With regard to the empowerment and advancement of women at the global level, we welcome the efforts of the Secretary-General in the area of the advancement of women and establishment of a new international enity on women (UN Women).
It is indeed a source of pride for Tunisia to be ranked first internationally in terms of fighting violence against women and guaranteeing their right to free movement and ownership, to be ranked first in the Arab world in terms of offering women opportunities of economic participation, and to be ranked first I Africa in terms of women's per capita income.
The prestigious status Tunisian women enjoy today is confirmed by the figures and indicators pertaining to human development and to women's involvement in all fields. They hold 30% of decision-making and responsibility positions. They represent 33% in the judicial corps, and 42% in the medical corps. In higher education, girls account for 60% of the total number of students.
This step consists in the adoption of resolution 289/64, which reaffirms the importance we all attach to the development of the UN system and the promotion of complementary between UN activities and programmes, especially those pertaining to women, through establishing a new unified entity to be in charge of all issues related to gender equality and women empowerment.
The recent reports of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with shocking news of hundreds of rapes of women and children, are not isolated incidents. They are a part of a pattern of conflict-related crimes that have been carried out with impunity over many years. As so often in conflict situations, women and children are the most vulnerable groups. As so often in peace process, women are the most ignored.
Gender equality remains one of the greatest challenges to human rights and democracy. We therefore welcome the establishment of UN Women and believe it will further the cause of gender equality.
We express our solidarity with the appeals articulated during various UN fora to invest more in advancement of women and we support the Secretary General's Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health. Likewise, we are confident that the new entity "UN Women" will contribute to the consolidation of international efforts in achieving the goals of equality and advancement for all women.
We welcome the recent appointment of a Paraguayan to take part in the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). We further commit our efforts to ensure the inclusion of women in all areas of public life as well as the full exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal footing with men.
The 601-member Constituent Assembly of Nepal stands today as one of the most inclusive assemblies, where women constitute one third of its total members. Тhе Assembly has the representation from different ethnic groups, backward regions, traditionally marginalized communities, among other.
