STORY: UN chief calls for action as women's rights face backsliding, violence
SHOOTING TIME: March 11, 2024
DATELINE: March 12, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:34
LOCATION: UN Headquarters
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. wide shot of UNGA Hall
2. wide shot of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres walking up to rostrum
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
5. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
6. wide shot of President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis walking up to rostrum
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): DENNIS FRANCIS, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly

STORYLINE:

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday underscored the critical urgency of protecting women's rights, now endangered by regressing achievements, escalating violence, and a widening digital gender divide.
   
Addressing the opening of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the pivotal forum dedicated to promoting and safeguarding the rights of women and girls worldwide, the UN chief stressed the disproportionate impact of wars on women.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
"In conflict zones around the globe, women and girls are suffering most from wars waged by men. Once again, I call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, and a massive increase in humanitarian aid."

He highlighted the dire circumstances in Gaza, where reportedly more than two-thirds of casualties and injuries during Israel's military actions involve women and girls, and pointed out alarming reports of sexual violence against Palestinian women during detentions, house raids, and checkpoints in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
   
Guterres also voiced concern over the situation faced by women in other countries, including Afghanistan and Sudan.

The secretary-general stressed that despite evidence that women's full participation makes peacebuilding much more effective, the number of women in decision-making roles is falling.
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
"The facts are clear: women lead to peace. Budgets and policies must follow - with ambitious targets for women's participation and urgent investments in women's peacebuilding."
   
The UN chief also emphasized a growing digital gender divide, noting the dominance of men in digital technologies, particularly in artificial intelligence.
   
He cautioned that algorithms controlled by men might embed disparities across multiple life facets, observing that the design of systems by male leaders and technologists frequently neglects women's needs, bodies, and essential rights.
   
SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
"It's time for governments, civil society and the Silicon Valleys of the world to join a massive effort to bridge the digital gender divide and ensure women have decision-making roles in digital technology at all levels."
   
Guterres also drew attention to the pressing need for women to hold leadership roles, particularly in financial institutions.
  
He highlighted the stark gender disparity in finance, with over eight of ten finance ministers and more than nine out of ten central bank governors being men.
   
The top UN official emphasized that dismantling structural barriers is crucial for achieving gender parity in leadership roles.
   
"Overwhelmingly male-dominated financial institutions need to dismantle the structural barriers that are blocking women from leadership roles," he said.
   
Drawing parallels with the UN's successful achievement of full gender parity among senior management and leaders worldwide, he urged governments, banks and businesses to replicate these efforts, emphasizing that change does not happen by accident.
   
In concluding his speech, the secretary-general called on the global community to rally together for gender equality, highlighting the role of the CSW as a driving force for transformative change.
   
He advocated for joint actions to eradicate poverty in all its forms.
   
"Let's do it by investing in women and girls, betting on women and girls, and pushing for peace and dignity for women and girls everywhere," Guterres said.
   
The president of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, continued the call to action, highlighting the urgency of intensifying efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  
SOUNDBITE 4 (English): DENNIS FRANCIS, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly
"Currently, one in every ten women lives in extreme poverty - I repeat - one in every ten women. If we continue on a business-as-usual path, over 340 million women and girls will still languish in extreme poverty by 2030. To reverse this undesirable trajectory, we need to adopt a multidimensional approach - one that should include, among other measures: Equal access to resources and services such as land, healthcare, family planning, education, and the labour market. Social protection policies that are gender-responsive. Measures to end the gender-based discrimination impeding women's leadership and equal participation in decision-making in all spheres of life."
  
The 68th session of the CSW is taking place from March 11 to 22 at the UN headquarters in New York, under the priority theme of "Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective."
   
Annually convened, the CSW stands as the foremost worldwide assembly of civil society members, governmental figures, policymakers, and specialists, dedicated to evaluating advancements in gender equality, deliberating on critical concerns, and forging consensus on initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of women and girls globally.
   
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from UN Headquarters.
(XHTV)