Presented by: UN-WOMEN, February 24, 2011 UNGA Hall

"Complex challenges like conflicts, global warming, migration, and financial crisis will only be solved through partnership where men and women both have a voice."

	"In Kigali, she wakes up She makes a choice, In Hanoi, Natal, Ramallah. InTangier, she takes a breath, lifts up her voice, In Lahor, La Paz, Kampala. Through she's half a world away Something in me wants to say - We are One Women You cry and I hear you. We are One Women You hurt, and I hurt, too. We are One Women Your hopes are mind We shall shine."
The moderator of the UN Women Launch, Juju Chang	ONE WOMEN - Composed by: Graham Lyle & Clay	Joseph Deiss, the 65th President of the United Nations General Assembly

Highlights and Photos by:
Sirin CENGIZALP, Lightmillennium.Org
Youth Representative to the UN DPI-NGO

The moderator of the UN Women Launch, Juju Chang (February 24, 2011, UN General Assembly Hall), stated that women and men all over the world worked for the establishment of UN Women, which is a historical movement in a history of women’s empowerment and the journey towards gender equality. This dream has been nurtured by the conviction that the women’s rights are human rights. This year marks 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.

As a first speaker of the night, Joseph Deiss, the 65th President of the United Nations General Assembly in 2010, officially opened the launch as a President. Mr. Deiss mentioned that over the years the United Nations has been committed to empowering women through the adoption of and the implementation of numerous resolutions, conventions, strategies and programs. The General Assembly resolution to establish UN Women adopted in July 2010. According to Mr. Deiss, the creation of UN Women is an expression of the growing realization that we can’t address the world’s most complex problems without the wisdom and full participation of women. Mr. Diess also added that complex challenges like conflicts, global warming, migration, and financial crisis will only be solved through partnership where men and women both have a voice.

Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations	Ms. Michelle Bachelet, 1st Executive Director of UN Women and former president of Chili

Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General, mentioned that UN Women has been established for girls who can’t go to school simply because she is a girl, and the millions of women and girls who need help and protection. UN Women has been established for the women who need a treatment for HIV, including mothers who are nursing their babies. UN Women has been established for the women who deserve to be seating as equals in parliaments. For instance, UN Women supporting shelters that for vulnerable women and girls. UN Women working to eliminate harmful, traditional practices and to change mindsets. Mr. Ban Ki-moon underlined that women are the breadwinners who can help their families and their countries out of poverty, they are the mothers who provide food, the leaders who encourage education, and raise the next generation; women are the police and peacemakers who can help for the peace and stability. Mr. Secretary General emphasized that the United Nations are investing in women because it is right thing to do and because it is one of the smartest thing the UN can do.

"It is no longer acceptable to live in a world where young girls are taken out of school or force to early marriage..."

Ms. Michelle Bachelet, 1st Executive Director of UN Women, opened her speech by stating that it took 4 years of hard work to realize the dreams of millions of women and girls to have a global champion at the UN who can lead the efforts to translate their hopes of a better world into reality; and it has taken 4 months of hard work to shape that dream into a functioning UN organization. Ms. Bachelet emphasized that it is no longer acceptable to live in a world where young girls are taken out of school or force to early marriage or women’s employment opportunities are limited, or where the threat of gender base violence is daily reality. Ms. Bachelet got a big applause when she stated, “my own experiences has taught me that there is no limit to what women can do.” Ms. Bachelet added that UN Women will offering new dynamic to the global dialogue on gender equality and women’s empowerment, and bring new energy drawing a multiple talents and bringing together men and women from different countries and communities in a shared world.

Joy Ogwu, the President of the Executive Board of the UN Women Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women	Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia, the Duchess of Palma de Mallorca

Ms. Bandana Rana, the chairperson of Saathi-Nepal, is from Nepal, a country emerging from a decade long armed conflict and its impact most devastating on women and girls. However despite all the pain and destruction the conflict also brought some positive changes. Women in Nepal make up 33% of the Constituent Assembly; the highest in the Asian Pacific, and Nepal have a special National Action Plan on gender base violence that was launched in 2010 by the Prime Minister. Domestic Violence Legislation was adopted in 2009, and very recently the National Action Plan on Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 was adopted and launched internationally yesterday (23 Feb. 2011) in New York. Ms. Rana underlined that these changes are the result of strong advocacy from the vibrant civil society and women’s movement in Nepal in the post conflict after 2006.

Ms. Joy Ogwu, the President of the Executive Board of the UN Women Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, opened her speech by stating that the participation and the leadership of women in the political sphere is central to the mission of UN Women. Ms. Ogwu added that having women ambassadors in the parliaments lead to greater attention to women’s issues and more direct engagements by women in public decision making. Women in leadership position are all agree that equal opportunity for women is not a gift; rather it is a right.

Ms. Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia, the Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, stated that there is no doubt under the leadership of Ms. Michelle Bachelet UN Women will support women’s economic and political empowerment and protect women’s rights around the world. Ms. Cristina also congratulated the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for his commitment to women’s health under the “Every Woman Every Child” effort. Ms. Cristina underlined that the next challenge will be to translate the global strategies for women and children’s health to the regional and national levels.

Ted Turner, Founder of the United Nations Foundation	Rakhi Sahi, a former commander of an all-female police unit in Liberia

Mr. Ted Turner, the Chairman of the United Nations Foundation, opened his speech by stating that empowering women and girls is the smartest and most productive thing that human being can do. As a Chairman of UN Foundation Mr. Turner briefly mentioned UN Foundation’s achievements such as providing millions of dollars to create hundreds of partnerships on behalf of the UN, these partnerships not only to bring together more funds to help but also bring together some of the greatest minds to help solve these global problems. Mr. Turner added that UN Foundation recently launched a campaign called “Girls Up” to build support for the UN’s work on the behalf of adolescent girls in developing countries.

Geena Davis, an American actress and a partner with UN Women, opened her speech by stating how strongly she believes that positive gender presentation in media is a tool toward forwarding women’s and girl’s empowerment around the world. The research done by Ms. Davis’ institute (The Geena Davis Institute on Gender) shows that from 2006 to 2009 not one female character was depicted in family films, in the field of science, as a business leader, in law profession or in politics. Ms. Davis added that media can create positive opportunities to overcome social and cultural barriers and discrimination against women and girls. Last but not least, Ms. Davis underlined that the world can only improve when women and girls are given their rights as equal contributors and participants in all areas of civil society.

Ms. Rakhi Sahi, a former commander of an all-female police unit in Liberia, briefly talked about her unit by saying that the unit performed its tasks with a motto of “the first to arrive, the last to leave” in any crisis situation. Ms. Sahi’s unit performed all the mandated tasks of reform police unit and managed to reduce the crime rate. Ms. Sahi also added that having all-female police unit in Liberia offered additional advantages such as women simply started to feel much safer and were more courageous to report cases like sexual violence to the police officers. Furthermore, the unit adopted a local school for orphanage and worked with the youth to help prevent sexual crime and violence against women. Last but not least, as a unit, they also offered self-defense courses to the girls of Liberia, consult boys aged 8-15 against sexual violence and rape, and encourage young women and girls to come forward and report crimes against women.

For the Grand Finale of the launching event, "One Women" lyrics by Beth Blatt; music by Graham Lyle & Clay; composed for the UN Women and performed by: Graham Lyle, Clay, Beth Blatt, Gemma Bulos, Tituss Burgess, Tracy McDowell, Courtney Reed with the United Nations International School Choir.