Hon Deputy Speaker, the inclusion of gender equality and women's empowerment as the third Millennium Development Goal is a reminder that fighting persistent inequalities between women and men is not over.
There are seven strategic priorities that require action to achieve this goal. They are: guaranteeing women's and girls' property and inheritance rights; strengthening opportunities for secondary education of girls, while meeting commitments to universal primary education; guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health rights; investing in infrastructure to reduce women's and girls' time burdens; eliminating gender inequalities in employment by decreasing women's reliance on informal employment, closing gender gaps in earnings and reducing occupational segregation; increasing women's share of seats in Parliament, legislatures and local government bodies; and, combating violence against girls and women.
The national community has the knowledge and technology to reduce gender inequalities and empower women. Political commitment at the highest national levels is needed to institute policies and allocate the resources necessary to achieve a world where women are healthy, safe and empowered to control their own destinies.
To make change happen, and to empower women and reduce gender disparities, government and organisations must set the tone and create the environment to make this happen. With adequate space and resources, women's organisations can help transform societies in ways that remove women's constraints, guarantee their rights, and allow women to fulfil their potential.
Colleen Morna summed it all up when she maintained:
Gender equality is about providing a voice to the poor and marginalised, who often are women. We need leaders who are responsive and accountable to the needs of women.
Re le UCDP ra re, mosadi tshwene o jewa mabogo; motse o lapeng; mmangwana o amuwa le fa a sule; mme re fetse ka e sa tswang go buiwa ke modiri ka nna e e reng, mmagwana o tshwara thipa ka fa bogaleng. Ra re golang bomme ka letsatsi le, golang. [Legofi.] (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[We as the UCDP believe that a woman's worth is valued in terms of her ability to work. Women are the happy homemakers and a woman is ever important. I would like to conclude with my colleague's remark that a woman will always protect her child. We wish women everything of the best on this day. [Applause.]]