Statement by Sunil Pal, Deputy Permanent Observer to the UN, New York
The PoA, rightly reaffirms that gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls will make a crucial contribution to SDG targets in LLDCs, and underlines the urgent need to invest in and strengthen efforts to support empowerment, including by removing all legal, social and economic barriers to achieving equality between men and women.
This reaffirmation acknowledges that laws and policies continue to discriminate against women, limiting their access to jobs, entrepreneurship opportunities, and financial assets.
This is not peculiar to LLDCs, globally, over 2.7 billion women are legally restricted from the same choice of jobs as men; and 3.9 billion women face legal barriers to their economic participation.
There is clear evidence that women's economic inequality is having a negative impact on productivity rates and contributing to underdevelopment.
If employment gaps between men and women were eliminated, it is estimated that GDP per capita could increase by up to 20 percent.
Ensuring equal rights and equality of opportunity, therefore, is not just a matter of fairness — it is an economic and strategic necessity.
As bleak as this terrain may appear, there are solutions to these challenges that necessitate political will and approaches that are people-centered.
At IDLO, we work with governments and non-state actors to create an enabling environment for women's economic rights and to build capacity to address the justice needs of women and girls.
- For example, in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, IDLO has worked on enhancing the engagement of women as commercial mediators to resolve business disputes.
- In Uganda, IDLO has partnered with civil society to improve the economic empowerment of women through trainings on starting and registering businesses and building financial literacy, all of which have supported access to business services and funds.
Drawing on this experience, IDLO would share the following ways that we can achieve some of the objectives of this forum, accelerate equality in law for women and girls and advance mutual goals in the Awaza Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda:
First, reform discriminatory laws and practices and support the development of legal and institutional frameworks that can transform the lives of women and girls and their ability to contribute equally to their societies and economies.
Second, invest in the economic empowerment of women and girls to claim their rights and navigate the legal and business environment: This is essential for achieving inclusive growth and a foundational element of reducing the justice gap between men and women.
Third, facilitate efforts to amplify women’s voices at all levels and ensure that women and girls are part of all reform strategies. Women’s organizations are often at the forefront of reform—they must be adequately resourced and supported.
Fourth, strengthen alliances and partnerships. Collaborations with governments, civil society, international organizations, and the private sector will be critical in the implementation of the Programme of Action. They can mobilize resources, share best practices, and ensure coordinated efforts to advance legal equality for women and girls.
As we look ahead to implementing the Awaza Programme of Action, we must move from commitment to concrete action. IDLO stands ready to work with governments and women’s organizations to support legal reform and capacity building that enables all women and girls in LLDCs to thrive — economically, politically, and socially.