National Statement delivered by H.E. Andreas von Uexküll, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN, at the UN Women Executive Board Agenda item: Annual report of the Executive Director, 18 June 2024
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Dear President, Madame Executive Director,
Sweden welcomes the key results achieved during the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan period, including in advancing global norms and standards, on women’s economic empowerment, governance and participation in public life, women peace and security, and humanitarian action. Achieving these results despite global challenges is commendable.
At the midterm of the Strategic Plan – much work still remains, and UN Women has a critical role to play. We welcome the recommendations and lessons learned including that UN Women will strengthen the interconnections between the operating, coordinating and normative mandate, including advancing positive social norms and pushing forward against the pushback on women’s rights.
We commend the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women for its vital work and welcome it’s focus on crisis contexts and support to civil society organisations and women’s rights organisations, as well as its intersectional approach, and encourage the Trust Fund to continue its important work in this regard.
The private sector play an important role in increasing women’s participation in the work force, in contributing to UN Women’s funding and in the implementation of UN Womens normative mandate. We therefore welcome that UN Women has adopted the Women Economic Empowerment Strategy and the Private Sector Engagement Strategy.
Sweden has been a coalition-lead for the Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights since the launch of the Generation Equality Forum and has worked closely with UN Women and other coalition stakeholders in developing the initiative for the last four years. We believe women’s economic empowerment is a tool for strengthening women’s rights in different areas such as sexual and reproductive health and rights, protecting women from sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices such as child marriage and FGM.
We take note of previous steps to increase harmonisation between UNDP, UNOPS, UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women in relation to reporting from Internal Audit and Investigation functions. However, we encourage further harmonisation within this area. There are different formulations in how the opinion is expressed from the different internal audit functions, which may lead to difficulties in interpreting and understanding the overall conclusion.
Making a difference and delivering results on the ground is what matters the most for women and girl’s that UN Women serves. This requires adequate financial resources and strengthening capacity in country offices.
Finally, we encourage UN Women to enhance the visibility and the results achieved through core funding.
I thank you.