UN agency kicks against excluding women in key decision-making

By Haruna Gimba

Exclusion of women in decisions that affect their lives is bad governance which should not be allowed, the UN Women said.

Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka stated this on Monday while commemorating 2021 International Women’s Day on Monday.

She spoke at an event celebrating the efforts of women and girls to shape a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We stand on a crossroads as we ponder the recover from a pandemic that has had a disproportionate impact women and girls. This is why, at this point in 2021, when we are at crossroads, we have to bring this to an end,” she said.

Although women have been most negatively impacted by the pandemic, Ms. Mlambo- Ngcuka shone a spotlight on the lack of women at the helm of who will be guiding the COVID recovery.

She pointed to their under representation in key institutions and emphasized that building back “will not be adequate and inclusive if it does not include women in decisions that affect their lives.”

The UN Women chief highlighted the upcoming session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) as both an opportunity and a responsibility of women leaders “to call for representation of women in all decision-making bodies.”

Recalling last year’s 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for action, when heads of States lamented the underrepresentation of women in their countries, she upheld that the CSW, which will open next Monday, can address this along with continuing gender inequality – both of which will help in COVID recovery and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

“This is an opportunity that cannot be missed”, Ms. Mlambo- Ngcuka said.

In celebrating women who are leading their nations and communities through the pandemic, Secretary-General António Guterres said that “countries with women leaders are among those that have suffered fewer deaths and put themselves on track for recovery.”  

He also noted that women’s organizations “have filled crucial gaps” in providing services and information and while women peacebuilders have played “a vital role” in public health messaging.

“70 per cent of frontline health and care workers are women – many from racially and ethnically marginalized groups and at the bottom of the economic ladder,” the UN chief said. 

Just 22 countries have a woman as Head of State, only 21 per cent of Ministers are women, and women parliamentarians make up less than 25 per cent of national legislators.  

“Women have an equal right to speak with authority on the decisions that affect their lives, from the pandemic to climate change, to deepening inequalities, conflict and democratic backsliding,” said the UN chief.