Engaging Men and Boys as Allies for Long-Term Change

Executive Director Michelle Bachelet announced UN Women commitment to Clinton Global Initiative at Panel on “Engaging Men and Boys as Allies for Long-Term Change New York, 22 September 2011.

I thank all of our panelists today for their commitments and for turning words into action. In 2009, UN Women pledged to the Clinton Global Initiative CGI to strive to raise $100 million per year, until 2015 for the UN Trust Fund to eliminate violence against women, as part of the UN Secretary-General's UNiTE to end violence against women campaign.

While in 2009 and 2010 we were only able to raise around $20 million, the good news is that we are already at $ 40 million this year. This money is being put to good use and I wanted to mention in the context of today's event on Engaging Boys and Men, that just this year, we have given grants for over $ 10 million to 10 projects working exclusively in engaging men and boys to fight violence against women and I can ensure you that this is just the beginning and that we will continue to invest in these programs as our resources grow.

UN Women is committed to increasing women's participation and leadership, ending violence against women and girls, increasing women's participation in peace and security—in peace talks, peacebuilding and transition, expanding the economic empowerment of women, and making sure that countries prioritize women and gender equality in their policies, programmes and budgets.

I thank all of our panelists and everyone here, men and women, for your commitment to women's empowerment and equality.