Congratulations to Sima Bahous, the first woman from the Arab region to lead UN Women
Amb. Sima Bahous (r) at Karama’s discussion event during CSW61
Karama sends our congratulations to Ambassador Sima Bahous on her appointment as Executive Director of UN Women.
The Karama network has long demanded that women from the Arab region play a prominent role in decision making at every level. It sends a vital message that women can rise to global leadership positions, even from countries and regions where women continue to be grossly underrepresented in politics and diplomacy.
We have always been grateful for the support that Ambassador Bahous has provided to women activists, and hope this spirit of cooperation will mark the way for her leadership of UN Women.
As incoming Executive Director, Ambassador Bahous faces unprecedented challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated inequalities like never before. When women across the world are already disadvantaged by intersectional cultures of inequality, injustice and discrimination, they are disproportionately affected by humanitarian crisis, the climate crisis, and conflict. Women’s rights continue to be under attack, sexual violence is still being used as a weapon of war, women and girls are being denied their right to education.
This is the challenge awaiting, and it needs a global gender champion of strength and substance. But It is not a challenge that Ambassador Bahous faces alone.
UN Women works best when it works in concert with women’s civil society. It was women’s rights activists who campaigned for UN Women to be established as a strong international focal point for gender equality. While activists work with their communities to build popular support for equality and positive change, UN Women can build the capacity of governments.
The time is now to reach out, build trust and consult with global women’s civil society.
Amb. Bahous and members of the Karama delegation to CSW59
Make use of the levers available to hold governments to account, not least the commitments made in the Generation Equality Forum, where $40bn was pledged to achieve equality. Make sure every cent is followed up, and that new resources follow. Make sure that the promise of Beijing 95, CEDAW, UNSCR 1325 are realised. Implementation of existing commitments and frameworks is key.
The role is called Executive Director, so direct and execute for equality. It is all too easy to get swamped by the bureaucracy, but there is the opportunity to lead with a clear vision and decisive action.
Women from the Arab region have always been ready to demonstrate their power, their ingenuity, and their capability. They have fought for their rights, secured new laws and new protections, stood up against oppressors, brought down authoritarians.
Ambassador Bahous must demonstrate what women from our region are capable of. We have worked with her, and been grateful for her support. We stand ready to support her towards our shared goal of equity.