CANZ statement

24th of June 2024

Mr President,

I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of Australia, Canada, and my own country New Zealand. We are proud to be three women Ambassadors to the United Nations, representing our countries on this International Day of Women in Diplomacy.

We would like to express our thanks to HRC President HE Ambassador Zniber and to HE Ambassador Alvarez, current gender focal point, for holding this event. We commend your work to improve gender parity here at the Council and its mechanisms, as well the concrete measures that you have taken towards addressing sexual harassment at the Council.

Mr President, today we celebrate the vital contributions of women diplomats, at all levels, to the multilateral system. The participation of women is imperative in achieving peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights for all. And we have heard examples of this in the panel discussion today. The contribution of women in diplomacy covers large scale historical achievements such as the negotiation and adoption the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the day-to-day work that we are all doing in this very room.

Mr President, our countries are committed to championing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity, through our multilateral engagement. We believe that gender equality is a fundamental and non-negotiable human right.

To this end we will continue to advocate for increased representation of women in key decision-making and leadership positions that shape multilateral agendas and ensure that the multilateral system delivers gender-responsive, inclusive, and sustainable results.

I thank you.