Oral Statement of the Young Women's Caucus

Delivered on Monday 5th March to the General Discussion on the 56th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. 

Despite recent attention to their role in development, young rural women and girls continue to experience rights violations, gender inequality, and exclusion from many of the gains made under the Millennium Development Goals. More urgent action is needed.

Safe, affordable and quality formal and non-formal education facilitates the empowerment of girls and young women. Access to safe and quality education enables young rural women to obtain skills and knowledge for economic empowerment and also equips them with the skills needed to break the escalating cycle of gender inequality by strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Child marriage is just one human rights violation, for example, that continues to hinder rural women's levels of empowerment but can be eradicated by the institution of safe, quality and continuing education.

The Young Women’s Caucus calls for greater investment in school buildings and infrastructure, authentic curriculum, more incentives for quality teachers in rural communities and legislative measures to ensure that girls stay in school. This will facilitate empowerment of the individual woman and also enhance the political health, labour participation rates and the economic and spiritual wellbeing of communities and nations.

Young women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights must be protected through direct legislation and all young women have the right to comprehensive sexuality education. This extends beyond biology and anatomy to include information on gender inequality; sexuality; reproductive health and rights; human, physical and emotional development; body image; contraceptive methods; sexually transmitted diseases including HIV; harmful traditional practices; healthy relationships and decision-making.

The Young Women’s Caucus calls for increased measures to support the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, including those that combat female genital mutilation and eliminate early and forced marriages. We also call for young women’s access, particularly in rural areas, to adequate health services, including maternal health provision and comprehensive sexuality education.

Young women must be involved and represented in all levels of politics and policy making. This includes as members of parliaments, representatives in advisory groups for policy development, and in the implementation and evaluation of policy. It is only through significant improvements in the levels of representation and participation of young women in these processes that programs will be truly responsive. Young women must be recognised and included as decision makers, and not just considered as victims or recipients of assistance.

The Young Women’s Caucus calls for increased efforts to include young women in politics and policy making processes and ensure that the views of young women are represented and considered across all government and intergovernmental activity. It must be recognised that significant barriers exist for young women in rural areas to have their views heard, and we strongly encourage the implementation of strategies to engage with these young women.
Young women are one of the most powerful driving forces to improve lives and transform communities, and we deserve better.