Courtney Nemroff
U.S. Deputy Representative to the Economic and Social Council
New York, New York
March 26, 2021
AS DELIVERED
Good evening.
When our Vice President addressed this esteemed body, she said the status of women is the status of democracy. That status remains at red alert.
Women and girls around the world are facing dire, compounding threats – especially with the collateral hazards of COVID-19. These fears aren’t abstract. They’re playing out right now, as we speak. In Tigray, women are being attacked, raped, and subjected to violence. In Myanmar, women are protesting and demanding democracy. And in my own country in the city of Atlanta, a man whose heart was poisoned by racism and misogyny killed eight innocent people.
Our delegation – the most diverse in our history – fought for these women, and so many others. We’re proud of their efforts.
We welcome the recognition of the barriers that indigenous women and girls face in public life. But we are alarmed that we almost lost important references to women human rights defenders and sexual and gender-based violence in this text. And we cannot understand why one delegation refused to include the need for women and girls with disabilities to be represented in public life at all levels.
The United States is committed to these women and girls – and to the courageous members of civil society whose voices some attempted to stifle. We will not stop fighting for them, and for women and girls around the world.
Thank you.
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