More needs to be done for gender equality

We also celebrate this year the 20th anniversary of the fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, which brought together more than 189 countries around two common goals: Equality between men and women, and women’s empowerment everywhere in the world, in an unprecedented breakthrough in women’s rights.

However, some alarming figures remind us how much still needs to be done 20 years after Beijing: A third of all women have experienced either physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. Daily in the world, 800 women die in childbirth, because of inequality in terms of reproductive rights and access to healthcare, often leaving behind a lot of orphans. 

More than 125 million women and girls have suffered genital mutilation and every year, 3 million girls under 5 years of age are at risk of being mutilated. 

In armed conflicts, women are also the most vulnerable persons. France and other countries continue to act for the enforcement of UN Security Council resolutions on “Women, Peace and Security”, to reinforce women’s protection in conflicts, and enable their full participation in decision-making on an equal footing with men, which is a critical condition for a lasting peace. 

In France, as well as in Thailand, efforts have been made to address the issues of professional equality and parity. Both countries have striven to reinforce their legal framework on domestic violence, without succeeding yet in eradicating this phenomenon. 

Facing those numerous challenges, what shall we do? First, we must reaffirm the universal and inalienable right of women to make their own choices in life. Among other things, this means a universal access to their sexual and reproductive health rights, to education for girls as well as boys, and fight against discriminations and stereotypes. 

The international community must above all reaffirm the inclusion and the importance of women in developing process. Negotiations on post 2015 development agenda are an opportunity to include gender equality in every development goal, to renew the aim of promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

Countries where gender equality exists have better economic growth, companies where parity is respected are performing better, peace agreements where women have been included last longer. Parliaments where women are well represented make more laws on key issues such as health, education, fight against discriminations and support for children. 

Twenty years after the conference on women, progress has been made but equality is still to be achieved. To attain it, the international community must fix this aim, both in our minds as well as in our legal framework. This requirement is an imperative for all of us. 

 

Thierry Viteau is France’s Ambassador to Thailand