Director-General's remarks at the 2024 Edition of the Women in Diplomacy Index

2024 Edition of the Women in Diplomacy Index
Wednesday, 4 December 2024 at 9.00 a.m.
Room XXV, Building E, Palais des Nations

Excellencies, 
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

It is a great honour to welcome you all to the launch of the 2024 edition of the Women in Diplomacy Index. I wish to thank the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research for organizing today’s event, as well as the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and partners for their valued work in gathering, analysing and publishing this important data on women’s representation at the ambassadorial level across 193 UN Member States.

In 1945, only 4 of the 850 delegates who signed the Charter of the United Nations were women. We have come a long way since then and we have seen a significant increase in women’s representation in diplomacy worldwide.

Moreover, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 - one of the greatest achievements of the United Nations and multilateral cooperation - was spearheaded by a woman, Eleanor Roosevelt. Importantly, the Declaration was the pivotal agreement in which all nations recognized the equal rights of men and women as fundamental human rights.

And I am pleased to say that, at the United Nations, we are committed to equal gender representation. In 2020, parity was attained among all senior leaders of the United Nations for the first time in the history of the Organization. However, only four women have been elected President of the UN General Assembly in its 79 years, and we have never had a female Secretary-General.

According to the publication being launched today, the Women in Diplomacy Index, women are underrepresented in ambassadorship positions across the world, with only 21% of all ambassadors being women in 2024. (I am pleased to say, though, that in Geneva we see a higher proportion: 30% of the Permanent Representatives and Permanent Observers accredited to the UN Office at Geneva are women).

It is clear that, despite much progress, there is still much to be done. Women’s representation in diplomacy has not improved at the pace we need.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Women bring immense benefits to diplomacy. Their experiences, perspectives, leadership, expertise and priorities broaden the range of issues under consideration and can improve the quality of outcomes for all people.

Furthermore, gender equality and the empowerment of women in all fields, including diplomacy, are crucial to making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Indeed, SDG 5 specifically calls for women’s equal participation in decision-making.

To draw attention to this issue, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 June the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, reaffirming that the participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making is essential to the achievement of sustainable development, peace and democracy.

And in the Pact for the Future, adopted this past September, world leaders agreed that none of their goals can be achieved without the full, safe, equal and meaningful participation and representation of all women in political and economic life, and in decision-making at all levels of peace and security. The Pact also specifically recognized the role of women as agents of peace. This is particularly relevant as we prepare for the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in 2025.

Without the input of half the world’s population, we cannot develop policies that work for everyone. It is clear that increased representation of women in diplomacy will greatly improve the impact of multilateralism.

That’s why work such as this Women in Diplomacy Index is so vital. Data, analysis and reporting like this not only track trends, they also raise awareness and help hold us all to account. The publication of this index for 2024 shows us how we, as an international community, are tracking. Unfortunately, the progress is incredibly slow.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is imperative that we not only recognize and celebrate the vital contribution of women to diplomacy, but also that we continue to push for equal opportunities for women in diplomacy and, indeed, in all fields of life.

Let me thank again the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy for their work on these important topics. I hope that everyone here will leave this event inspired and motivated to make a difference in women’s representation.

Thank you.