Source Credit: Arab News
NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, urged global leaders to transform commitments to gender equality into measurable action during the opening session of the 69th Commission on the Status of Women in New York on Monday.
Alwasil, who chairs this year’s session, emphasized that while progress has been made since the 1995 Beijing Declaration, challenges such as climate change, conflict, and economic instability threaten to reverse these gains. He called for "unwavering political will," inclusive leadership, and sustained investment to ensure true gender parity.
The conference, which marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, serves as a global platform to review progress on women’s empowerment and propose strategies for further advancements. Alwasil stressed the need to dismantle structural barriers preventing women’s leadership and equal rights.
The session also featured inspiring voices, including 16-year-old Jenna Riffi from Saudi Arabia, who shared her journey as a trailblazer in STEM. As the youngest member of the NEOM project team, she credited Vision 2030 for enabling women to break into traditionally male-dominated fields.
The commission will continue for two weeks, addressing key topics such as economic opportunities, climate change, and violence against women.
