From the outset, we wish you every success in conducting the debates of this committee. My delegation joins the intervention of the European Union, and wishes to speak in its national capacity.
Mister President,
Faced with the uninhibited affirmation of anti-rights movements which advocate, finance and organize the regression of the rights of women and girls throughout the world, France continues, alongside its partners, to defend a resolutely feminist diplomacy.
First, we have mobilized to make gender equality a priority in all areas. We co-chaired with Mexico, under the aegis of UN Women, the Generation Equality Forum in June 2021, and made a commitment to support sexual and reproductive rights and health to the tune of 400 million euros. period 2021-2025. France has launched its second international strategy on the subject for the period 2023-2027 and will continue to defend the recognition of the right to abortion as a fundamental right.
Second, we are deploying concrete means. France has significantly increased its contributions to UN Women and UNFPA and is now among the 15 main contributors to these agencies. The share of our public development assistance in favor of equality has more than doubled in five years and will continue to increase. France is committing 250 million euros for the period 2023-2027 as part of the Support Fund for Feminist Organizations, which has already mobilized, since 2020, 134 million euros for the benefit of 1,000 associations in more than 70 countries.
Third, we must go further to support the participation of women and girls in decision-making processes.
First, France calls for the appointment of a high-level focal point at the United Nations to accelerate progress on this subject. We support the approach of the Secretary General, who calls in his Joint Program – I quote – “to put women at the center” of multilateral efforts, particularly in view of the Summit for the Future in 2024.
Next, France calls for support for draft general recommendation No. 40 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the equal participation of women in all decision-making systems.
Finally, the full, equal, effective and substantial participation of women and girls will not be possible as long as they suffer violence and discrimination. France calls on all states that have not yet done so to ratify the Istanbul Convention and implement all the resolutions of the “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda. France is working on this through its 3rd national action plan for the period 2021-2025.
Mister President,
Faced with anti-rights movements whose objective is to deprive women and girls of their rights and freedoms, France will adopt a new strategy for its feminist diplomacy for the period 2024-2028. We will never give up defending equality between women and men. We will continue to call on all States to adopt feminist diplomacy to defend and advance the rights of women and girls.
This article is originally published on onu.delegfrance.org
