CALL TO ACTION
ADDRESSED TO THE WORLD LEADERS GATHERING AT THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY’s 71st SESSION
2013 STATEMENT RE-ISSUED BY “IMPACT LEADERSHIP 21” NEW YORK
19 SEPTEMBER 2016
This Call to Action was first released and sent to world leaders and heads of delegations of the Member States who participated at the high level segment of the 68th Session of the General, Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA) in September 2013, at the UN Headquarters in New York.
As the issues raised in the 2013 document continue to remain equally valid and relevant, more so in view of the on-going selection process of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, it is being re-issued to draw the attention of the world leaders gathering this week in New York. We hope their genuine attention will be reflected in their statements, particularly emphasizing the appointment of a woman as the next Secretary-General, to be made during the UNGA’s 71st session.
As the world leaders are converging in New York for their annual High Level Meeting as an essential part of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, IMPACT LEADERSHIP 21is issuing this call to action urging the nations of the world and their top leaders to take steps in establishing on a firm footing the rights of women and the equality of their participation at all decision-making levels.
Full equality between women and men in the real sense will make the world a better place for all of us and our future generations. It is our strong belief that unless women are engaged in advancing the culture of peace at equal levels with men, sustainable peace would continue to elude us. We also believe that without peace, development is impossible, and without development, peace is not achievable; but without women, neither peace nor development is possible.
The United Nations has been in the forefront of this continuing endeavor for equality since its inception. The United Nations’ last women’s summit held in Beijing in 1995 made the boldest and most forward-looking call for equality. The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 adopted by consensus in 2000 on women and peace and security has made the realization of women’s equal participation at all decision making levels obligatory on all members of the United Nations in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
It is in this context and encouraged by the creation of the new entity of the world body, UN Women, that we, IMPACT Leadership 21, as part of the global civil society, call upon the world leaders to commit themselves and the countries they represent to work to achieve the following objectives:
1. Appointment of a Woman as the Next United Nations Secretary-General.
When choice of the 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations will be made, its Member States will have the opportunity to elect the first woman head of the organization in its 71-year history. It is hightime to do that!
2. Nomination of Women as Future Presidents of the General Assembly by the RegionalGroups. In electing the 71 Presidents of the General Assembly since its establishment, so far the UN Member States have elected only three women to this highest position to head the apex intergovernmental body.
3. Election of More Women as Heads of Various UN Governing Bodies
The UN governing bodies have been mostly headed by men. Regional groups need to present candidatures of more women as an affirmative action.
4. Appointment by Member States of More Women as Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York and Geneva.
These decisions can be made by the leaders themselves within their own jurisdictions and within their authority in their respective governments.
ALL THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STEPS ARE WITHIN THE DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITIES OF THE WORLD LEADERS GATHERED HERE IN NEW YORK IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
WE URGE THEM TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF CIVIL SOCIETY!
As the issues raised in the 2013 document continue to remain equally valid and relevant, more so in view of the on-going selection process of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, it is being re-issued to draw the attention of the world leaders gathering this week in New York. We hope their genuine attention will be reflected in their statements, particularly emphasizing the appointment of a woman as the next Secretary-General, to be made during the UNGA’s 71st session.
As the world leaders are converging in New York for their annual High Level Meeting as an essential part of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, IMPACT LEADERSHIP 21is issuing this call to action urging the nations of the world and their top leaders to take steps in establishing on a firm footing the rights of women and the equality of their participation at all decision-making levels.
Full equality between women and men in the real sense will make the world a better place for all of us and our future generations. It is our strong belief that unless women are engaged in advancing the culture of peace at equal levels with men, sustainable peace would continue to elude us. We also believe that without peace, development is impossible, and without development, peace is not achievable; but without women, neither peace nor development is possible.
The United Nations has been in the forefront of this continuing endeavor for equality since its inception. The United Nations’ last women’s summit held in Beijing in 1995 made the boldest and most forward-looking call for equality. The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 adopted by consensus in 2000 on women and peace and security has made the realization of women’s equal participation at all decision making levels obligatory on all members of the United Nations in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
It is in this context and encouraged by the creation of the new entity of the world body, UN Women, that we, IMPACT Leadership 21, as part of the global civil society, call upon the world leaders to commit themselves and the countries they represent to work to achieve the following objectives:
1. Appointment of a Woman as the Next United Nations Secretary-General.
When choice of the 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations will be made, its Member States will have the opportunity to elect the first woman head of the organization in its 71-year history. It is hightime to do that!
2. Nomination of Women as Future Presidents of the General Assembly by the RegionalGroups. In electing the 71 Presidents of the General Assembly since its establishment, so far the UN Member States have elected only three women to this highest position to head the apex intergovernmental body.
3. Election of More Women as Heads of Various UN Governing Bodies
The UN governing bodies have been mostly headed by men. Regional groups need to present candidatures of more women as an affirmative action.
4. Appointment by Member States of More Women as Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York and Geneva.
These decisions can be made by the leaders themselves within their own jurisdictions and within their authority in their respective governments.
ALL THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STEPS ARE WITHIN THE DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITIES OF THE WORLD LEADERS GATHERED HERE IN NEW YORK IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
WE URGE THEM TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF CIVIL SOCIETY!
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Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury
Initiator of the UNSCR 1325 on “Women and Peace and Security” as the Security Council President in March 2000 Member, Global Advisory Council IMPACT Leadership 21 Founder, Global Movement for The Culture of Peace |
Janet C. Salazar and Constance J. Peak
CEO, CFO and Co-Founders IMPACT Leadership 21 Contact: jcsalazar@impactleadership21.com www.impactleadership21.com |
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