recorded in 2023 and “approximately 612 million women and girls lived within 50 kilometers of these conflicts, a staggering 50 per cent increase compared to a decade ago”.   Instability, crises and democratic decay have created the perfect storm of a major backlash against women’s rights. One of the most extreme examples is that of the gender apartheid rolled out by the Taliban shortly after they seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. The regime has issued over 90 edicts to suppress women’s and girls’ rights, returning Afghanistan to the oppression of the 1990s.   Yet this backsliding does not just affect the countries facing conflict and fragility. An example is the pronatalist movement in Hungary where a series of pro-life policies have been introduced in the past years progressively limiting women’s reproductive choices. These initiatives, ostensibly designed to combat population decline, raise significant concerns about human rights, equality and reproductive freedoms.   We are days away from the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women which will take place at the UN HQ in New York City on March 10. The session will focus on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and an assessment of current challenges affecting the empowerment of women as part of the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development. We cannot expect a huge amount of optimism at this meeting.   And yet amid the grim situation globally, glimpses of hope still exist, not least the tireless advocacy efforts by civil society organisations and individuals alike. We should remember inspirational examples such as Egyptian writer and women’s rights activist Nawal El Saadawi. She spent decades campaigning against female genital mutilation (FGM) and indeed, before her death in 2021, she saw both Egypt and Sudan finally ban the practice.   “Women are half the society,” she once wrote. “You cannot have a revolution without women. You cannot have democracy without women. You cannot have equality without women. You can't have anything without women.”   The global attempts to roll back gender equality and weaken women’s rights continue to have profound consequences. But while strategies, approaches and language can change, principles are unwavering.   http://iwpr.net/global-voices/equality-crucial-democracy http://www.unfpa.org/news/explainer-why-investing-women-and-girls-benefits-everyone http://www.unfpa.org/gender-equality http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/03/hc-turk-addresses-human-rights-council-international-womens-day http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2024/09/five-actions-to-boost-womens-political-participation http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2024/09/progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2024 http://equalmeasures2030.org/2024-sdg-gender-index/ http://www.unfpa.org/swp2024/left-out   Mar. 2025   Women and girls are demanding change – and they deserve nothing less. (UN News)   The basic rights of women and girls are facing unprecedented growing threats worldwide, from higher levels of discrimination to weaker legal protections -and less funding for programmes and institutions which support and protect women.   UN Women’s latest report Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing, published on the UN 50th International Women’s Day on 8 March, shows that in 2024, nearly a quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash on women’s rights.   Despite decades of advocacy, economic instability, the climate crisis, rising conflicts and political pushback have contributed to a worsening landscape for gender equality.   While 87 countries have been led by a woman at some point in history, true parity is still a long way off. Alarmingly, UN Women reports that a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by a family member or intimate partner.   The digital space is also exacerbating gender disparities, the UN agency argues, with artificial intelligence and some social media platforms amplifying harmful stereotypes. Meanwhile, women and girls remain underrepresented in digital and tech-related fields.   Without robust and gender-responsive social protections, vulnerable people can fall through the cracks. Women and girls are more likely to be at risk for poverty or to experience it, as evidenced in 2023, where 2 billion women and girls had no social protection coverage. In 2024, 393 million women and girls were living in extreme poverty.   In the past decade, there has been a disturbing 50 per cent increase in the number of women and girls directly exposed to conflict, and women’s rights defenders confront daily harassment, personal attacks and even death, UN Women said.   These findings underscore that crises such as COVID-19, soaring food and fuel prices, and the undermining of democratic institutions are not just slowing progress – but actively reversing gains.   “When women and girls can rise, we all thrive,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for the day. Yet, “instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we are seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny.”   “Together, we must stand firm in making human rights, equality and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere,” he emphasised.   UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous echoed this urgency: “Complex challenges stand in the way of gender equality and women’s empowerment, but we remain steadfast. Women and girls are demanding change – and they deserve nothing less.”   As the world marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration in 2025, the most visionary roadmap for furthering women’s rights, UN Women's latest report shows progress that must be acknowledged.   Since 1995, countries have enacted 1,531 legal reforms advancing gender equality, maternal mortality has dropped by a third and women’s representation in parliaments has more than doubled.   Yet, as the report makes clear, significant work remains to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The newly introduced Beijing+30 Action Agenda outlines priority areas to accelerate progress.   While countries may signal their commitments to gender equality through adopting gender-responsive and inclusive policies, without follow-through and proper funding, they may have little impact in the long term.   Equal access to technology and online safety must be ensured for all women and girls, while investments in social protection, universal health care and education are all deemed essential for women’s economic independence.   Women-led organizations must receive dedicated funding to build lasting peace and women’s leadership in environmental policies must be prioritised, ensuring equal access to green jobs.   Meanwhile, countries must adopt and implement legislation to end violence against women and girls, in all its forms, with well-resourced plans that include support for community-based organizations on the front lines of response and prevention.   Turning words into action   As gender equality faces one of its most challenging periods in decades, UN Women is calling on governments, businesses and civil society to reinforce their commitments to women’s rights, to ensure that all women and girls, everywhere, can fully enjoy their rights and freedoms.   http://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/international-womens-day http://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/womens-rights-in-review-30-years-after-beijing-en.pdf http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2025/02/womens-rights-in-2025-hope-resilience-and-the-fight-against-backlash http://equalitynow.org/resource/words-deeds-beijing30-report/ http://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/timeline/never-backing-down-women-march-forward-for-equal-rights http://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/explainer/the-beijing-declaration-and-platform-for-action-at-30-and-why-that-matters-for-gender-equality http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories   * Mar 2025: 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women   The main focus of the sixty-ninth session will be on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. The review will include an assessment of current challenges that affect the implementation of the Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and its contribution towards the full realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.   States submitted national-level reviews of the progress made and challenges encountered and regional commissions of the United Nations also undertook regional reviews:   http://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/commission-on-the-status-of-women http://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/commission-on-the-status-of-women/csw69-2025/preparations#_National_review http://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/commission-on-the-status-of-women/csw69-2025/preparations#_Regional_review   * 69th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) March 2025   The CSW published a political declaration that highlighted the need to prioritise the public investment in developing and expanding integrated care systems, including through the provision of universal care and support services throughout the life course. The declaration also reaffirmed the importance of ensuring adequate, predictable, sustainable and long-term funding, and of investing in universal, accessible and sustainable social protection systems and public services for women, to eliminate structural inequalities and fully implement the Beijing Declaration: http://docs.un.org/en/E/CN.6/2025/L.1   Oct. 2024   Women must have an equal say, on par with men, in all decision-making systems, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) told States parties today.   In its comprehensive guidance, officially known as General Recommendation 40 (GR40), the Committee made it clear that “equal and inclusive representation” requires no less than 50-50 parity between women and men.   This undisputable standard ensures equal access for all women and girls within any decision-making system, which the Committee underlined should include public, private sector, political, economic, and digital spaces.   The Committee said previous targets of 30%, are now behind the times. “Targets of 30 percent representation of women in decision-making are incompatible with the Convention’s core aim of elimination of discrimination against women, as these convey a message that inequality between women and men is justifiable.”   “Decision-making will have real and dynamic meaning and lasting effect only when it is shared at 50:50 parity by women and men and takes equal account of the interests of both,” it added.   Failing to achieve parity will prevent States and the international community from effectively addressing urgent national, regional and global challenges, notably those related to peace, political stability, economic development, climate change and technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, the Committee warned.   In 2022, women made up merely 16% of peace negotiators, and only 33% of peace agreements included provisions for women or girls, according to UN Women. It reflected that “women remain structurally excluded from conflict and crises prevention as well as peace negotiations,” the Committee said.   Although research suggested that women’s political leadership would lead to greater stability and peace, as well as stronger responsiveness to people’s needs, women still held only 27% of seats in national parliaments and 35% of seats in local governments, as of September this year.   “Women’s political representation and civic space are increasingly under attack through restrictions on the activities of women’s organizations, and the growing attacks and intimidations against women politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders,” the Committee noted with concern.   Women’s economic autonomy is essential to eradicate poverty and build a prosperous and sustainable society. Nevertheless, women held only 28.2 per cent of management positions in the labour market, according to a UN Women report.   More women than men work in many informal and low-paying jobs among less innovative and less lucrative industries, leaving them fewer opportunities to advance to decision-making positions and shape the economy.   “They are underrepresented, including in decision-making in economic governance architecture, multilateral financial institutions, debt servicing systems, capital markets, the industrial infrastructure architecture, trade negotiations and public procurement regimes,” stated the Committee.   The rapid digital transition, including the expanding role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is transforming the world, yielding immense potential to benefit humanity. However, the Committee observed that “women have been severely underrepresented in the development of these technological advances. AI innovations have also shown a tendency to reflect and magnify gender bias and gender-based discrimination.”   The Committee laid out seven equal and inclusive representation pillars in decision-making systems that frame the guidance of the General Recommendation.   Besides gender parity being a starting point and a universal norm, the other six pillars are effective youth leadership through parity, intersectionality and inclusion of women in all their diversity, a comprehensive approach ensuring parity across spheres, women’s equal power and influence beyond numeric parity, structural transformation changing stereotyped gender roles, and strong women’s civil society representation.   The Committee detailed States’ obligations to achieve equal and inclusive decision-making systems.   The Committee stressed the importance of parity in peace and security efforts and called on States to ensure equal representation of women in conflict and crises prevention and peacebuilding processes.   It also urged governments to adopt a gender-responsive peace agenda and to include GR 40 into the global security architecture. It urged the international community to adapt and extend the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda to the changing nature of conflicts and new threats to peace and security.   On political participation and leadership, the Committee addressed States’ responsibilities to adopt laws to ensure gender parity in elections and appointments, and to adopt rules to guarantee parity in leadership positions across parliaments and other decision-making bodies.   Additionally, the Committee called for gender audits of parliaments, government offices and municipal councils to examine gender responsiveness and the division of responsibilities to tailor reforms to achieve gender parity at all levels of governance.   The Committee also outlined Governments’ role in creating sustainable, inclusive, and human rights-based economies based on gender parity. It called for the elimination of all legal and practical forms of economic discrimination, including inequalities in pay, taxation, and regulations that hinder women’s participation. It further stated the importance of equal access to financial and non-financial resources, including technology, energy, and information.   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/10/half-power-un-womens-rights-committee-issues-guidance-womens-equal-and Visit the related web page
	We need greater global solidarity to meet the challenges of our era by United Nations News, agencies   Feb. 2025   On the opening day of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Secretary-General rounded on “warmongers who thumb their nose at international law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter”:   "We begin this session under the weight of a grim milestone — the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the UN charter. Thousands f civilians killed, with many more injured. Entire communities reduced to rubble. Hospitals and schools destroyed.   We must spare no effort to bring an end to this conflict, and to achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions.   Conflicts like the war in Ukraine exact a heavy toll. A toll on people. A toll on fundamental principles like territorial integrity, sovereignty and the rule of law.   Without respect for human rights — civil, cultural, economic, political and social — sustainable peace is a pipedream.   Human rights shine a light in the darkest places. Human rights are the oxygen of humanity. But one by one, human rights are being suffocated.   By autocrats, crushing opposition because they fear what a truly empowered people would do. By a patriarchy that keeps girls out of school, and women at arm’s length from basic rights.   By wars and violence that strip populations of their right to food, water and education. By warmongers who thumb their nose at international law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.   Human rights are being suffocated by the climate crisis. And by a morally bankrupt global financial system that too often obstructs the path to greater equality and sustainable development. By runaway technologies like Artificial Intelligence that hold great promise, but also the ability to violate human rights at the touch of a button.   By growing intolerance against entire groups — from Indigenous peoples, to migrants and refugees, to the LGBTQI+ community, to persons with disabilities. And by voices of division and anger who view human rights not as a boon to humanity, but as a barrier to the power, profit and control they seek.   In short — human rights are on the ropes and being pummeled hard. This represents a direct threat to all of the hard-won mechanisms and systems established over the last 80 years to protect and advance human rights.   But as the recently adopted Pact for the Future reminds us, human rights are, in fact, a source of solutions. The Pact provides a playbook on how we can win the fight for human rights on several fronts.   First — human rights through peace and peace through human rights.   Conflicts inflict human rights violations on a massive scale. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, violations of human rights have skyrocketed since the horrific Hamas attacks of October 7 and the intolerable levels of death and destruction in Gaza. And I am gravely concerned by the rising violence in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers and other violations, as well as calls for annexation.   The people in Gaza have already suffered too much. It’s time for a permanent ceasefire, the dignified release of all remaining hostages, irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part.   In Sudan, bloodshed, displacement and famine are engulfing the country. The warring parties must take immediate action to protect civilians, uphold human rights, cease hostilities and forge peace. And domestic and international human rights monitoring and investigation mechanisms should be permitted to document what is happening on the ground.   In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we see a deadly whirlwind of violence and horrifying human rights abuses, amplified by the recent M23 offensive, supported by the Rwandan Defense Forces. As more cities fall, the risk of a regional war rises. It’s time to silence the guns. It’s time for diplomacy and dialogue. The recent joint summit in Tanzania offered a way forward with a renewed call for an immediate ceasefire. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected. The Congolese people deserve peace.   In the Sahel, I call for a renewed regional dialogue to protect citizens from terrorism and systemic violations of human rights, and to create the conditions for sustainable development.   In Myanmar, the situation has grown far worse in the four years since the military seized power and arbitrarily detained members of the democratically elected government. We need greater cooperation to bring an end to the hostilities and forge a path towards an inclusive democratic transition and a return to civilian rule, allowing for the safe return of the Rohingya refugees.   And in Haiti, we are seeing massive human rights violations — including more than a million people displaced, and children facing a horrific increase in sexual violence and recruitment into gangs.   In the coming days, I will put forward proposals to the United Nations Security Council for greater stability and security for the people of Haiti — namely through an effective UN assistance mechanism to support the Multilateral Security Support mission, the national police and Haitian authorities. A durable solution requires a political process — led and owned by the Haitian people — that restores democratic institutions through elections.   The Pact for the Future calls for peace processes and approaches rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international law and the UN Charter. It proposes specific actions to prioritize conflict prevention, mediation, resolution and peacebuilding. And it includes a commitment to tackle the root causes of conflict, which are so often enmeshed in denials of basic human needs and rights.   Second — the Pact for the Future advances human rights through development. The Sustainable Development Goals and human rights are fundamentally intertwined. They represent real human needs — health, food, water, education, decent work and social protection.   With less than one-fifth of the Goals on track, the Pact calls for a massive acceleration through an SDG Stimulus, reforming the global financial architecture, and taking meaningful action for countries drowning in debt.   This must include focused action to conquer the most widespread human rights abuse in history — inequality for women and girls.   The Pact calls for investing in battling all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, and ensuring their meaningful participation and leadership across all walks of life.   And along with the Declaration on Future Generations, the Pact calls for supporting the rights and futures of young people through decent work, removing barriers for youth participation, and enhancing training.   And the Global Digital Compact calls on nations to champion young innovators, to equip the next generation with digital literacy and skills.   Third — the Pact for the Future recognizes that the rule of law and human rights go hand-in-hand. The rule of law, when founded on human rights, is an essential pillar of protection. It shields the most vulnerable. It’s the first line of defense against crime and corruption.   It supports fair, just and inclusive economies and societies. It holds perpetrators of human rights atrocities to account. It enables civic space for people to make their voices heard — and for journalists to carry out their essential work, free from interference or threats. And it reaffirms the world’s commitment to equal access to justice, good governance, and transparent and accountable institutions.   Fourth — human rights through climate action. Last year was the hottest on record — capping the hottest decade on record. Rising heat, melting glaciers and hotter oceans are a recipe for disaster. Floods, droughts, deadly storms, hunger, mass displacement — our war on nature is also a war on human rights.   We must choose a different path. I salute the Member States who legally recognize the right to a healthy environment — and I call on all countries to do the same. Governments must keep their promise to produce new, economy-wide national climate action plans this year, well ahead of COP30 in Brazil. Those plans must limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees — including by accelerating the global energy transition.   We also need a surge in finance for climate action in developing countries, to adapt to global heating, slash emissions and accelerate the renewables revolution, which represents a massive economic opportunity.   We must stand up to the misleading campaign of many in the fossil fuel industry and its enablers who are aiding and abetting this madness, while also protecting and defending those on the front lines of climate justice.   And fifth — human rights through stronger, better governance of technology. As fast-moving technologies expand into every aspect of our lives, I am deeply concerned about human rights being undermined.   At its best, social media is a meeting ground for people to exchange ideas and spark respectful debate. But it can also be an arena of fiery combat and blatant ignorance. A place where the poisons of misinformation, disinformation, racism, misogyny and hate speech are not only tolerated — but often encouraged.   Verbal violence online can easily spill into physical violence in real life. Recent rollbacks on social media fact-checking and content moderation are re-opening the floodgates to more hate, more threats, and more violence. Make no mistake. These rollbacks will lead to less free speech, not more, as people become increasingly fearful to engage on these platforms.   Meanwhile, the great promise of Artificial Intelligence is matched by limitless peril to undermine human autonomy, human identity, human control — and yes, human rights.   In the face of these threats, the Global Digital Compact brings the world together to ensure that human rights are not sacrificed on the altar of technology. This includes working with digital companies and policymakers to extend human rights to every corner of cyberspace — including a new focus on information integrity across digital platforms. The Global Digital Compact also includes placing human rights at the centre of AI-driven systems.   We can help end the suffocation of human rights by breathing life into the Pact for the Future and the work of this Council. Let’s do that together. We don’t have a moment to lose.   http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-02-24/secretary-generals-remarks-the-human-rights-council-delivered http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/02/hc-turk-opens-human-rights-council-we-need-politics-wisdom-rooted   Sep. 2024   UN Secretary-General's remarks to the Global Call on the Summit of the Future:   "Member States are now in the final stages of negotiating the three agreements to be adopted at the Summit of the Future: the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations.   My appeal is for you to push hard for the deepest reforms and most meaningful actions possible. Because the challenges we face are moving much faster than our ability to solve them.   Ferocious conflicts are inflicting terrible suffering. Deep geopolitical divides are creating dangerous tensions, multiplied by nuclear threats.   Inequality and injustice corrode trust and fuel populism and extremism. Discrimination, misogyny and racism are taking on new forms.   Poverty and hunger are at crisis levels as the Sustainable Development Goals are slipping out of reach.   And we have no effective global response to new and even existential threats. Nine years after the Paris agreement, the climate crisis is still accelerating, and technologies like Artificial Intelligence are being developed in an ethical and legal vacuum.   Our institutions cannot keep up, because they are designed for another era and another world. The Security Council is stuck in a time warp; international financial architecture is outdated and ineffective; and we are simply not equipped to take on a wide range of emerging issues.   21st century challenges require 21st century problem-solving institutions. The Summit of the Future is an important step in the journey to build stronger and more effective multilateralism.   An opportunity to update and reform global institutions, including the Security Council and international financial architecture, to reflect and respond to the political and economic realities of today and tomorrow.   We need a renewed focus on the prevention and mediation of conflicts – not only through negotiation and preventive diplomacy, but by creating conditions for stability through sustainable development and respect for human rights.   We need to connect the root causes of conflict and recognize that the climate crisis is a threat multiplier for insecurity. We need to respond to the changing nature of warfare and update our peace operations accordingly. And we need agreement on mitigating the risks of weaponizing new technologies.   As well, we need reforms to the global financial architecture and make it correspond to today’s global economy and fit to address today’s challenges.   Global financial institutions should support developing countries to lift themselves out of debt and invest in sustainable development and climate action.   We need to increase the lending capacity of multilateral development banks dramatically and change their business model, so that they can help developing countries to gain far more access to private finance at affordable rates.   And we need ways for governments, together with tech companies, academia and civil society, to work together to manage the risks posed by new technologies – including AI – and make sure those technologies benefit everybody.   The United Nations is in a unique position to act as a platform and a convening space for key stakeholders. We cannot walk into the next global pandemic or shock without being better prepared.   And across the board, we need to strengthen respect for human rights and cultural diversity. In the face of renewed attacks on the rights and dignity of women and girls, we need strong action to end discrimination and gender-based violence and remove the barriers that exclude women from power.   In short, we need greater global solidarity today and with future generations; better management of critical issues of global concern to meet the challenges of our era".   http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-22/secretary-generals-remarks-the-opening-segment-of-the-summit-of-the-future-plenary-bilingual-delivered-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french http://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/sotf-pact_for_the_future_adopted.pdf http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154581 http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1155046 http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/09/leaders-can-rise-summit-together/ http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/un-summit-future http://theelders.org/news/intergenerational-call-action-world-speaking-are-we-listening 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http://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2024/09/un-summit-future-unga-reform-security-council?lang=en http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/un-security-council-casts-nearly-all-vetoes-last-decade-on-syria-palestine-and-ukraine-robbing-opportunities-for-peace/ http://www.oxfam.org/en/blogs/whose-future-our-future http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/icrc-president-mirjana-spoljaric-human-life-is-human-life   http://www.rightsoffuturegenerations.org/the-principles http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/09/decisive-action-required-realise-right-development-children-and-future http://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/crccgc26-general-comment-no-26-2023-childrens-rights http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/policy-brief-extreme-heat-and-childrens-development-and-wellbeing/ http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/almost-half-billion-children-live-areas-experiencing-least-twice-many-extremely-hot http://gi-escr.org/en/our-work/on-the-ground/the-future-starts-now-enhancing-the-global-system-for-current-and-future-generations http://wmo.int/media/news/record-breaking-temperatures-continue-august http://wmo.int/publication-series/united-science-2024   http://www.socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org/2024/07/statement-on-the-importance-of-universal-social-protection-for-the-pact-of-the-future http://www.socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org/2024/05/policy-brief-social-protection-for-climate-justice-why-and-how/ http://www.ilo.org/resource/news/social-protection-plays-key-role-countering-climate-change-impact-countries http://reliefweb.int/report/world/analytical-study-impact-loss-and-damage-adverse-effects-climate-change-full-enjoyment-human-rights-exploring-equity-based-approaches-and-solutions-addressing-same-ahrc5730-advance-edited-version http://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/achieving-prosperity-for-planet-and-people-requires-fair-resource-sharing-and-addressing-inequality-new-earth-commission-study http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49863-0   http://www.cgdev.org/publication/global-roadmap-action-care-economy http://southernvoice.org/measuring-what-we-value-the-case-for-a-basic-care-basket/ http://www.cippec.org/textual/the-international-day-of-care-and-support-an-opportunity-to-acknowledge-and-bolster-cares-power-to-foster-inclusive-development/ http://tinyurl.com/bddkv5te http://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/beyond-gdp-a-compendium-of-regional-feminist-perspectives-621665/   http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2024/09/human-rights-are-our-mainstay-against-unbridled-power http://www.escr-net.org/news/2024/escr-net-and-partners-reaffirm-commitment-to-denouncing-corporate-capture-reflect-on-summit-of-the-future/ http://www.unsdsn.org/resources/the-sustainable-development-report-2024/ http://inequality.org/research/un-summit-of-the-future-appears-stuck-in-past/ http://c20brasil.org/documents/ http://t20brasil.org/en/communique http://www.srpoverty.org/2024/10/17/statement-international-financial-system-not-fit-for-purpose-to-address-catastrophic-debt-crisis-un-poverty-expert/ http://taxjustice.net/press/countries-can-raise-2-trillion-by-copying-spains-wealth-tax-study-finds/ http://taxjustice.net/reports/taxing-extreme-wealth-what-countries-around-the-world-could-gain-from-progressive-wealth-taxes/ http://www.wider.unu.edu/publication/wider-annual-lecture-brief-billionaire-tax-modest-proposal-21st-century http://www.wider.unu.edu/news/gabriel-zucman-presents-his-modest-proposal-taxing-worlds-billionaires-provocative-wider http://www.wider.unu.edu/publication/new-estimates-cost-ending-poverty   May 2024   United Nations member countries should use negotiations on the “Pact for the Future” to commit to strengthening human rights, including promoting economic justice and protecting the right to a healthy environment, Human Rights Watch said.   The UN Pact for the Future, currently being negotiated, is expected to be adopted at the Summit of the Future, a special UN meeting slated for September 2024. Among the issues being discussed by the 193 UN member countries are economic policy reforms and how to realize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, as well as the emphasis that should be placed on human rights generally.   “The Pact for the Future shouldn’t become another UN document that gets adopted and then ignored,” said Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch. “Governments should commit to action to end widening economic inequalities that deny billions of people their rights and a climate crisis that’s taking a mounting toll on lives and livelihoods around the globe.”   Many governments that recognize the importance of sustainable development often ignore that human rights are key to achieving this goal, Human Rights Watch said. They need to confront climate change and responsibly manage new technologies. And while most governments acknowledge the importance of complying with international humanitarian law in conflicts, they disagree on how to address atrocities against civilians in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.   Although the final text will be non-binding, the pact presents a critical opportunity to affirm a vision of human rights that can help bridge some of the sharp divisions between governments on these and other issues.   In the process, governments should strengthen the ability of the UN system to deliver on the UN Charter by protecting and promoting peace and security, development, and human rights.   Some governments were disappointed with the initial draft of the pact due to what they considered its scant attention to human rights, diplomats told Human Rights Watch.   A number of countries are seeking to strengthen the human rights language in the draft pact. However, China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, and others have sought to weaken, dilute, or delete references to human rights.   Western governments are partly to blame for leaving space to those critical of a human rights approach, Human Rights Watch said. Their selective application of human rights undermines the credibility of such an agenda, particularly for countries in the Global South.   While the United States and other Western countries justifiably condemn Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, for example, many of them have not shown the same resolve concerning Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. While the European Union says it champions human rights protection globally, it opposes efforts at the UN to make the international tax system fairer for developing countries.   All governments’ assertions in support of human rights would resonate more powerfully if they applied them consistently, including in their own countries and with their friends and allies, Human Rights Watch said.   Rather than dismissing the views of countries in the Global South on international financial reforms, Global North states should support much-needed changes to the international financial architecture. Those include aligning international financial institutions’ policies and practices with human rights, supporting efforts to achieve a global tax treaty, combatting illicit financial flows, and reducing governments’ debt burdens.   The concept of a “human rights economy,” which has been championed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, offers the potential to meet the legitimate demands of Global South countries through a more holistic approach to human rights.   Governments should also ensure that the pact reaffirms the centrality of human rights in confronting the climate crisis. They should explicitly endorse the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, recognized by the UN General Assembly in 2022, while emphasizing the urgent need for phasing out fossil fuels through a just transition that is consistent with human rights. Fossil fuels are the primary driver of the climate crisis, and all stages of their use have been linked to severe human rights harm.   The pact should also highlight the importance of civil society and the rights to freedom of speech, association, and peaceful assembly. The upcoming UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya on May 9-10 is an opportunity for the UN leadership and delegations overseeing the drafting process to hear from hundreds of civil society representatives from around the world.   The drafters should listen carefully to civil society priorities for the Pact for the Future and its two annexes, the Global Digital Compact on “shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all” and the Declaration on Future Generations. Outreach to civil society organizations in the drafting process has so far been haphazard.   “Instead of standing by while governments trample on human rights, or selectively condemning abuses by their adversaries while ignoring those of their friends, UN member countries should commit to ending repression wherever it occurs and improving everyone’s lives,” Charbonneau said.   http://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/20/un-world-leaders-should-act-end-rights-crises http://www.hrw.org/news/2024/05/07/un-revise-pact-future-focus-rights http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-05-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-united-nations-civil-society-conference-support-of-the-summit-of-the-future-delivered http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/05/our-future-is-too-important-to-be-left-solely-to-states/ http://gcap.global/news/african-csos-and-global-coalition-urge-action-on-debt-relief-and-social-protection-at-arfsd-side-event/ http://www.socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org/2024/05/recording-of-the-side-event-on-social-protection-at-the-2024uncsc/ http://www.forus-international.org/en/custom-page-detail/76297-marchwithus http://www.article19.org/resources/un-global-digital-compact-and-civil-societies http://cesr.org/sites/default/files/2024/CESR_-_Presentation_in_Nairobi_UNCSC_Impact_Coalition_on_FfD.pdf http://civilsocietyforeu.eu/the-manifesto http://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/news/interviews/7216-summit-of-the-future-civil-society-has-been-vocal-in-urging-that-the-summit-address-the-real-needs-of-people Visit the related web page
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