Luanda – The United Nations General Assembly (UN) approved Monday a resolution that adopts June 24 as International Day of Women in Diplomacy, whose text was co-sponsored by 191 member states.
The President of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, said it was a great privilege to have presided over and witnessed the adoption of the date that was devised in February in discussions with experts.
For the UN official, women have been making critical contributions to shaping the multilateral system, having cited the role they played in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was the first treaty to guarantee fundamental rights that should be universally protected.
Shahid said although women's contribution in diplomacy and decision-making is clear, they remain underrepresented in senior diplomatic positions, since they still suffer from "the deep-rooted legacy of machism that hinders their professional advancement and obscures their contributions and achievements”.
The UN official said he believes that the landmark date underscores the importance of adopting this resolution, which will be dedicated to celebrating women in diplomacy who have blazed trails, contributed in negotiated peace talks, survived hardship and danger, and facilitated intercultural connections.
The General Assembly President added that with this resolution a door is open to discuss the challenges women face in diplomacy and being able to inspire the next generation.
For Shahid it is not possible to promote the level of diplomatic engagement and global solidarity needed to overcome today's challenges without involving women.
From solutions to climate change, pandemics, human rights violations, and economic uncertainty, Shahid said he believes women must assume leadership roles, including in diplomacy.
He went on to say that to reverse the injustice towards women, they (women) must be empowered to pursue careers in diplomacy, support and recognize those already in the diplomatic field so as to overcome the hurdles they face and aid them reach the highest levels in diplomacy.
