UN Women Executive Director visits France

to strengthen global partnerships for equality

Will highlight women’s economic empowerment, political participation and ending violence against women as catalysts for sustainable growth and development

18th May — Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet will travel to France next week to strengthen global partnerships for gender equality. She will meet with France’s senior political leaders, participate in the ministerial meeting of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and strengthen cooperation with the Organisation de La Francophonie and UNESCO.

The visit focuses on accelerating action for women’s empowerment in the economic and political spheres, and ending violence against women and girls. Ms. Bachelet will call upon leaders to undertake polices that make a real change in women’s lives. Her visit comes soon after the French Prime Minister appointed a parity government, with women ministers heading 17 out of 34 Ministries, including a Ministry of Women’s Rights.

During the five-day visit, Ms. Bachelet will take part in a range of high-level events. She will participate in the annual OECD Ministerial Council Meeting from 22-24 May including an event titled All on Board- Policies for Inclusive Growth and Jobs and the launch of the OECD Gender Report. Ms. Bachelet will also speak at the OECD / DAC Latin American Forum on economic development and inclusive growth.

UN Women will sign partnership agreements with the International Organisation de la Francophonie (OIF) and with UNESCO. Through the collaboration with the OIF, efforts to end violence against women will be strengthened in the 75 Member States covering some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

On 25 May, at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, Ms. Bachelet will speak in a high-level panel on innovative solutions to women’s illiteracy and gender inequality in secondary education. The panel event will be part of the first anniversary of UNESCO’s Global Partnership for Girls’ and Women’s Education that was launched last year. Ms. Bachelet is a member of the High-level Panel that supports the initiative.

Ms. Bachelet’s visit also includes meetings with leading media, civil society and a keynote address for the 2012 graduating class of the Masters of Public Affairs at the prestigious Sciences Po Institute.