Calling for more protection of women and women’s rights defenders.

Addressing the audience in the General Assembly Hall, the Executive Director of UN Women called for more protection of women and women’s rights defenders. Highlighting that the “cause of gender equality has never been more urgent”, Sima Bahous said that obstacles on the way are now more apparent, but women’s “determination has never been more unshakeable”. Celebrating equality for all women and girls, everywhere, Ms. Bahous added that equality is the game-changer.

“Until gender equality is our shared reality and shared reward, we will not stop”. Ms. Bahous underlined that real solutions require that women be at the heart of decision-making. “From governments to boardrooms, from classrooms to households, women’s equality is the greatest solution.” Ms. Bahous remembered everyone that "choices - whether those of action or inaction, are who we are."

"Those choices we make now define us, and they are our permanent marks on history’s pages. We must choose rights, equality, empowerment for all women and girls", she added, concluding that the resolve is limitless, the movement unstoppable, the unity unshakeable and the cause undeniable."


Rule breaker from Afghanistan


Roya Mahboob just took the stage. The CEO Digital Citizen Fund and co-founder of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team said “computers changed my life.”

But today, millions of girls in Afghanistan and beyond are denied to opportunities, their future stolen, she warned." Consider what inaction costs us all,” she said. “Think of medicines undiscovered and algorithms never written because the girls with answers sit in darkness. Technology is a great equaliser.” Governments and the private sector must step up, she said.

“We are at the crossroads of crisis and opportunity,” Ms. Mahboob said.

“We must close the digital divide for all girls, for all women, for rights, for equality, for empowerment.”