FAO Women's Committee First Anniversary

WOMEN’S COMMITTEE FIRST ANNIVERSARY

Thursday 15 October 2020, 16:00-17:00 (Rome Time)

Remarks by FAO Director-General, Dr. QU Dongyu 

As prepared

 

 

Distinguished guests,

Dear colleagues,

1. Let me start by wishing the FAO Women’s Committee Happy Birthday! 

2. I am pleased to be part of this joyful celebration, which gathers strong and admirable female friends and colleagues from all over the world to this Zoom virtual table! And many male colleagues as well; Yin and Yang makes harmony!

3. This gathering reflects the diverse and energetic nature of FAO’s female workforce, which I applaud for its commitment and valuable contribution to the work of the Organization. 

4. I congratulate Victoria Rubadiri for being the 2020 winner of the prestigious BBC News award. I am impressed by her remarkable path and experience. The passion and enthusiasm that emerged from her speech were indeed inspirational.

5. Thank you, Victoria, for celebrating with us today!

Friends, colleagues,

6. The FAO Women’s Committee was created last year on the International Day of Rural Women. And this was not just a mere coincidence! 

7. Rural women are resilient, resourceful, industrious and innovative.

8. I am proud that FAO’s work in fisheries, forestry, crops, livestock and many other areas has empowered rural women on the ground to turn the challenges of poverty, hunger and hardship into opportunities for the economic and social well-being of their families and communities. 

9. This week marks several observances that reflect the key role of women in transforming agri-food system and promoting rural development.

10. Tomorrow, we will be celebrating the Seventy-fifth Birthday of FAO on World Food Day. 

11. And a few days ago, we commemorated the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. 

12. The theme of the International Day of the Girl Child this year was “My Voice, Our Equal Future”. 

13. I consider this very fitting to our celebration of today. Because FAO’s Women’s Committee is a strong female voice for the future of girls around the world. 

Colleagues, friends,

14. The world is home to more than 1.1 billion girls under the age of 18, who are poised to become the largest generation of female leaders, entrepreneurs and change-makers the world has ever seen.

15. Yet, every day, women and girls face persistent structural constraints that prevent them from fully developing their potential and hinder their efforts to improving their lives as well as those of others around them.

16. This situation must change, and I believe that together we can contribute to that.

17. The change should begin with every individual, family and each unit, with our corporate culture. So today, I express my appreciation to the FAO Women’s Committee for all its efforts to catalyze that change in FAO and beyond and leading by the example.

18. Rest assured that FAO will continue its efforts to reduce rural gender inequalities through its work on norms and standards, data, policies, capacity development, technologies, partnerships, advocacy and communication. 

Dear Members of the FAO Women’s Committee,

19. There is a Chinese saying that “It takes one year to make a small difference, three years to make a big change, and five years to make a fundamental transformation”.

20. I believe that the Women’s Committee has managed to speed up things in its first year, because we are already seeing big changes and the seeds for fundamental transformation by walking the talk!

21. I am confident that you will continue contributing to FAO’s mandate of achieving better production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life!

22. Change the FAO culture being more transparent, inclusive and more meticulous! Make female half sky more bright!

Thank you!