General Women, Peace and Security

The creation of UN Women is a welcomed development. It has my country's full support. Of course, gender will need to stay a mainstream theme influencing the actions of each and every UN institution.

We have launched free healthcare for pregnant and lactating women and children under 5 for the first time in our history, improving access to around 300,000 women and over a million children.

Sierra Leone is among the few countries emerging from conflict that have formulated a comprehensive action plan for Security Council Resolution 1325 and 1820. My government is determined to ensure its effective implementation, particularly in addressing gender-based violence as well as the enhancement of women's participation in politics and the public sector.

Gender equality is another topic of vital importance for the Nations. Gender equality issues are rarely associated with overcoming the economic crises or stopping climate change. However, it has been estimated that the elimination of gender discrimination in the labor market could increase the GDP by as much as 30%. It seems that Lithuanian people have decided to test this estimation in practice!

The establishment of Gender Equality Entity is the testimony of the most recent and tangible success of the reform in the UN. The strengthening of the role of women in society will help not just politics but also the emancipation and harmonized development of them.

We must draw on lessons learned over the past decade:
Helping people to help themselves;
Investing resources where they have the greatest effect — smart investment in education, decent work, health, smallholder agriculture, infrastructure and green energy;the importance of putting women at the fore.

We used our chairmanship of the G8 to reach out to leaders from Africa and the Americas and to secure an agreement to enact the Muskoka Initiative, for maternal, newborn and child health. Such progress is literally vital in meeting the most achievable of the UN's Millennium Development Goals: to reduce the appalling mortality among mothers and children in developing countries.

I am glad to note that maternal, infant and child health and welfare are among the underlying issues in this year's General Assembly theme. This calls for concerted actions for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. I am pleased to say that the African Union has reaffirmed its commitments towards the reduction of maternal, infant and child mortality in Africa.

The advancement of women and gender equality continues to be the cornerstone for Africa of the new beginning. Women have and continue to play a decisive role in the global, continental and national agendas for democracy, transition and development. I am happy to inform the General Assembly that African governments have intensified the fight against gender-based violence, sexual abuse, discrimination and human trafficking in women and girls.

With its 192 Member States, our General Assembly is a near-universal body and reflects the diversity of situations and interests at stake. It is there to promote the rights of every woman and man on our planet.