Sima Sami Bahous, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN-Women, praised Uzbekistan's commitment to gender equality during her address at the opening of the Asian Women's Forum on May 13. However, she highlighted a startling reality: the unemployment rate among women in Uzbekistan stands at a staggering 50%, while among men it's 30%.
In her address, Bahous extended gratitude to the Uzbekistan president for spearheading initiatives to bolster women's rights and opportunities, emphasizing the timely convening of the forum.
Acknowledging global strides towards gender parity, Bahous highlighted several positive trends, including advancements in labor legislation to fortify equal rights, implementation of quotas for women in leadership roles, and a decline in maternal mortality rates.
Moreover, she emphasized the increasing accessibility of primary education for girls and celebrated progress in economic gender equality, particularly in Uzbekistan.
Bahous spotlighted Uzbekistan's policy shift, introducing equal pay for work of equal value alongside the removal of restrictions barring women from hazardous industrial roles. Applauding these measures, she reiterated UN-Women's support for such progressive decisions aimed at fostering gender inclusivity and economic empowerment.
“Progress has been made in terms of gender equality in many areas, including the economy. For example, in Uzbekistan, equal pay for work of equal value was introduced, and restrictions on the involvement of women in industrial enterprises and work deemed dangerous were removed. We support these decisions,” Bahous voiced.
However, Bahous juxtaposed these advancements with persisting global crises disproportionately affecting women and girls, citing the situation in Gaza as a poignant example. She called for an immediate ceasefire and urged concerted efforts to address systemic violence and discrimination faced by women, advocating for the elimination of discriminatory norms and legal frameworks.
“Every third woman is still subjected to violence and harassment. The main reason is discriminatory norms and legal systems,” Bahous shared.
Bahous underscored statistics revealing higher unemployment rates among women, a persistent wage gap, and female representation in the informal economy, particularly in low-income nations. She emphasized the urgent need to rectify these inequalities, stressing the pivotal role of investing in women's economic empowerment to yield substantial societal benefits.
“Women [in Uzbekistan] earn on average 20% less than men. They often work in insecure jobs, are not protected by labor laws, and have no pension or health insurance. 60% of women are employed in the informal sector of the economy. In low-income countries, this figure exceeds 90%. Every tenth woman still lives in extreme poverty,” Bahous remarked.
Looking ahead, Bahous highlighted the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, urging nations to reaffirm their commitment to gender equality during the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. She emphasized the forthcoming global summit as an opportunity to rebuild trust and forge a new international consensus on securing a shared future, with a specific focus on ensuring financial systems work inclusively for women.
Bahous concluded by extending an invitation to prioritize gender issues in development financing, integrate gender considerations into economic and social policies, and allocate resources to women's organizations and associations. Emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts, she called for collective action to realize shared visions of gender equality, expressing gratitude to Uzbekistan for hosting the forum in the historic city of Samarkand, an ideal venue for advancing women's rights in the region and beyond.
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