Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams is encouraged by the strides that have been made by United Nations (UN) UN Women which celebrated its one-year anniversary earlier this month.
The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) focused on its first year on building a strong organization with clear goals and strategies by establishing a presence in 75 countries.
Examples of UN Women’s response to advance the cause of women’s equality included the support provided for women’s participation in constitutional reform, elections and political transition in Tunisia and Egypt.
Last October, UN Women called out for concrete proposals from governments and civil society in Arab States to support women’s political participation and empowerment.
UN Women provided US$4.8 million through the Gender Equality Fund to advance women’s empowerment in the Arab World.
The agency also provided support to candidates, political parties, voters, electoral commissions and legislative efforts in more than 25 countries over the past year to ensure that more women voted and got elected.
For 2012, UN Women will support women’s movements in 52 countries.
Contributions to UN Women last year totaled US$235 million, a 33 per cent increase from 2010, and the agency intends to intensify its efforts to raise US$700 million for its work this year.
"I would like to commend Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women on her efforts during the first year of existence of the organization.
"I have met with Bachelet at different settings and I am confident of her total and selfless commitment to the cause of women’s advancement all over the world.
"With half of the world’s population made up of women, women have a role to play in all facets of national development.
"In recognizing and advancing this, societies stand to gain from the vast potentials and talents of all women," Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams said on Wednesday.