United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted the resolution entitled International Day of Women in Diplomacy. The Maldives along with the core group of countries comprising El Salvador, Eritrea, Grenada, Guyana, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Malta, Qatar, Saint Lucia, and South Africa spearheaded the resolution to establish an International Day of Women in Diplomacy on June 24 every year.
The resolution was introduced at the UNGA by Thilmeeza Hussain, the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations. During her statement, she highlighted the newly established day as an annual opportunity to reflect on the challenges faced by women diplomats and actions that can be undertaken to achieve the goal of women’s full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation in diplomacy. She thanked Abdulla Shahid, the President of the 76th session of the UNGA, for making gender equality one of his priorities and for championing the issue as the President of the General Assembly (PGA) and as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives.
After the adoption of the resolution, PGA Shahid thanked the member states who brought the resolution to fruition. “Now we have a day specifically devoted to celebrating women in diplomacy: who have blazed trails; negotiated peace; strengthened international relations; survived hardships and danger; and have facilitated intercultural linkages,” he said.
Following remarks from the PGA, Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations applauded the leadership of the Maldives and the core group of countries in tabling the resolution with broad cross-regional support.
The International Day of Women in Diplomacy resolution garnered historic support at the UNGA and was co-sponsored by 191 member states, of which 85 member states were main sponsors of the text.