Director-General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am pleased to address you today on the pressing and interconnected crises of climate change and violence against women.
I would like to begin by thanking the Spotlight Initiative for ensuring that this critical connection and the measures required to end gender-based violence remain at the forefront of climate discussions.
When Member States adopted the Paris Agreement 8 years ago, they recognized that climate change concerns all of humankind.
However, as our planet grapples with an increasingly deadly climate crisis, its impact is hitting women and girls the hardest.
According to data by UN Women, climate disasters are 14 times more deadly for women and children than for men.
Women also represent a higher percentage of impoverished communities that are dependent on local resources for their livelihoods, particularly in agricultural settings most affected by the changing climate.
From typhoons in Southeast Asia, to droughts and floods in sub-Saharan Africa, to hurricanes and rising sea levels in the Caribbean, and beyond, an estimated 80 percent of those displaced by climate change globally are women.
As extreme weather forces them to travel longer distances for work or basic resources like water or sanitation facilities, they become more vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and human trafficking.
Young girls often end up being pushed into early marriage out of economic necessity, while others drop out of school because of heightened financial burdens.
And as more girls miss out on an education, they are further denied opportunities to reach their full potential and have a voice in the solutions we all need, perpetuating a cycle of inequality and injustice.
As women struggle to meet their basic needs and find opportunities, they often find themselves at greater risk of abuse and violence, including violence at home.
Our recent Femicide report, launched together with UN Women, revealed that over 48,800 of all female homicides are committed by family members or intimate partners, challenging the notion of home being a safe haven for women and girls.
In 2022, Africa was found to have the highest level of violence relative to the size of its female population, whilst simultaneously experiencing climate-related tragedies with increasing frequency.
Meanwhile, in the chaotic aftermath of natural disasters, women and girls face barriers in accessing the support and legal assistance they need, due to resource scarcity and restrictions in their capacity to generate incomes and livelihoods.
In countries facing political instability and collapsing rule of law, often inflamed by climate emergencies, women are at higher risk of conflict-related sexual violence.
As the climate crisis heats up, justice for women and girls is rapidly evaporating.
We must step up our efforts to support the most vulnerable and marginalized women and girls facing the dual threats of climate change and violence.
This includes women with disabilities, poor women, and indigenous women.
It includes women who are primary breadwinners for their households, women who do not or cannot work, and young girls aspiring to learn and to grow up safe.
No woman should be left behind.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime is uniquely positioned to assist governments and support survivors of violence, including those at heightened risk due to climate change.
In collaboration with the Spotlight Initiative in Argentina, Kyrgyzstan, and Mexico, we have made significant strides in preventing and addressing gender-based violence.
We have helped 2.5 million women and girls access gender-based violence services, while more than 4,000 local and grassroots women’s organizations have benefited from the Initiative’s investments.
We also provide legislative support to end policies that discriminate against women.
In 2021, we assisted Nepal in reforming its laws against sexual violence and, in 2022, we supported Vietnam in adopting a new law for domestic violence prevention and gun control.
UNODC also works to empower female practitioners at all levels of the criminal justice system, as female police officers, prosecutors and judges make women feel safer and more likely to report crime.
In Pakistan, we trained the first ever group of female police officers to respond to gender-based violence.
In Mexico, we trained over 17,000 police officers and first responders on the prevention, detection, and referral of cases of violence against women and girls, and to promote early detection as a prevention measure against femicides.
And last year, UNODC launched the Women in Justice/for Justice initiative to increase the numbers of women judges and other leaders in justice systems worldwide, because better representation in the justice system leads to better justice outcomes for all.
We also know that if we want more women to report violent crimes, including sexual assaults, we must end impunity for such crimes.
Last year, we provided technical assistance to over 18,000 criminal justice practitioners across 10 countries to help improve prevention against and responses to gender-based violence.
This included training police officers, prosecutors, and forensic doctors to improve the credibility of evidence and prosecution of rape cases.
And to address gender issues in human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Asia and the Middle East, UNODC launched the GLO.ACT Women’s Network of Gender Champions, in partnership with the European Union, to connect female officials and male champions of women’s rights across the justice sector, law enforcement, and civil society.
Looking ahead, UNODC plans to expand its participation in the Spotlight Initiative, including by leveraging its new Global Programme on People-Centred Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform, which places a strong emphasis on access to justice and responses to gender-based violence.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As the world unites to address the climate crisis, we must maintain our focus on ending violence against women.
We must empower women to chart their own paths – women from all countries and backgrounds and from every sector of society.
I will leave you with the words of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed who said, “The injustices we face are stark. But by tackling climate and gender justice together, we can build a better world for us all.”
Thank you.