General Women, Peace and Security

We are also working to finalize on national action plan on women, peace, and security in the very near future.

I warmly welcome the establishment of UN Women. Ireland is committed to supporting this important new body within the UN system, as it promotes greater gender equality and works to enhance the rights and well-being on women worldwide.

In the issue of UN System-wide Coherence, the General Assembly in July established a new gender entity, “UN Women”. This body will further strengthen UN's capacity and effectiveness in advancing the status of women universally. Solomon Islands looks forward to cooperating with the new entity.

I wish to announce that Trinidad and Tobago will introduce in the First Committee of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, internal peace and security, a resolution on "women, disarmament, arms control and non proliferation.

One area of reform which I hold dearly is the establishment of UN Women, an entity that consolidates four previous agencies dealing with gender equality and the empowerment of women. I am confident that this venture which will become fully operational by January 2011 would provide a coherent approach in attending to issues affecting women internationally. It is my hope that UN Women would receive the support of all States.

I especially welcome UN Women as an important and welcome novelty within the UN system, a body aimed at supporting gender equality and strengthening the position of women.

I applaud the establishment o f the United Nations Entity for Gender and Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). St. Kitts and Nevis has always played a lead role in women' s empowerment. For us, the occupying of high offices and decision making roles by women have been the norm, a tradition we embrace and continue to cultivate. St. Kitts and Nevis thus remains committed to gender-equal opportunities at home and abroad.

In this regard, our government welcomes the establishment of the UN Women, the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, and the appointment of Ms Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile to the head of the Unit.

Our achievement on MDG-1 on poverty alleviation, MDG-2 on universal primary education, MDG-3 on gender equality and women
empowerment are encouraging and on track.

Though Bangladesh has achieved the MDG target of gender equality at secondary level, our plan is to provide free tuition to girls up to undergraduate level. It is because I firmly believe women' s equal involvement is vital for a nation' s development. Gender equity and human development are our top priority concerns.