President of Bolivia and top officials UNiTE in soccer match to End Violence against Women during UN General Assembly

The President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Evo Morales, and Mohammed Waheed Hassan, former President of the Maldives, will be joined by top officials and ambassadors to the United Nations in a soccer match during the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly on 23 September. The teams will support the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, raising awareness about this global issue, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has some of the world’s highest rates of femicide, and violence against women and girls.

One in three women and girls experience violence in their lifetime. Violence against women is a grave violation of human rights and the most severe expression of discrimination and disempowerment of women and girls. Besides affecting their well-being, it prevents women and girls from realizing their full potential, fracturing societies and hampering development. Its impact ranges from immediate to long-term physical, sexual and psychosocial consequences, even resulting in death.

UN Development Programme (UNDP) Associate Administrator Gina Casar and Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri will kick off the match. 

What: Football match – UNiTE to End Violence against Women
When: Tuesday 23 September, 2-3 p.m.
Where: Roosevelt Island Soccer Field, 755 Main Street Roosevelt Island, New York
Who:

• HE Evo Morales, President of Bolivia
• HE Mohammed Waheed Hassan, Former President of the Maldives
• Ambassador Elliston Rahming, Permanent Mission of the Bahamas
• Ms. Jessica Faieta, UN Assistant-Secretary General and UNDP Director for Latin America and the Caribbean
• Ambassadors to the UN and General Assembly delegates, including: Mr. Majid Hassan Al Suwaidi, Lead Climate Change Negotiator of United Arab Emirates, and Hon. Ahmed Mahloof, Parliamentarian, leading advocate of Domestic Violence Bill, and current manager for the Maldives national football team.

For more information please contact:
UN Women: Sharon Grobeisen, sharon.grobeisen[at]unwomen.org; Tel +1 646 781-4753
UNDP: Carolina Azevedo, carolina.azevedo[at]undp.org, Tel +1 212 906 6127

Photos of the event will be available at:  www.flickr.com/unwomen

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