Advocacy for gender equality and women's empowerment remains a critical necessity, said Slovenia's Special Envoy and Ambassador at Large for Women, Peace, and Security, Darja Bavdaz Kuret.
On the sidelines of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women held in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday, Kuret expressed hope that the meeting would raise awareness about the pressing issues surrounding gender equality and the challenges women face worldwide.
"This meeting showed that the question of gender equality and women empowerment, is actually very, very still needed. We need to advocate. There are women and there are societies where they need our advocacy. Those women that don't enjoy their rights, they need to hear our messages. Those girls that are not allowed to go to school, they have to hear our messages. Those girls that were raped in different kind of armed conflicts, they have to hear the message that we are going to bring the perpetrators to justice. This is why this is important," said the special envoy in an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
Kuret further highlighted women's vital contributions to society, including those who take on roles that defy traditional views on their capabilities and value.
"What we bring into the society is the woman's perspective, which is slightly different from men. It's not better, it's not worse, but it is different. Because women, as part of the family, we have different responsibilities. So we bring a little bit more emotions, which is sometimes considered as a weakness, but I don't consider that as a weakness. In peace and security, very often women are considered as the most vulnerable group. It's not true. Women are also providers of security. In my country, 17 percent of armed uniformed army are women, the same 17 percent of uniformed police are women. So they are providers of security," she said.
Gender equality, women's empowerment remain crucial issues: Slovenian official
