Appeal for global ceasefire

Opening remarks of the United Nations Secretary-General's appeal for global ceasefire

Our world faces a common enemy: COVID-19.  

The virus does not care about nationality or ethnicity, faction or faith.  It attacks all, relentlessly. 

Meanwhile, armed conflict rages on around the world. 

The most vulnerable — women and children, people with disabilities, the marginalized and the displaced — pay the highest price.

They are also at the highest risk of suffering devastating losses from COVID-19. 

Let’s not forget that in war-ravaged countries, health systems have collapsed. 

Health professionals, already few in number, have often been targeted.  

Refugees and others displaced by violent conflict are doubly vulnerable. 

The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war. 

That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. 

It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives. 

To warring parties, I say: 

Pull back from hostilities.   

Put aside mistrust and animosity.  

Silence the guns; stop the artillery; end the airstrikes.  

This is crucial… 

To help create corridors for life-saving aid. 

To open precious windows for diplomacy.  

To bring hope to places among the most vulnerable to COVID-19.  

Let us take inspiration from coalitions and dialogue slowly taking shape among rival parties in some parts to enable joint approaches to COVID-19.  But we need much more. 

End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world. 

It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now. 

That is what our human family needs, now more than ever.  

António Guterres

World Meteorological Day 2020, March 23

Every 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization commemorates the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950. 

Every drop counts; Count every drop.

World Meteorological Day 2020, March 23.

Theme: Every drop counts; Count every drop.

Opening remarks by the United Nations Secretary- General at press conference on WMO State of the Climate 2019 Report

Thank you, Professor Taalas.

The indications are crystal clear.

Global heating is accelerating.

2019 was the second hottest year on record, with the past decade the hottest in human history.

Greenhouse gas concentrations are at the highest levels in 3 million years – when the Earth’s temperature was as much as 3 degrees hotter and sea levels some 15 metres higher.

Ocean heat is at a record level, with temperatures rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second.

We count the cost in human lives and livelihoods as droughts, wildfires, floods and extreme storms take their deadly toll.

We have no time to lose if we are to avert climate catastrophe.

This is a pivotal year for how we address the climate emergency.

We have to aim high at the next climate conference in Glasgow in November.

We need all countries to demonstrate that we can achieve emissions reductions of 45 per cent from 2010 levels this decade, and that we will reach net-zero emissions by mid-century.

We know this is the only way to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

In Glasgow, success will depend on countries, the private sector and civil society demonstrating that they are taking significant steps to raise ambition on mitigation, adaptation and finance.

I see four main priorities for COP26.

First, national climate plans – the Nationally Determined Contributions, as they are called – must show more ambition.

Even if countries fully implement their existing plans under the Paris Agreement, and many are not doing so, we will still be on course to reach 3 degrees of heating this century.

Revised NDCs - Nationally Determined Contributions - must set clear targets for 2025 or 2030 that will help us stick to the 1.5-degree limit.

Second, all nations need to adopt strategies to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

So far, 70 countries have announced that they are committed to carbon neutrality by 2050.

Many other constituencies are doing the same, such as cities, banks and businesses.

But this still only represents less than a quarter of global emissions.

The largest emitters must commit, or our efforts will be in vain.

The third priority is for a robust package of programmes, projects and initiatives that will help communities and nations adapt to climate disruption and build resilience.

Let us have no illusions. Climate change is already causing calamity, and more is to come.

Supporting investment in adaptation in developing countries is a political and moral imperative.

The fourth priority is finance.

By COP26, developed countries must deliver on their commitment to mobilize 100 billion dollars a year by 2020.

Investments in renewables and green technologies must increase.

We need to end the vast and wasteful subsidies for fossil fuels, which actually increased last year.

And we need to put a price on carbon and see a commitment to end the construction of new coal power plants.

It’s time to end our addiction to coal.

Ultimately, COP 26 needs to demonstrate that the world is moving quickly in the right direction.

I count on the UK COP26 Presidency, on Member States, and on the full constellation of partners, including cities, the private sector, finance institutions, and the philanthropic community and civil society to commit to meaningful climate action before it is too late.

Thank you.

António Guterres

International Women's Day 2020, March 8

Observance of International Women's Day.

Remarks by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on International Women's Day 2020, March 8.

I wish you all the best for International Women’s Day on Sunday.
 
Gender inequality is the overwhelming injustice of our age and the biggest human rights challenge we face.
 
I have said it before, and I will say it again: gender equality is a question of power.
 
Men have used and abused power to control women and prevent them from achieving their potential for millennia.
 
Deep-rooted patriarchy and misogyny have created a yawning gender power gap in our economies, our political systems, our corporations, our societies and our culture.
 
Women are still very frequently denied a voice; their opinions are ignored and their experience discounted.
 
In recent months, there have been plenty of examples.
 
High-profile peace agreements have been signed without any women at the table.
 
Emergency healthcare meetings on the new coronavirus were convened with few or no women.  
 
But women need peace, and contribute to peace, just as much as men – maybe more.
 
Women are as vulnerable to illness as men and they make up the majority of the healthcare workforce.    
 
There is no justification for women’s continued exclusion.
 
Dear Friends,  
 
In recent years, I have seen a change.
 
Women have had enough.
 
They are protesting against femicide – the killing of women – in the streets; they are on strike for equal pay and conditions; they are calling out powerful men for violence and abuse.
 
Young women are redefining what power looks like.
 
They are creating new, inclusive forms of leadership that unite people across borders and around common goals.
 
I welcome some of these young leaders here today.
 
Thank you for your activism and your advocacy.
 
Please keep up the pressure. Please hold the world to account.
 
We need your passion and conviction as we face a whole range of global challenges, from climate change to conflict.  
 
Generation Equality cannot be Generation Gradual Improvement or Generation Incremental Change.
 
Generation Equality means equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls, now.
 
That is why I am determined to achieve gender parity at all levels at the United Nations, and I am pleased that we have done so at senior levels two years ahead of schedule.  
 
Dear Friends,
 
Without women’s leadership and full participation, we will never achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development or defeat climate change.
 
Women, particularly young women, are leaders on climate action.
 
But I was not aware until recently that one of the “founding fathers” of climate science was a woman – a “founding mother”.
 
In 1856, Eunice Foote, an American scientist and women’s rights campaigner, believed changes in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could affect the Earth’s temperature. She conducted an experiment with glass cylinders and thermometers to prove it.
 
Her paper was presented at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science – by a man.
 
Three years later, another man published his own research on heat-trapping gases which is considered the foundation of climate science. It started with a woman but it was covered. 
 
Gender equality means finding and honoring women whose achievements were erased and ignored in their own time.
 
Women like Eunice Foote.
 
Women like Katherine Johnson and her colleagues who worked for NASA on the Apollo moon landings, whose story was told in the book and film Hidden Figures.
 
Women like Tu Youyou, who turned to traditional Chinese medicine to look for a cure for malaria in the 1970s.
 
Her discoveries saved millions of lives around the world and were finally recognized with a Nobel prize in 2015.
 
Women’s stories matter. Representation matters.
 
As Simone de Beauvoir said: “Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men: they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.”
 
Dear Friends,
 
When I was a child, in many places, women were legally dependents of their husbands; they could not open a bank account or own property in their own name; and they were completely excluded from all positions of power.
 
The change we have seen in my lifetime shows that progress is real, and possible.
 
But it has also led to a pushback.
 
Twenty-five years after the Beijing conference, progress on women’s rights has stalled and even reversed.
 
Some countries have rolled back laws that protect women from violence; others are reducing civic space; still others are pursuing economic and immigration policies that indirectly discriminate against women.
 
Women’s autonomy, including full access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, is far from universal.
 
Bias against gender equality is growing in some countries.
 
The first gender social norm index, published this week by the United Nations Development Programme, found that almost 90 percent of people, including women, interviewed across 75 countries have “at least one clear bias against gender equality in areas such as politics, economics, education, intimate partner violence and women’s reproductive rights”.
 
Almost 30 percent of people in the world think today that it is acceptable for a man to beat his partner.
 
We must push back against the pushback.
 
We cannot give way; we refuse to lose the ground we have won.
 
It is more important than ever for men to stand up for women’s rights and gender equality. 
 
That is why I am a proud feminist. And why I am personally committed to increasing support for women’s rights across the board at the United Nations.
 
In the next two years, I will do everything in my power to make sure women are represented in all decision-making at the United Nations, including in peace processes.
 
Only through the equal participation of women can we benefit from the intelligence, experience and insights of all of humanity.
 
Thank you. 

António Guterres.

64th Commission on the Status of Women
Remarks by the U.N. Secretary-General to 64th Commission on the Status of Women.

I am very pleased to join you for the 64th Commission on the Status of Women.
 
I am truly saddened that the extraordinary circumstances ushered in by the spread of the coronavirus have left us no choice but to postpone the full session of the CSW and, instead, gather for just this one day.
 
I know that activists and women’s groups around the world share my disappointment.
 
But I also take heart because I know we remain committed to the cause of gender equality.
 
We all understand the imperative of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality.
 
This is, quite simply, a question of justice.
 
As a student volunteer in the slums of Lisbon, throughout my political career, and as the leader of the United Nations refugee agency, I have always felt compelled to fight for justice, equality and human rights.
 
As Secretary-General, I see one overwhelming global injustice: gender inequality and discrimination against women and girls.
 
Gender equality is fundamentally a question of power.
 
We still live in a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture, and have done so for millennia.
 
Centuries of discrimination, deep-rooted patriarchy and misogyny have created a yawning gender power gap in our economies, our political systems and our corporations.
 
This simply has to change.
 
This year, the world marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action.
 
Together, they define the most comprehensive and transformative global agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
 
With nations around the world searching for solutions to the complex challenges of our age, one way to get us on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.
 
As we look back on Beijing, I am particularly heartened to see a new generation of inspired young activists across the globe taking forward its spirit of constructive action and fearless resilience.
 
Their efforts are sorely needed.  The vision of Beijing has been only partly realized.
 
Women in parliaments are still outnumbered three-to-one by men, women still earn just 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, and unpaid care and domestic work remain stubbornly feminized the world over.
 
In some areas, progress towards gender equality has stalled or even gone into reverse.
 
Some countries have rolled back laws that protect women from violence; others are reducing civic space; still others are pursuing economic and immigration policies that indirectly discriminate against women.
 
Women’s access to sexual and reproductive health services is far from universal.
 
We must push back against the pushback.
 
Dear friends,
 
A key legacy of the Beijing process was movement-building.
 
These past 25 years have seen growing, strengthened, vibrant, transnational and diverse women’s movements that are increasingly challenging slow and piecemeal progress by calling for urgent systemic change.
 
They are advancing gender equality and demanding accountability from governments and other powerful actors.
 
They are forging coalitions and working across themes, sectors and political boundaries to advance the rights of women and girls and show how they are inextricably linked to economic, social and environmental justice for all.
 
These movements are proposing bold new alternatives for a different world.
 
For example, young women’s activism for environmental justice in Africa has put the spotlight on the impacts of extractive industries and unsustainable patterns of consumption and production.
 
And the Ni una menos movement in Latin America has built strong alliances across classes and generations to demand action on violence against women and girls.
 
Now is the time to build alliances and stand together for women’s rights.
 
One such alliance is the Generation Equality Forum, being convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France to achieve tangible results on gender equality during the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.
 
Its vision is clear: equal participation of women and girls in political life and decision-making in all areas of life.
 
Here at the United Nations we are determined to lead by example. 
 
In January this year, we achieved gender parity – 90 women and 90 men – in the ranks of our full-time senior leadership, two years ahead of the target that I set at the start of my tenure, and we have a roadmap for parity at all levels in the coming years.
 
This long overdue change is an essential recognition of the equal rights and value of women staff, and a fundamental instrument to change power relations within our Organization.
 
It is also about improving our efficiency and our effectiveness for the people we serve.
 
This Commission is an opportunity to further galvanize the momentum for gender equality and women’s rights that has been growing around the world.
 
I urge you to use this session to focus on what unites us and to strongly reaffirm the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and its full, effective and accelerated implementation.
 
Let us send a clear message to the world that women’s rights are human rights, and that gender equality is central to all the Sustainable Development Goals.
 
Thank you. 

António Guterres

International Day for Tolerance 2013, November 16th.

 

 

United Nations Secretary-General's Message for International Day of Tolerance 2013.

We are living through a period of global transition.  New centres of power and economic dynamism are emerging.  Technology is connecting us ever more closely, and cross-cultural exchanges are deepening every day – but this does not mean there is more understanding.  Societies are more diverse but intolerance is on the rise in too many places.
Across the globe, nations and communities face profound and enduring economic, social and environmental challenges.  Poverty, hunger and disease remain at unacceptable levels.  Every region is experiencing the rising impact of climate change.  Natural disasters are a constant reminder of human vulnerability.  Conflicts and inter-community tensions persist across the globe.  Millions face the daily threat of violence and displacement.
There are no individual solutions to these multifaceted and inter-related challenges.  We can only advance as a community of nations and cultures, drawing on human solidarity and recognizing that we share a common destiny.  This is why tolerance is so important.
 Tolerance is not passive.  It demands an active choice to reach out on the basis of mutual understanding and respect, especially where disagreement exists.  Tolerance means recognizing that our diversity is a strength – a wellspring of creativity and renewal for all societies.
Tolerance can, and must, be learned.  We need to teach girls and boys not just how to live together but how to act together as global citizens.  We need to nurture tolerance by promoting cultural understanding and respect – from parliaments to the playground.  We need to tackle growing inequality and reject social exclusion based on gender, disabilities, sexual orientation, and ethnic or religious background. 
Tolerance is the strongest foundation for peace and reconciliation.  At this time of rapid and often bewildering change, it has never been so important.  On this International Day, I call on national and community leaders – and all those who wield influence through traditional and social media and among their peers – to embrace tolerance as the bond that will unite us on our common journey to a peaceful, sustainable future.

                                                                                                                                     Ban Ki-moon

 

International Day of Tolerance 2013 - Statement by the President of the 68th session of the General Assembly

As we commemorate this International Day for Tolerance let us reflect on the goals and commitments on global tolerance adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
The mission of the United Nations is to serve humanity and to advance the quality of life and well-being of people across the globe. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of principles nearly twenty years ago that was designed to promote cultural diversity. It also declared this day in November as a time for renewing our commitment to tolerance.
As President of the 68th General Assembly, I call on all member States to support initiatives that foster respect, dialogue and cooperation among different cultures, races and religions. We must actively seek ways to reduce violence, especially against women and children, and to cultivate respect for diversity as a central part of the post-2015 development agenda.
Intolerance, inequity and poverty are often intertwined and I am inspired by the courage and hope of those who live in these dire conditions. I call on the international community of nations to remain actively engaged in the global struggle against intolerance and to foster understanding, acceptance and mutual respect between people the world over.

John W. Ashe 

International Day of Tolerance 2013 - UNESCO Director-General's Message 

The International Day for Tolerance is an opportunity for each of us to renew our commitment to practicing tolerance and promoting harmony. Globalizing quickly, the world is also increasingly fragile. This is why every day, in every society, we need to build new bridges of tolerance, trust and understanding.
This takes commitment and time. We must begin with quality education, to combat ignorance, prejudice and hatred, which are at the root of discrimination and racism. We need education to disarm the fears that many feel of the unknown and of other people, their cultures, life choices and beliefs. Education is the best way to foster a culture of peace and build inclusive societies.
Intolerance is a global challenge that takes many local shapes. To be effective, global action must be combined with national, local and, not least, individual measures.
At the global level, UNESCO is leading the United Nations International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures, launched this year, to promote the benefits of exchange and dialogue across cultures and to build new networks to fight against racism and discrimination.
We act also on the ground, where needs are most acute. This was the objective of a recent UNESCO project to promote a culture peace among young women and men living in Tripoli, Lebanon. Through exchanges through theatre and the arts, UNESCO worked with young people throughout the city, to deepen mutual understanding, to learn to live and work together, to resolve differences through dialogue.
To create positive change, we must constantly ask ourselves the following questions. How are the rights of persons belonging to social, national, ethnic, religious, linguistic or other minorities guaranteed in our community, State and region? Are we doing enough to promote the equal rights and dignity of indigenous people, migrant workers, asylum-seekers and refugees, or people with disabilities? Answering these questions must lead us to action.
This International Day is a chance to deepen our commitment to dialogue and solidarity, in our families and communities, in relations with other peoples.
Tolerance can never be taken for granted. It is a way of living that we must constantly reinvent for new times, to recognize the differences of others as the same as our own and the riches of other cultures as the wealth of all to share.
In a world of uncertainty, in societies undergoing deep transformation, this has never been so important for lasting peace and sustainable development.

Irina Bokova