UN WOMEN CALLS ON GOVERNMENTS TO RENEW AN AGENDA THAT FOCUSES ON EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS

UN WOMEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF CHILE DR. MICHELLE BACHELET ABOVE, HAS CALLED ON GOVERNMENTS TO RENEW AN AGENDA THAT FOCUSES ON EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS, INCLUDING NOT ONLY THEIR RIGHT TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BUT TO EMPOWER THEM ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY.

DR. BACHELET SAID THIS WHEN SHE GRACED THE 1^ST PLENARY OF THE 4^TH INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S SUMMIT ORGANIZED AS PART OF THE WORLD YWCA COUNCIL IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND WHICH ENDED YESTERDAY.

SHE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE IS INCREASING AND OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT INVESTING IN WOMEN AND GIRLS WILL ADDRESS THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT COUNTRIES FACE, BUT THAT THOSE IN POWER ARE SOMETIMES FAILING TO INVEST IN WOMEN AND GIRLS.

DR. BACHELET ADDED THAT EVIDENCE IS MOUNTING THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE THE KEY TO THE SOLUTION OF SO MANY OF THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS STRESSING THAT WHERE GOVERNMENTS FAIL TO CAPITALIZE ON THE POTENTIAL AND TALENTS OF ONE HALF OF THE POPULATION, THEY ALSO SQUANDER THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE POVERTY, HUNGER, DISEASE, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND VIOLENCE.

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