HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HOLDS PANEL DISCUSSION ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND GENDER EQUALITY

The Human Rights Council this afternoon held the second part of its annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women with a panel discussion on women’s rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: health and gender equality.

The Council also heard an address Ildefonso Castro, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain, who said the international community was at a crossroads in the promotion of human rights with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Women and girls had to have equal access to health, education, economic resources, political participation and decision-making at all levels. True inclusion of a gender perspective in all initiatives and agendas would ensure that absolutely no one was left behind. Spain championed an approach that ensured that specific objectives were met with respect to achieving full gender equality.

Kate Gilmore, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights made a keynote statement introducing the panel discussion. The moderator of the discussion was Nazhat Shameem Khan, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva. The panellists were Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland and Co-Chair of the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents; Cristina Lustemberg, Vice-Minister of Health of Uruguay; Smiriti Thapa, Coordinator of Youth Champions Advocacy Network from Nepal; and Rajat Kholsa, Chief, Joint Secretariat to the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, World Health Organization.

Shalva Tsiskarashvili, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, said the Council would resume the annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women, which had been convened pursuant to the Council resolution 6/30, with a panel discussion on women’s rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: health and gender equality.

Kate Gilmore, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that the realization of the right to health of women and girls, particularly sexual and reproductive health rights, remained seriously uneven or unattainable at the country level, robbing women of their autonomous decision-making regarding their own bodies. She noted that adolescent girls were risking their lives and the lives of their babies with too early child bearing. The 2030 Agenda constituted an opportunity to achieve the conditions in which the right to health could be realized, leaving no one behind.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, Panel Moderator and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, outlined that the right to health referred to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health, but the report of the Working Group referred not just to the right to health, but also through health. Enlightened and progressive leadership could address inequities in health outcomes, remove discrimination in health systems, and could commit to abandoning harmful practices.


Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland and Co-Chair of the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, underscored that nowhere was the link between gender, human rights and sustainable development more visible than in health. The international community stood at a crossroads of challenges and opportunities, and some regions were seeing a backlash against health and human rights, especially sexual rights such as the availability of abortion.

Cristina Lustemberg, Vice-Minister of Health of Uruguay, outlined that health was a basic human right that could not be dissociated from other human rights. States must take all measures to protect and guarantee that every citizen fully enjoyed these rights by providing access to water, food, proper work, shelter and sanitation. Health did not only refer to physical health but also to mental health. The health sector needed to be articulated with other sectors in order to achieve a complete policy that would address all types of discrimination and violence against women and vulnerable groups.

Smiriti Thapa, Coordinator of Youth Champions Advocacy Network from Nepal, noted that it was a smart thing to involve youth in developing, implementing and monitoring health policies and services because young people were experts in their own field. If no one was to be left behind by 2030, voices of the youth should be heard and their control over their bodies, lives and communities should be acknowledged. Even today, sexual and reproductive health topics were largely ignored in schools. Comprehensive sexuality education had been scientifically proven to enable young people to protect their health, well-being and dignity.

Rajat Khosla, Chief, Joint Secretariat to the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, World Health Organization, said each person had the right to the highest attainable standard of health whatever the circumstances. It was stunning that the discussion had to start with why the international community should be working, rather than how. The reason women’s rights were still being discussed was a testament of failure, and misogyny and restrictive structures had too often highlighted the discussions being held.

In the ensuing discussion, speakers underlined the importance of recognizing the intersectionality of health and human rights and of training healthcare workers in identifying early warning signs of violence against women. Good health was a prerequisite for all other rights. However, the realization of human rights, particularly access to safe abortion, remained uneven. The health sector needed to be articulated with other social sectors in order to achieve a comprehensive and coherent policy that would address any kind of discrimination against women and provide equal access to health services. Speakers highlighted that the 2030 Agenda opened a unique opportunity to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health for all women and girls.

Speaking in the discussion were Denmark on behalf of the Nordic countries, Slovenia, Australia on behalf of Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia, El Salvador on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Tunisia on behalf of the African Group, Armenia on behalf of Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, European Union, Philippines on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Uruguay on behalf of a group of countries, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Belgium, Bulgaria, Dominica, China, Israel, Canada, Portugal, Ecuador, United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Malaysia, Russian Federation, Montenegro, Thailand, Chile, Uganda, Singapore, Pakistan, Argentina, Togo and Jordan.
International Telecommunication Union also took the floor.

Also speaking were the following civil society organizations: Swedish Federation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, Centre for Reproductive Rights, Action Canada for Population and Development, Sexual Rights Initiative, Swedish Association for Sexuality Education, Amnesty International, International Planned Parenthood Federation and Plan International, Inc.

The Council will resume its work at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 14 June to conclude its general debate on the promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development . It will then hold an interactive dialogue with the Commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic.

Statement by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain

ILDEFONSO CASTRO, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain, commended the Human Rights Council for having held the annual debate on the rights of women. The international community was at a crossroads in the promotion of human rights with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It was only by the linking of rights that the goals and targets for women’s rights could be achieved. Women and girls had to have equal access to health, education, economic resources, political participation and decision-making at all levels. Only in that way would the international community eradicate violence against women. Women’s status as rights bearers was undermined because they were victims of violence. The fight against all forms of violence had to involve boys and men as agents of change. True inclusion of a gender perspective in all initiatives and agendas would ensure that absolutely no one was left behind. Spain championed an approach that ensured that specific objectives were met with respect to achieving full gender equality. Sometimes it was more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier in a conflict. Violence against women was a matter of great importance for the Government of Spain, which was convinced that there should be tangible measures to ensure the empowerment of women and girls in order to bridge real-life gaps, Mr. Castro concluded.

Opening Statement

SHALVA TSISKARASHVILI, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, said the Council would now resume the annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women, which was being convened pursuant to the Council resolution 6/30. He noted that this afternoon’s panel discussion would focus on women’s rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: health and gender equality. He then introduced the panellists.

Keynote Statement

KATE GILMORE, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed thanks for the support of the delegation of Chile and many other countries in preparing and convening this panel discussion. The panel would address the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, and Goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls. Ms. Gilmore noted that the realization of the right to health of women and girls, particularly sexual and reproductive health rights, remained seriously uneven or unattainable at the country level, robbing women of their autonomous decision-making regarding their own bodies. Health outcomes for girls dramatically worsened with the onset of puberty. Many adolescent girls were risking their lives and the lives of their babies with too early and too frequent child bearing under child marriage. Many people defending and championing health-related human rights were also at risk. The 2030 Agenda opened a unique and unprecedented opportunity to advance all individuals’ human rights, to counter forces seeking to undermine those and to achieve the conditions in which the right to health could be realized, leaving no one behind.

Ms. Gilmore reminded that in May 2017 the report of the High Level Working Group on Health and Human Rights had been launched at the World Health Assembly. The High Level Working Group had identified a need for greater leadership in an integrated health and human rights agenda. It called for creating an enabling environment, partnering with people, and strengthening evidence and public accountability. Those recommendations had been discussed during the World Health Assembly when more than 20 States had embraced the importance of human rights and a human rights-based approach to health. All stakeholders were called upon to be more active in the field of health and human rights. The High Commissioner for Human Rights had committed to work closely with the World Health Organization and to support Member States in prioritizing health and human rights, Ms. Gilmore concluded.

Statements by the Panel Moderator and the Panellists

NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Panel Moderator and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the discussion was about synergies between the Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5. The right to health referred to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health, but the report of the High Level Working Group on Health and Human Rights referred not just to the right to health, but also through health. This meant that the right to health was not autonomous. It was indivisible from other human rights. Without good health, one could not pursue other rights. Enlightened and progressive leadership could address inequities in health outcomes, remove discrimination in health systems, and could commit to abandoning harmful practices. To achieve effective momentum to the agenda, the Working Group called on the World Health Organization Director-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish a joint programme of work and also to build international capacity and expertise to advance the agenda and track progress.

TARJA HALONEN, former President of Finland and Co-Chair of the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, said that without achieving gender equality and without upholding human rights, the Sustainable Development Goals could not be achieved. Nowhere was the link between gender, human rights, and sustainable development more visible than in health. The Working Group had made nine recommendations and three specifically to the Director-General of the World Health Organization. The international community stood at a crossroads of challenges and opportunities, and some regions were seeing a backlash against health and human rights, especially sexual rights such as availability of abortion. Finland’s experience showed there was nothing to be afraid of when it came to the transformation she was speaking about. It was no accident that the title of the Working Group’s report included leadership. Ending suffering could unlock human potential. All had a role to play, and she noted that the Working Group had set out the urgency and the vital importance of acting now. The right to health was not an option or something governments could choose to respect or not, it was a human right.

CRISTINA LUSTEMBERG, Vice-Minister of Health of Uruguay, outlined that health was a basic human right that could not be dissociated from other human rights. States must take all measures to protect and guarantee that every citizen fully enjoyed these rights by providing access to water, food, proper work, shelter and sanitation. Health did not only refer to physical health but also to mental health. Psychological damages caused by situations of violence and abuse were harder to deal with than physical ones. For this reason, it was important to adopt intersectional policies placing the human being at the centre of each of its initiatives and instruments. In this particular domain, it was crucial to take into account the opinion of patients, notably children and women who had been victims of violence. The health sector also needed to be articulated with other sectors in order to achieve a complete policy that would address all types of discrimination and violence against women and vulnerable groups. Participation had been set up as a key principle orienting every health policy and law in Uruguay. Particular importance had been given to the collection of data in order to design adequate public health policies. Preserving the national contributive social security system constituted a priority for the Government of Uruguay since it had significantly improved the access to health for all in the country in the last 10 years. A pivotal instrument for the empowerment of women and girls was the achievement of sexual and reproductive and health rights. Major progress had been achieved in this domain in Uruguay, resulting in the reduction of children and maternal mortality rates.

NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva and panel moderator, asked about the need to consult with the youth and to ensure their participation and leadership in decision-making. What kind of role could they play?

SMRITI THAPA, Coordinator of Youth Champions Advocacy Network from Nepal, noted that it was a smart thing to involve the youth in developing, implementing and monitoring health policies and services because young people were experts in their own field. If no one was to be left behind by 2030, voices of the youth should be heard and their control over their bodies, lives and communities should be acknowledged. Even today, sexual and reproductive health topics were largely ignored in schools. Comprehensive sexuality education had been scientifically proven to enable young people to protect their health, well-being and dignity. The medical curriculum ignored the gender dimension of health and still focused on the bio-medical model. Lack of that understanding led to gender stereotyping and discrimination against women, particularly young women, which created obstacles for them to access contraceptives and abortion services. The Youth Champions Advocacy Network engaged with multiple stakeholders to create awareness, reduce barriers and overcome stigma, and hold the Government accountable. The issue of gender in the Sustainable Development Goals was not a stand-alone issue; it was cross-cutting and should be seen as such in all goals, targets and indicators. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the human rights of all should be met, including sexual and reproductive health right for young people, as well as young people’s opportunities for social, economic and political engagement.

NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Panel Moderator and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, introduced the next panellist, noting that his training was as a lawyer, and asking him why he thought it was important for the health and human rights communities to work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5.

RAJAT KHOSLA, Chief, Joint Secretariat to the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, World Health Organization, said each person had the right to the highest attainable standard of health whatever the circumstances. It was stunning that the discussion had to start with why the international community should be working, rather than how. The reason women’s rights were still being discussed was a testament of failure, and misogyny and restrictive structures had too often highlighted the discussions being held. All had the right to receive good quality health services, and a clean and safe environment. Without the best possible health, and the dignity that provided, how could each person be the best, he asked rhetorically. Good health was a prerequisite for all other rights. There needed to be guarantees for rights to be peacefully achieved. The realization of human rights, particularly access to safe abortion, remained uneven. The Sustainable Development Goals could not be achieved while denying that right to people. Given that preventable death was rooted in the failure to protect human health, he said all needed to take responsibility. Health workers played an important role in systems and processes. Birth registration was the foundation of legal personhood.

Discussion

Denmark, speaking on behalf of the Nordic countries, said that millions of women around the world did not have access to the sexual and reproductive services they wanted and needed: 220 million women had unmet needs for family planning and 75 million pregnancies or 60 per cent were unintended. Investing in women’s right to health was not only the right thing to do but the rational thing to do. Slovenia stressed that investing in women and girls was not a waste of money but a sound investment in their lives and in the future of all individuals. It was only through such investment that the promise of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind could be fulfilled. Australia, speaking on behalf of Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia, stressed that education was key, and it was utterly essential to give girls the opportunity to get an education.

El Salvador, speaking on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, reiterated the commitment of the Community to gender equality, a life free of all forms of discrimination and violence, and equal opportunities for all to health services. Australia said that access to sexual and reproductive health services was particularly critical during crises. Australia had invested over 10 million dollars this year in critical health and protection services for women and girls in humanitarian settings, and it urged other countries to do the same. Tunisia, speaking on behalf of the African Group, said that all stakeholders had to address challenges through cooperation, not only to finance health systems sensitive to the needs of women, but also to address the socio-economic conditions that kept women in ignorance, poverty, or disease.

Armenia, speaking on behalf of Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, drew attention to the fact that women made up 40 per cent of the international workforce. Women and girls who suffered from violence could not contribute to the global economy, which was why it was imperative to stop that violence. European Union noted that the underlying causes of inequality and marginalisation could only be solved if the role of women and girls as agents of change was acknowledged. Limited access to health-care services for women was often a direct result of gender inequality. Philippines, speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, stated that there had been a steady increase in women’s participation in political life. New innovative ways to promote women’s rights had been introduced, including gender mainstreaming strategies.

Uruguay, speaking on behalf of a group of countries, encouraged the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Director of the World Health Organization to establish a joint programme to ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the High-Level Working Group. Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, noted that xenophobia, Islamophobia, conflicts and natural disasters all exacerbated the sufferings of the vulnerable segments of society, especially women and children. International cooperation and commitment was needed financially and technologically to achieve the goals and targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. Belgium stressed that discrimination against women was evident in the domain of sexual and reproductive health services. Without those rights, women and girls would not be able to play their full role in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Swedish Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights – RFSL, in a joint statement with, International Lesbian and Gay Association, said lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons were at heightened risk of being excluded, and discrimination was often linked with gender identity and expression. Trans people faced particular types of discrimination. States needed to acknowledge intersecting types of discrimination such persons faced. Centre for Reproductive Rights said a human rights based approach to respecting, protecting and fulfilling the right to health for all, and for persons who faced multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, was crucial for the realization and fulfilment of all other human rights, such as the rights to life, education, information and to participation. Action Canada for Population and Development, also speaking on behalf of the Sexual Rights Initiative, said the 2030 Agenda called for the integration of human rights at all stages of development and set a target of universal access to sexual and reproductive health. States were urged to implement the recommendations of the Working Group’s report along with related commitments to women’s health and rights.

Remarks by the Panel Moderator and the Panellists

NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Panel Moderator and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, noted that many interventions by the delegations pointed to the need to ensure that health services were accessible and of good quality. How could States ensure that health services, particularly sexual and reproductive health services, were accessible, of good quality and guaranteed to all sectors of the population?

TARJA HALONEN, former President of Finland and Co-Chair of the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, stressed the need for States to strengthen the role of civil society and the private sector involved in the provision of health services and to ensure adequate funding for health systems. The quality of the health staff was essential and in this sense, education was crucial. Everyone must be included.

Turning to the next panellist, NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Panel Moderator and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, asked how to ensure that health systems respected the sexual and reproductive needs of women and of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons.

CRISTINA LUSTEMBERG, Vice-Minister of Health of Uruguay, said that in Uruguay, a law had been passed which guaranteed sexual and reproductive health rights and all health institutions had interdisciplinary teams which could provide services with confidentiality. Contraceptive services and products were provided free of charge in public health structures and special effort was being dedicated to providing services free of homophobia. Several countries in the region were working on developing a regional strategy to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies through increasing access to contraceptives, counselling and compulsory sexual education in schools. Maternal mortality levels linked to unsafe abortion were among lowest in the region, which was due to the legal access to safe abortion.

NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, asked about ways to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services in humanitarian situations.

SMRITI THAPA, Coordinator at Youth Champions Advocacy Network from Nepal, explained that in the aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal, it was evident that the country was not prepared to provide sexual and reproductive health services during the rescue and recovery operations, which lacked the minimum services. Thanks to rigorous civil society, there were now policies and guidelines in place on how to handle gender-related issues. A lot of issues had not been taken into consideration, such as safe abortion. To have a framework was a key way to deal with humanitarian situations.

NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, asked about how could States approach the discussion on gender-based violence as an intersectional issue.

RAJAT KHOSLA, Chief of the Joint Secretariat to the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents at the World Health Organization, said that gender-based violence was more intersectional than any other issue. Yet, lip service continued to be paid to that issue. He underlined the importance of evidence-based interventions. First, there was a need to address gender norms at the community level first. Men and boys should take that responsibility as soon as possible. Second, long-term investments needed to be made to see real change. Thirdly, there was a need to recognize the leadership and role of women and girls because they knew what needed to be done. It was also important to recognize the intersectionality of health and human rights, and to train healthcare workers in identifying early warning signs of violence against women. There was a need to bring the agendas of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the World Health Organization closer together. They needed to start talking and implementing recommendations together.

Bulgaria stressed the importance of providing access to information on sexual and reproduction rights. Health centres and schools were important services which could provide such information. Bulgaria was deeply engaged in promoting gender equality and ending gender-based discrimination. Dominica said that women played a major role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Dominican women had made significant progress in education and had entered the political arena. Dominica reiterated its strong commitment to maternal health and was engaged to collaborate with other countries in the region. China was committed to safeguarding women’s right to health and had made significant progress in this domain. Maternal maternity had been reduced and the gender gap was narrowing in the domain of education and work. The Agenda 2030 was an important landmark in the achievement of gender equality.

Israel outlined that schools across the country operated programmes which entailed lessons on relationships, intimate relationships and reproductive health. Israel provided health care services to assist victims of trafficking free of charge. Canada was strongly committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sexual and reproductive health rights were central in empowering women and girls. Portugal stated that gender inequality and discrimination were hindrances to achieving the full enjoyment of the highest rights standards for women and girls. In order to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, it was essential to ensure that all sectors were involved in the development of strategic national plans aiming at achieving gender equality.

Ecuador said it had taken initiatives to raise awareness about gender equality. In accordance with the Constitution, health was a basic right guaranteed by the State and it prohibited any discrimination based on gender, sex or age in access to healthcare. United Arab Emirates called for the implementation of global strategies on gender and health. At the national level, rates of mortality and morbidity had been reduced among women and mothers. Progress had also been made in achieving gender balance in labour. Georgia recognized that the right to health was tightly interlinked with gender equality. There could be no sustainable development without empowered women with healthy lives. Georgia had undertaken steps to nationalize the Sustainable Development Goals and infuse them with gender-sensitive indicators.

Malaysia noted that integrating health and gender equality was important, and asked the panel to elaborate on targeted approaches in that regard that could be scaled up to the international level or be used as examples of best practice. International Telecommunication Union drew attention to the fact that the gender digital divide was growing and that it was greatest in the least developed countries. Global connectivity held great potential for human progress in diverse areas, including health. Russian Federation noted that one of the priorities of its National Strategy for Women 2017-2022 was to create conditions to maintain women’s health at all stages. The leading role in those tasks had to be played by the State.

Swedish Association for Sexuality Education expressed concerns about several countries showing unwillingness to provide women with the full enjoyment of their rights to sexual and reproductive health. Furthermore, women and girls were frequently denied their right to health because of their gender and their sexuality. Amnesty International was concerned that States did not carry out sufficient efforts to address the lack of access to sexual and reproductive health for marginalized groups. Amnesty International called on States to eradicate any practices that punished the sexual activities of women and to improve monitoring mechanisms in the domain of health.
International Planned Parenthood Federation, in a joint statement with, International Women's Health Coalition, Plan International, Inc, Rutgers, and Swedish Association for Sexuality Education, said that reaching gender equality in access to health was key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Harmful cultural and legislative norms continued to undermine the rights of women worldwide. The fulfilment of gender equality must act as a basis for the development of any national health strategy.

Montenegro regretted that women continued to be victims of violence and to be economically and politically marginalized. The Government of Montenegro strove to better protect victims of domestic violence, and to eliminate child and early marriage. Thailand noted that the integration of gender equality and women’s empowerment into its core development policies was its priority. Thailand continued to increase the number of female managers in both the public and private sector. Chile stressed that healthy women and men created a healthy and prosperous society. It was committed to not leaving anyone behind, recognizing the different needs of women and men, including in the area of sexual and reproductive rights.

Uganda noted that discrimination against women still constituted an obstacle to the realization of their rights and dignity. Uganda had thus adopted a human rights-based approach in all health policies, strategies and programmes. Singapore underlined that although women in Singapore made significant contributions to the national economy, they generally assumed a disproportionately large part of caregiving responsibilities. Pakistan stated that the full participation of women in all areas of society was necessary for sustainable development and economic growth. The Government had undertaken steps to ensure women’s participation in the election process.

Argentina stated that reaching gender equality was fundamental to achieving the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, which contemplated the multi-dimensional nature of gender equality. In that sense, the responsibility of eradicating violence against women relied on States’ will. Togo noted that women were more often ill then men. This imbalance was a consequence of a number of inequalities between men and women, notably regarding the level of financial resources. In this context, achieving well-being for all was a major challenge that required an intersectional approach. Jordan said it was currently reviewing its legal framework in order to achieve the provisions of the 2030 Agenda, which provided a roadmap for future development programmes. Plans and strategies in primary healthcare and reproductive rights had also been implemented to reduce gender inequalities.

Plan International, Inc stated that reaching gender equality was a question of political will. Complications in pregnancy and childbirth were an important factor of maternal mortality that needed to be addressed. Plan International, Inc called on States to collect data on access to sexual and reproductive health and to make comprehensive sexual education more accessible and affordable.

Concluding Remarks

TARJA HALONEN, former President of Finland and Co-Chair of the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, thanked all participants in the discussion. She welcomed the cooperation between the World Health Organization and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, adding that in the United Nations family there could be more possibilities for similar cooperation. She underlined the importance of cooperation at the international and regional levels in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian situations. Speaking of mental health, she noted that it was important to demystify stigma. What had been done with respect to family planning and sexual minorities in Nordic countries had made people in those countries much happier people, Ms. Halonen concluded.

CRISTINA LUSTEMBERG, Vice-Minister of Health of Uruguay, said that there should be more women in politics in order to address inequalities in and between countries. Real political leadership at the highest level was necessary to effect change for women and girls. She reminded that there were many challenges, from climate change to food insecurity, adding that real investment in policies would guarantee rights for women and girls. Rather than just talking, each one had to rise to the challenge on a daily basis.

SMRITI THAPA, Coordinator at Youth Champions Advocacy Network from Nepal, noted that many adolescents were still not aware of their rights. She stressed the importance of engaging with multiple stakeholders, partly with religious leaders, and empowering young women in different intersecting areas, such as sexual and reproductive health rights and climate change. A truly gender equal world was possible when the State recognized health rights as the fundamental rights of its citizens.

RAJAT KHOSLA, Chief of the Joint Secretariat to the High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents at the World Health Organization, emphasized that in humanitarian crises women had to have their role as first respondents recognized. There was a need for multi-hazard risk assessment, and to ensure the provision of sexual and reproductive services. Mr. Khosla emphasized the need for gathering good-quality data in crisis situations, and to ensure accountability for the 2030 Agenda and in terms of remedies. It was necessary to go local and to recognize the role of young female activists.

NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, thanked the participants in the discussion, adding that it had been constructive and had raised important questions. Health was an enabling right to all other rights. It was time for action at the national and international levels. The next phase involved getting political momentum to affect meaningful change on the ground based on the report of the High-Level Working Group.

SHALVA TSISKARASHVILI, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, thanked all the panellists and participants in the discussion for their valuable input.



For use of the information media; not an official record

HRC17/089E