The 77th session of the UN General Assembly, which started on 20 September in New York, USA, has ended. Out of 190 speeches were made at the General Assembly; 23 of these speakers were women and 167 were men.
The 77th session of the UN General Assembly, which started on 20 September in New York, USA, has ended.
Speaking on the last day of the first face-to-face UN General Assembly session since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi highlighted that 76 heads of state, 50 heads of government, four vice presidents, five deputy prime ministers, 48 ministers and seven heads of delegations addressed the assembly during the week-long session.
According to information shared by the UN’s UN News news portal, 190 speeches were made at the 77th session; 23 of these speakers were women and 167 were men.
While only 12 percent of the speakers 23 were women, Körösi echoed the words of former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who moderated this year’s first General Assembly Platform of Women Leaders, in saying that they “pack a punch.”
‘New era’ of humanity
Unable to boil down 190 statements into a few phrases, Mr. Kőrösi instead focused on some of the common themes, beginning a growing awareness that “humanity has entered a new era”.
Facing complex challenges and multi-layer crises, he said that significant transformations are underway, pointing out that “basic conditions” of global cooperation have changed, leaving “a world of new challenges, changing priorities, changing roles, and changing ways.”
“Fresh pages of history are being written, with new divisions and new alliances, new grievances, and new successes on them,” said the Assembly President.
War in Ukraine
Next, he said the Hall reverberated in accord that the war in Ukraine should end.
He recapped Member States’ concern over shortages, inflation, refugees, nuclear safety and the “dangers of misinformation and propaganda”.
“Yet, be it the largest and the most acute, the war in Ukraine is one of nearly 30 armed conflicts worldwide,” said the senior UN official, adding, “and none of them is improving”.
Climate change
The third topic resonating throughout the speeches highlighted the dangers of climate change.
Discussions ensued about countries simultaneously experiencing droughts and flooding; unsustainable patterns of production and consumption; and plastic pollution filling oceans and killing fish, “even as waves of rising seas drown shorelines,” he continued.
Yet, despite calls to achieve global net-zero and for climate justice, some still seem unconvinced that “growing our economies can be balanced with limiting emissions and preserving biodiversity,” said Mr. Kőrösi.
Human rights
Calls were also heard for improving human rights and meeting the needs of those most vulnerable to exploitation.
“There is a cost to speaking out about human rights violations,” he acknowledged, “but the freedom of speaking out is strongly supported”.
The Assembly President recalled addresses affirming diversity as “a strength, not a liability,” and drew attention to the high-level event on minorities marking 30 years since an historic Declaration on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities.
Education
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke at the opening of the “Transforming Education Summit” at the 77th General Assembly.
Guterres said that about 70 per cent of 10-year-old children in poor countries cannot read even the simplest text, while in developed countries, education increases inequality between generations instead of reducing it.
Stating that the rich go to the best schools with the best resources and then get the best jobs, Guterres stated that the poor, especially girls, face obstacles in acquiring qualifications that will change their lives.
Equality
Speaking at a UN Women side event during the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, İpek Kıraç, Koç Holding Board Member, called on world leaders and key institutions to take bold action to tackle gender inequality. The High-Level Side Event “A Year of Action: Building more equal and inclusive digital societies through multi-stakeholder partnerships”, hosted by the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality, gathered senior leaders from across government and the private sector to discuss solutions and launch ambitious goals to promote gender equality and build an inclusive digital future.
During her speech, İpek Kıraç said: “At Koç Group, we firmly believe that we have a responsibility to lead in gender equality both in our country and on a global scale. As such we have actioned joint projects with UN Women and collaborated with key NGO and academic institutions to tackle gender biases and to overcome stereotypes. As one of the leaders in the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation, the far-reaching commitments we made earlier this year reflects our resolve and determination to achieve an equal future and close the gender gap; something which is only possible if we collectively invest in future skills and future talents now.”
Commenting on the need to provide tangible opportunities and lead transformation in society, İpek Kıraç told the audience: “The most significant indicator for leaders and institutions in tackling gender inequality should be to set clear targets and commit to achieving them, instead of wishful thinking based on hopes rather than facts. Because gender equality can only be achieved through collective action. As one of the leaders of the Action Coalition, I am encouraged to see actors from across civil society, governments, philanthropic organizations and private partners are uniting to spark an inclusive digital evolution.”
Iran leader cancels interview with CNN’s Amanpour over headscarf
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi withdrew from a long-planned interview with CNN’s chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, after she declined a last-minute demand to wear a head scarf.
Some 40 minutes after the interview was scheduled due to start and with Raisi running late, an aide told Amanpour the president had suggested that she wear a head scarf. Amanpour said that she “politely declined.”
Amanpour, who grew up in the Iranian capital Tehran and is a fluent Farsi speaker, said that she wears a head scarf while reporting in Iran to comply with the local laws and customs, “otherwise you couldn’t operate as a journalist.” But she said that she would not cover her head to conduct an interview with an Iranian official outside a country where it is not required.