UN Women Executive Director to stress urgent need for protection of women and girls in emergencies and women’s empowerment and full participation

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will meet with key stakeholders and attend a series of high-level conferences during a week-long mission to London and Oslo from 11-15 November, 2013, on her first visit to Europe since her appointment.

On 13 November, the Executive Director will take part in a high-level meeting organized by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID). The ‘Call to Action’ Conference, on “Protecting Girls and Women in Emergencies,” will bring together donors, UN organizations and international NGOs to make commitments to ensure action is taken to stop violence and the threat of violence to girls and women during a crisis, and meet the needs of survivors of violence.

While in London, she is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Maria Miller, Minister for Women and Equalities; and Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development. She will also meet with UK-based civil society organizations and address, together with Zainab Bangura, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, a joint meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the UN, and the Associate Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security at Westminster.

From 14 – 15 November, the Executive Director will be in Oslo, Norway, to attend the International Conference “Women, Power and Politics: The Road to Sustainable Democracy.” As Norway celebrates 100 years since women obtained the right to vote, this international conference will focus on the importance of women’s political rights in international peace, security and sustainable development, as well as how to involve new generations to advance women’s empowerment and gender equality. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka will speak in the opening segment with Ingvild N. Stub, Norway’s State Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. 

While in Oslo, the Executive Director is also scheduled to meet with Norway’s Minister of Children, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Solveig Horne, as well as the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defense. 

Related links:

Top UN officials urge action on tackling violence against women