Permanent Mission of India,
Geneva

Statement by Ambassador Shri Ajit Kumar, Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Geneva on behalf of BRICS at Human Rights Council – 32nd Session (June 13-July 01, 2016) Agenda Item 3: Annual full-day discussion on Human Rights of Women
(16 June 2016)

Mr. Vice President,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the BRICS - Brazil, Russian, India, China and South Africa.

2.       Over twenty years have passed since the adoption of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Tremendous efforts have been made and much progress has been achieved in this regard since then, but significant gender gaps and discrimination against women and girls remain across virtually all sectors and regions.

3.       The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a great opportunity to position gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment at the centre of the global agenda, both as an important end in itself and as an essential means to sustainable development.

4.       We applaud the pledges made during the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment last year and look forward to the transformation of the commitments into action.

5.       In our view, the pursuit of sustainable development must contribute to the realization of gender equality. Therefore, we call on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in a gender-responsive manner, including through the following steps:

6.       We should accelerate the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and compliance with the CEDAW. We should ensure that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and their human rights are central in national strategies, tools and instruments for implementation of the 2030 Agenda. We should foster a global environment favorable for women's development. Women are the ones who suffer most when peace is disrupted, along with children.

7.       We should continue to carry out women-related international development cooperation. Developed countries should scale up financial and technological assistance to developing countries and narrow the development gap among women in different countries. There will be no development without women's participation and leadership and women are entitled to share development benefits. Only by doing so, can we move to a real world of “leaving no one behind”.

Thank you Mr. Vcie President.