Highlighting persistent power imbalances, including in politics, the economy and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), she warned of a growing backlash against women’s rights fueled by misinformation and culture wars.
“These are difficult times,” said Guterres, who is marking his final year as U.N. chief. “A bitter wind is blowing around the world. That wind is hardening attitudes and fueling a backlash against women’s rights… that It feeds on misinformation, exploits fear and insecurity, uses cultural wars as a weapon and seeks to silence women.”
He emphasized that “the last thing I want from you today is silence.”
Merger Concerns
Representatives from around the world then spoke, with several participants questioning the proposed merger of UN Women (the UN body leading gender equality efforts) and the UN agency for sexual and reproductive health (UNFPA).
“Why are the two main actors the first target of rationalization?” asked María León González of the Young Feminist Caucus, which represents hundreds of civil society groups, suggesting an examination of options for the merger.
To this, the UN chief said that the proposal to merge the two agencies aims to create a “more powerful” one, and both mandates will continue with shared resources.
‘States must tell themselves the truth’
Law professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo from Nigeria expressed concern about shrinking public spaces, funding shortages and government repression and offered a solution.
“It is time for states to tell themselves the truth,” he said. “Now is the time to reaffirm that women’s rights are human rights,” a battle cry that emerged from the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.
She said that despite the progress made since Beijing, “States must contribute to promoting women’s rights.”
Changing power relations
When asked what the Secretary-General hopes to leave as a legacy, the UN chief said he underlined the importance of changing power relations to promote gender equality along with his efforts to do so during his 10-year mandate.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres answers questions at a public meeting with civil society groups.
Guterres also acknowledged the invaluable work of civil society groups and noted that the UN will convene a meeting in July to obtain their input on the current UN80 reform initiative.
Defending the hard-won rights of women and girls, opening new doors and creating coalitions when societies are disintegrating “is not easy,” she said.
“It has a price,” he said.
“You may face threats, intimidation and harassment. When you push for change, you are pushing against the patriarchy, and the patriarchy is pushing back..”
‘You can count on me’
Pledging her support and outlining the UN’s efforts for gender equality, she urged participants to “continue to shake the foundations of privilege.”
“You can count on me to be with you, now and always, and together we will say loud and clear: no to rejection, No to retreat, no to retreat, no to surrender.“, said.
“We will never, ever give up.”
Watch the full meeting on UN Web TV here: