UN Women will ‘walk together’ with South Asia’s women,

help them claim rights, dignity

 

At the reception to launch UN Women

 

A discussion on the implications of the Indian Budget 2011 for women set the stage for the launch of UN Women in South Asia and effectively spelt out some of the priorities and issues of concern for the newest UN entity in India.
 
This discussion was organised by UN Women in partnership with the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability and the United Nations Information Centre. The panellists included Member of Parliament Kalikesh Singh Deo, Prof. Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, A.K. Shiva Kumar, member, National Advisory Council, and Dr. Mridul Eapen, member of the State Planning Board, Kerala. UNIC Director Kiran Mehra-Kerpelman delivered the message of UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon on the occasion.
 
The discussion was followed by a formal reception to launch UN Women in South Asia, which was attended by Members of Parliament, diplomats, representatives of UN agencies, donor agencies, and the media. Anne F. Stenhammer, Regional Programme Director of UN Women South Asia said the new UN entity was committed to making a difference in South Asia and would “walk together with women in their journey to claim their rights and dignity”. In his address, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Patrice Coeur-Bizot said UN Women in India would help accelerate work of the United Nations on gender equality.
 
This was followed by the launch of the UN Women website for South Asia, by women sarpanches (village heads) from Rajasthan. Speaking about her experiences as an administrator and leader, Laxmi Bai urged the audience to work for the empowerment of women in rural India.

 

 

 

 

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