Video Message by H.E. Mher Margaryan, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, on the occasion of United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day 2021

08 March, 2021

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, friends,

I am very pleased to join you today on the occasion of the United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day 2021. As you have heard, this year’s theme for International Women’s Day is closely aligned with the priority theme of the upcoming 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which will begin next week. Traditionally this Observance gives us the opportunity to reflect on the gains made so far for women and girls globally while also recognizing that more work needs to be done.

However, 2020 has been a watershed year in modern world history. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all our lives and disproportionately impacted women and girls across the world. The effects of the pandemic can be seen across the many dimensions of their lives. It has aggravated the suffering of women and girls in situations of conflicts, humanitarian crises and other fragile contexts. Maternal mortality, gender-based violence and the burdens of unpaid care work on women are significantly increasing as a result of the crisis. While all students alike are impacted by school closures, we know that women and girls who are pulled out of educational institutions are less likely to return than men and boys. Female workers are rapidly losing employment opportunities as a result of the pandemic’s devastation of national economies. Women in the informal sector are even more negatively impacted. The COVID-19 crisis puts the priority theme of CSW-65 “Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls” into sharper relief.

Even beyond the effects of COVID-19, women continue to be underrepresented in decision-making and public life, and violence against women in all its forms is rampant. The statistical data shows that women are the heads of state or government in only 21 countries. 119 countries have never had a woman leader. At the current rate, parity at the highest levels of power will not be reached for another 130 years. Beyond the headlines, women continue to face many obstacles in public life and are marginalized from equally and fully participating at all levels of decision-making positions. Violence against women and girls also continues to rise in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and prohibits women from participating in public life.

Despite these impacts, women and girls are at the frontlines of the pandemic response today and are making contributions to their communities and societies. We cannot but think of the millions of female workers and caretakers in almost all dimensions of public, private and economic life who whilst enduring the effects of this crisis, are working tirelessly to uphold their families and their communities often without recognition or compensation.

In the past year, women have also offered new models of effective and inclusive leadership, be it in politics and governance or health care and emergency response. In many regions around the world governments led by women were effective in reacting to the pandemic and curbed its spread successfully. At the end of 2020, the Harvard Business Review released an assesment which rated women more positively on 13 of the 19 competencies that comprise overall leadership effectiveness in times of deep crises. In the same assessment men were rated more positively on one competency — technical/professional expertise. Women rated higher everywhere else: on human-relations skills, such as motivating a workforce; and on achieving better collaboration and teamwork.

It is critical that the global response to and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis actively engages women and harnesses their unique capacities for leadership. Without the leadership and equal participation of women the road to recovery from the pandemic will be even harder. To lead women must be educated, allowed to reach their full potential and manage their care responsibilities effectively.

As we mark International Women’s Day, I call on all of us to take concerted action to accelerate women and girls’ leadership and participation, to ensure that together, we transform the world and shape a more equal future for the humankind.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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