Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The UAE has called for a strengthened focus on gender-responsive humanitarian capacities during the UN Women Executive Board meeting, emphasising the critical role of the agency in advancing gender equality and women's empowerment amidst increasing global conflicts.
Attending the Executive Board meeting on behalf of the UAE, His Excellency Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, highlighted the ongoing challenges in meeting Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5) on gender equality, with a particular call to action ahead of significant global milestones.
"We are far past the midpoint of the 2030 agenda, but nowhere near achieving SDG5," Abushahab stated.
"We must capitalise on upcoming milestones, like the Summit of the Future and the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, to drive this agenda forward."
Highlighting the increasing global conflicts and crises, the UAE underscored the urgent need for gender-responsive humanitarian responses that adequately address the specific needs of women and girls, which are often overlooked in global conflict resolutions.
"With conflict and crises increasing around the world, so too are humanitarian needs, and especially those of women and girls. This can often be a missing element in the global response to conflict," Abushahab said, suggesting a more robust engagement of UN Women in conflict and crisis situations to bridge existing gaps.
The Ambassador expressed the UAE's commitment to collaborating with UN Women to promote gender-responsive climate action.
"Building on our cooperation for last year's COP28, UN Women and the UAE will work together to galvanise gender-responsive climate action, including by establishing a flexible and rapid funding mechanism through a Women's Climate Fund," he said.
This initiative aims to build climate resilience, support transitions to green and blue economies, and expand UN Women's operations in climate action, reinforcing the intersectional nature of gender issues across various sectors, including the private sector.
The UAE called for further integration of gender equality agendas across the UN system, emphasising the need to strengthen UN Women's coordination mandate for a more effective approach.
"As Board members, we must maximise the opportunity this annual session provides to support and strengthen the agency's operations towards our shared goal," Abushahab stressed, reiterating the UAE's commitment as a steadfast partner of UN Women.
