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International Women’s Day 2022: Marking One Week of Action Towards Equality [EN/AR]

Países
Iraq
Fuentes
UNAMI
Fecha de publicación

15th March 2022; Baghdad, Iraq, - Each year, International Women's Day is a time to reflect and recommit to challenging gender norms, empowering each other, breaking stereotypes, celebrating diversity and taking climate action. Over the past week, the UN in Iraq commenced an advocacy campaign to remind us all that women and girls play a critical role in leading climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response within our communities, and it’s time to recognize their contribution.

This year’s theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” is designed to recognize the contribution of women and girls around the world and is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 66th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66): “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programs.”

Advancing gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is critical, especially given that Iraq is among the top five countries most affected by climate change. Record low rainfall, water scarcity and rising temperatures are impacting heavily upon the most vulnerable communities, especially women and girls. They constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources that climate change threatens. All at once, women and girls are practical and influential leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation; they are involved in sustainability initiatives around the world, and their participation leads to more effective climate action. Supporting women in sustainable entrepreneurship and trade can help mitigate climate change by enabling them to be more active in global value chains. On the other hand, the women’s leadership role has both opportunities and constraints to increase empowerment, for women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making. Sustainability is essential for development and greater gender equality; without equality, today, a sustainable future and a similar future remain beyond our reach.

“Everyone needs to stand with women and girls to accelerate the achievement of SDG5, through the advancement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls," said Resident Coordinator Vojáčková-Sollorano, adding: “This is the time where we should all come together to work towards transformative climate action and to reverse gender inequalities to have a gender-inclusive and more equitable and sustainable world for us all”.

We call upon the government, international community and civil society organizations to ensure that women’s and girls’ health, rights, and dignity are safeguarded and protected at all times. We must listen to women's voices and invest in their leadership and resilience. This also includes increasing women’s participation in the labour market through the promotion of decent work. Women bring communities together, lead efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and women can drive reconciliation and ensure long-lasting peace.

Building on the past week’s efforts, we will continue to join together to empower women and girls in Iraq to step up and take leadership positions to tackle challenges such as climate change and support in creating a better and more sustainable future, for the generations to come.

Irena Vojáčková-Sollorano, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq

Dina Zorba, UN Women Representative, Iraq, and Yemen

Ally Raza Qureshi, WFP Representative, Iraq

Maha Kattaa, ILO Country Coordinator, Iraq

Danielle Bell, Representative, OHCHR, Iraq

Salah El-Hajj Hassan, Representative, FAO, Iraq

Rita Columbia, Representative, UNFPA, Iraq

Eric Buchot, ITC Head of Country Programme Iraq

Zena Ali Ahmad, Resident Representative, UNDP Iraq