Surrounded by women activists at a town hall meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called out and decried a “surge in misogyny” that is threatening equality. He was speaking during the 69th Commission on the Status of Women. And Member States were listening.Later that day, they adopted a Political Declaration to respect, protect, and champion the rights, equality, and empowerment of women and girls. A bright spot for cooperation, the Declaration also reinforces commitments to ensure women are included in efforts to build and maintain peace. The Secretary-General told the UN Security Council this week that work is already underway to ensure peace operations are fit for today through the Pact for the Future, adopted at the Summit of the Future in September.“The rights of women and girls run through the Pact,” affirmed the Secretary-General. Now it’s time to deliver on its promise and build on — not roll back — decades of hard-won gains.
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