Statement of Lithuania at the General Assembly Debate, September 22, 2016

Successfully implementing Sustainable Development Goals will also require to dedicate special attention to women – often more impacted, but left behind and ignored. Let’s take some Goals as examples.

First, ending poverty. Both men and women are affected, but lifting women out of poverty is much more difficult. As if poverty was not hard enough, women also have to face gender-based discrimination, stereotypes and social marginalisation. According to a UN Women report:

• Woman earns around 24 per cent less than a man;
• Finds it more difficult to get a loan to start a business;
• Is likely to receive a smaller part of inheritance or nothing when she decides to leave her abusive husband.

The trend of poverty feminisation has to change. By not allowing women to prosper we condemn entire families to poverty.

Second, ending hunger. Although around half of the world’s agricultural work is done by women, if food is running out, women are the first to suffer. When public order breaks down, a woman’s trip to bring her family food or water may easily cost her life. In times of hunger, women give the little food they have to their children. In a bread line, however, they often end up being pushed aside or abused. Empowering women by expanding land ownership or providing credit would not only feed a family, but would also raise incomes of women and make more food available for all.

Third, providing education. For so many girls and women around the world the road to inclusive learning remains an impossible dream:

• According to the UN Sustainable Development report, out of the world’s 750 million illiterate adults, two thirds are women;
• Girls are sent off or sold into early marriages, blocking their path to education, higher income and independence;
• Criminals abduct women and sell them into slavery.
• Extremists burn down schools and kill teachers, because they do not want educated girls to make their own life choices.

That needs to change. Education is a key that opens many doors. Educated women are a tremendous resources and a power for the common good. Women must be free to have access to education, choose the profession they want. Information technologies must be available to uncover their full potential.