UN High Level Roundtable discussion at CSW

Noted Economist Addresses UN High Level Roundtable discussion at CSW

Addressing the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women, in a High-Level Roundtable on the topic of “Financing Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women,” Dr. Lopez-Claros noted that a number of studies have shown a close connection between national economic performance and the degree to which women are integrated into a national economy.

“The efficient operation of our increasingly knowledge-based economy is not only a function of adequate levels of available finance, a reasonably open trade regime for goods and services, but, more and more, is also dependant on our ability to tap into a society’s reservoir of talents and skills,” said Dr. Lopez-Claros, Director of the Global Competitveness Report 2006/2007 at the World Economic Forum.

“When, because of tradition, religion, social taboos or plain prejudices, half of the world’s population is prevented from making its contribution to the life of a nation, the economy will suffer.”

Also addressing yesterday’s High Level Roundtable was Fulya Vekiloglu, Co-chair, Working Group on Girls of the NGO Committee on UNICEF, who is also a representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the UN.

Among other things, she urged the commission to make a greater effort to promote social policies that protect, empower, and “invest in” girls at the national and local levels.

“Investments in girls have amazing cascading benefits,” said Ms. Vekiloglu, speaking in her role as co-chair of the NGO Working Group on Girls. “When girls are healthy, well-educated and empowered to contribute to their families and societies we all benefit.”

She also urged the commission to promote policies that “disaggregate” data collection on women’s issues by age and sex.

“In too many places and at too many times girls continue to be invisible, lumped together with women by some and with children by others,” said Ms. Vekiloglu. “Gender equality and women’s empowerment cannot be accomplished unless we adopt a life cycle approach to this critical issue.  Unless we ensure the visibility of girls, we can never guarantee women’s rights.”

See Dr. Lopez-Claros's address.

See Ms. Fulya Vekiloglu's address.