Including women in the decision-making marker of ‘flawed democracy’: Kamala Harris

The state of democracy is fundamentally dependent on the empowerment of women, whose decision-making exclusion is a marker of a “flawed democracy,” Kamala Harris said in her first address to the United Nations that the Vice President of the United States

Ms. Harris, the first woman, the first black American and the first South Asian American Vice President, was expressed in her address to the 65th session of the United Nations Commission on Democracy and the Decline of Freedom Around the World. Status of women.

“Today, we know that democracy is growing to a great extent. For 15 consecutive years, we have seen a disturbing decline in freedom around the world. In fact, experts believe that this was the worst on record for the global decline of democracy and freedom last year, ”she said on Tuesday.

Ms Harris said the US was strengthening its engagement with the World Organization and the broader multilateral system, as well as the United Nations Human Rights Council.

He stressed that even though the world faces a global health crisis and an economic crisis, it was important that “we continue to protect democracy”.

“The state of democracy also depends fundamentally on the empowerment of women. Not only because the boycott of women in decision-making is a marker of a flawed democracy, but also because women’s participation strengthens democracy. Ms. Harris, 56, said that this is true everywhere.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the main global intergovernmental body devoted exclusively to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Representatives of member states, United Nations institutions and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations from all regions of the world are participating in the session, which runs from 15 to 26 March.

The theme of this year’s session is ‘Complete and effective participation and decision-making in women’s public life, as well as the elimination of violence, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls’. In a high-level session, Ms. Harris explained that the COVID-19 epidemic has endangered economic security, physical security, and the health of women everywhere.

She said that while women struggle for the healthcare they need, the epidemic appears to be reversing the global gains in the fight against HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, malnutrition and maternal and child mortality.

Therefore, Ms. Harris said on the first day of President Joe Biden’s administration, the US re-worked as a leader in a member state and the World Health Organization.

In addition, the US was reinvigorating its partnership with the women of the United Nations, to empower women around the world.

But she cautioned that women are more likely to live in poverty when they face barriers to obtaining quality healthcare, face food insecurity, and therefore, gender-based violence that is affected by climate change Are more vulnerable to, and therefore affected by, disputes.

So it is harder for women to fully participate in decision making, which, in turn, makes democracy so much harder to flourish, she said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his remarks on Monday for the opening of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women that the epidemic is having a devastating effect on women and girls.

“COVID-19 is a crisis with a woman’s face. The results have shown how deep gender inequality lies in the world’s political, social and economic systems. Those disparities have hurt themselves – and we all paid the price, ”he said.

Quoting former US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who shaped the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, Ms. Harris said: “Without equality, there can be no democracy.” Ms. Harris said that the status of women is a state of democracy and that the United States will work to improve both.

He stressed that this year, in considering the status of women, especially as it relates to women’s participation in decision-making, nations should also consider the state of democracy.

Underlining that democracy protects human rights, promotes human respect, and promotes the rule of law, Ms. Harris said it is a tool to establish peace and shared prosperity.

He said, ‘Every citizen should ensure that his voice is equal regardless of gender. At the same time, democracy needs constant vigilance, continuous reform. It is a work-in-progress, ”she said.

Highlighting the progress in women’s empowerment in the US, Ms. Harris said that in every presidential election for the past 56 years, more women than men have voted, more women than ever before and more women in the US Congress She is the bread maker of her family. .

“Women in the United States lead our local, state and national governments, make major decisions about the security of our country, and make major developments in our economy. These are signs of progress. These are signs of strength, ”she said.