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At UN, Call to Action for Women's Day

Margaret Besheer

   UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. secretary-general said Friday that 25 years
   after action was demanded at a landmark conference in Beijing, progress
   on women's rights has stalled and even been reversed.

   "Some countries have rolled back laws that protect women from violence;
   others are reducing civic space; still others are pursuing economic and
   immigration policies that indirectly discriminate against women,"
   Antonio Guterres warned at a commemoration ahead of International
   Women's Day, which is Sunday.

   Guterres told a General Assembly hall full of diplomats, activists,
   women and girls that bias against gender equality is growing in some
   countries.

   "We must push back against the pushback," he said. "We cannot give way;
   we refuse to lose the ground we have won."

   In a new report, the U.N. said men still overwhelmingly hold elected
   positions, make more money, and have access to better jobs and
   education.

   Societal obstacles

   In addition, women in many parts of the world are still trying to
   overcome societal obstacles, including child marriage, illiteracy,
   domestic violence and lack of access to family planning. Rural and
   indigenous women face even more hurdles, in addition to discrimination
   and deeper poverty.

   The secretary-general was joined by several trailblazing women,
   including the world's youngest female prime minister, Sanna Marin of
   Finland. She is 34 and heads a coalition government in which women lead
   all five parties.

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