United Nations Radio

The UN Economic and Social Council -ECOSOC- kicked off its 2010 session Monday with a high-level segment focusing on gender equality and the empowerment of women, the mainstreaming of gender perspectives in all Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the challenges of international development cooperation.

ECOSOC President Hamidon Ali of Malaysia, in an opening statement said the theme of this year's annual Ministerial Review -"Implementing the internationally-agreed goals and commitments in regard to gender equality and the empowerment of women", is particularly opportune as women all too often are the poorest and most marginalised.

"It allows us to strengthen the linkages between gender equality, women's human rights and non-discrimination as a basis for progress in development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Yet, despite this increasing awareness everywhere, women and girls today face gender-based discrimination. While MDG-3 relates directly to the empowerment of women, all MDGs are dependant upon women having a greater say in their own development."

Mr. Ali says nowhere else is the mutual interdependence between development, human rights and development stronger than in the issue of gender.

Donn Bobb, United Nations Radio.

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