‘The empowerment of women must be central’ – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa received a round of applause as he spoke about female equality at the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. He attended the session along with several world leaders such as President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelensky. The President focused on a number of issues affecting Africa, including gender equality, healthcare, and climate change. He also highlighted the importance of Africa’s voice in the UN. We rounded up highlights of his statement.

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 PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON GENDER DISCRIMINATION

The President, who was accompanied by an all-women delegation, called upon all nations to provide equality to women across the world. “Social and economic progress will not be possible unless we end gender discrimination”, he stated as he addressed world leaders on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa referenced the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is aimed towards strengthening world peace. The 2023 Agenda has a special focus on gender equality and female empowerment. The President stated that “The empowerment of women must be central to the actions we now take towards the realisation of Agenda 2030.”

The President also highlighted the need for world leaders to focus on the investment for healthcare services for women and children. He emphasised that these services should be prioritised as they are essential for the overall health and well-being of women and children across the world.

Earlier last month, President Ramaphosa addressed South Africans on Women’s Day to highlight how far the nation has come in building a non-sexist society. He thanked women for the role they play as he led the Women’s Day celebrations.

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THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN AFRICA

Climate change was among the topics the President focused on as Africa remains a top climate hotspot in the world. Ramaphosa stated that African countries are paying for the cost that the wealthy nations put on the world. “We urge global leaders to accelerate global decarbonisation while pursuing equality and shared prosperity”.

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SPREADING THE VOICE OF AFRICA

The President also used this platform to highlight the voice of Africa in the United Nations. In his statement, he told world leaders that they are representing people who have had their origins in Africa. Promoting the continent and its progress, the President stated that “In Africa, they developed the tools and capabilities to spread across the world and achieve remarkable feats of development and progress.”

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