Secretary-General gives remake at UN International Women’s Day

On the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Secretary-General António Guterres on 7 March told an International Women’s Day celebration at the General Assembly Hall, that “women’s rights are under attack,” and announced the launch of the Gender Equality Clarion Call, “a bold, urgent pledge to defend and advance the rights of all women and girls.”

He added that “centuries of discrimination are being exacerbated by new threats. Digital tools, while brimming with promise, are also often silencing women’s voices, amplifying bias, and fuelling harassment.”

According to UN Women, the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action comes at a time of mounting global crises, from economic instability and the climate emergency to democratic erosion and backlash against gender equality.