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Thank you, Madam President.
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the MIKTA group of countries, namely Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, Australia, and the Republic of Korea.
As we mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace, and security, today's panel discussion on gender and intersectional perspective is indeed timely, especially under the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing human rights concerns and gender inequality. It is having a significant impact on women and girls, as they are subject to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on diverse factors including gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, and socio-economic status. While we acknowledge the crucial importance of gender-responsive and intersectional approaches to the pandemic, it is crucial that states and relevant organizations make concerted efforts to address the root causes of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. In all COVID-19 responses, women and girls in all their diversity must be taken into account in the respective decision-making processes, with their rights ensured. In this regard, in April 2020, in the “MIKTA Foreign Ministers' Joint Statement on the COVID-19 Pandemic and Global Health,” we emphasized the importance of extending support to groups made more vulnerable by the pandemic, including women and girls, persons with disabilities, refugees, migrants and IDPs.
Madam President,
MIKTA member states remain committed to the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and mainstreaming a gender-responsive perspective into the work of the Human Rights Council (HRC). We will continue to pay particular attention to integrating an intersectional approach and advancing gender equality in the work of the Council and its mechanisms, including efforts to attain gender parity in the events organized on the margins of the HRC.
Lastly, we would like to ask the panelists their views on ways to strengthen the cooperation between the Human Rights Council and civil society in promoting an intersectional approach including in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. I thank you.