No going back on Beijing will be tolerated. Madam Chairperson, From the Secretary General's report we can see that much progress has been made in certain areas, while other areas lag behind. Much more is needed to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men and ensure a world where male values do no longer function as invisible norms leaving women behind. Madame Chairperson, It is a fact that women and girls are still being discriminated against. For a number of reasons women and girls are being treated differently from the moment they are born until they die.
Some obstacles are structural, some are cultural, some are historical and some political.
Common to them all is that they prevent women from achieving equal rights and opportunities. Common to them all is also that they are not acceptable. We must not loose hope because some results have not been reached. Political will is crucial if gender equality is to be achieved. New methods for promoting gender equality are important.