UN General Assembly
2025

And this, ladies and gentlemen, must change. So, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let us make history. Today, the 80th session of the General Assembly is led by only the fifth woman to hold the presidency. By the end of this session, she would be joined by a Madam Secretary General-elect, a living proof to 4 billion women that even the most impossible job is not beyond their reach. But gender representation is not enough. What we must achieve is actual gender equity because it benefits not only women and girls, but entire societies. True equity requires systemic change, and so women's empowerment must remain at the heart of our global agenda. International organizations must wave a gender perspective into every strand of policymaking. And that should be a result of effective participation of women and girls themselves. Electing a Madam Secretary General would be historic, but it must only be the beginning of a much deeper transformation. Madam President, the Pact for the Future sets out clearly what must be done to change our world for the better.