UN Chief Warns that Gender Equality is 300 Years Away

Amid the celebrations of Women's History Month, Margaret Brennan, the host of Face the Nation, highlighted the reversal of women's rights around the world. Brennan reported on the United Nations session that occurred last Monday, where UN Secretary General António Guterres discussed the global crisis facing women and girls:

“The session of the Commission on the Status of Women is one of the most important annual events at the United Nations.

It takes on even greater significance at a time when women’s rights are being abused, threatened, and violated around the world.

Progress won over decades is vanishing before our eyes.

In Afghanistan, women and girls have been erased from public life.

In many places, women’s sexual and reproductive rights are being rolled back.

In some countries, girls going to school risk kidnapping and assault.

In others, police prey on vulnerable women they have sworn to protect.

Gender equality is growing more distant. On the current track, UN Women puts it 300 years away.

Maternal mortality is increasing. One woman dies every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth; most of those deaths are preventable.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic continues for millions of girls forced out of school, mothers and caregivers forced out of paid employment, and children forced into early marriage.

From Ukraine to the Sahel, crisis and conflict affect women and girls first and worst.

And at the international level, some countries now even oppose the inclusion of a gender perspective in multilateral negotiations.

Dear friends,

The patriarchy is fighting back. But so are we.

I am here to say loud and clear:  The United Nations stands with women and girls everywhere.”–UN Secretary General António Guterres

Read the full address here.

Watch Margaret Brennan’s report.