Ræða félags- og húsnæðismálaráðherra á 58. fundi kvennanefndar Sameinuðu þjóðanna 2014

Commission on the Status of Women
Statement by H.E. Eygló Harðardóttir, Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, Iceland

58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, March 2014

Madam/Mr. Chair,

We are now presented with a unique opportunity to promote gender equality and women's empowerment. We are examining the successes and challenges of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls, reviewing and appraising the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and deliberating a new development framework.

The MDGs have brought progress for women and girls in several areas. We particularly welcome the fact that gender parity in primary education enrolment has been achieved in all regions. And it is worth noting that the inclusion of a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women's empowerment has, in itself, galvanized attention to the issue as a global priority.

However, progress towards the MDGs has been uneven, and tends to be slower for women and girls. Improvements in maternal health have been particularly slow, and it is of serious concern that the target to reduce the maternal mortality rate by three-quarters is one of the goals that is lagging farthest behind. In order to accelerate progress on MDG5, it is vital to increase focus on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls.

While important dimensions of gender inequality are reflected in MDG3, it is evident that the indicators for that goal fail to address such critical issues as violence against women, their unequal participation in decision-making beyond national parliaments, women's greater burden of unpaid care work, and the denial of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Madam/Mr. Chair,

As the deadline for reaching the MDGs draws closer, progress must be accelerated, especially for the most marginalised groups. At the same time, we are presented with a valuable opportunity, as in 2015 we will be renewing our commitments and adopting a new development agenda.

Allow me to emphasise the crucial importance of prioritising gender equality and women´s empowerment in the new development framework. Without the full and equal participation of women, it will be impossible to make real and lasting progress in addressing sustainable development challenges, such as ensuring welfare and educational services, climate change and food security, or in building peace and accountable institutions.

In the Nordic Countries the revolution in women's levels of education and the high level of female participation in the labour market have been the basis of welfare and economic prosperity. In 1975, the UN's International Women's year, more than 25 thousand Icelandic Women took a day off to emphasize the the importance of

women's contribution to the Icelandic economy, both in paid and unpaid work. Now almost 80% of Icelandic women are active in the labour force and their contribution has been decisive in esuring econmic growth and development in our country.

Gender equality must be mainstreamed throughout the new framework, and Iceland stresses the need for a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women's empowerment. This goal should take a transformative approach that addresses the structural causes of gender inequality, and tackle issues that were overlooked in the current framework, such as violence against women, women's leadership and economic rights, and early and forced marriage. Iceland calls for ambitious targets, with a view to realising the full spectrum of women's rights, in line with CEDAW and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Madam/Mr Chair,

Iceland has been at the top of the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index for five consecutive years, indicating that it is the country with the narrowest gender gap in the world. We are proud of our achievements in advancing gender equality. Nevertheless, we are fully aware of the numerous remaining challenges that we need to address, such as closing the gender pay gap, securing equal political and economic power between women and men, and eliminating gender-based violence. Now, as ever, we must strive persistently to achieve full and real gender equality.

In this context, allow me to highlight the crucial role of civil society in lobbying for gender equality and promoting the empowerment of women and girls. Next year Iceland will be celebrating the centenary of women's right to vote. It took the women's movements decades to gain that important human right. History reminds us of how urgent it is to remain alert, protect our rights, and support those still fighting for human rights. It is a strong and welcome indication of the vigour of the women's movements in the Nordic countries that 15 000 women are expected to participate in the Nordic Forum conference on women's rights in Malmö, Sweden, in June this year. I hope you will all join us there.

Madam/Mr Chair,

Lastly, we hope that all Member States will use the 20th anniversary of the Beijing conference as an occasion to review their progress and strengthen their efforts to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

For our part, we will raise awareness at national level and help implement our commitments, including closing the gender wage gap and strengthening efforts to prevent violence against women. We stand ready to work with other Member States, as well as UN Women and civil society, at global level to promote concrete action on the 12 themes of the Platform for Action.

Thank you, Madam/Mr Chair