Former Spanish Prime Minister joins HeForShe
Date:
UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri met with José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, former prime minister of Spain and President of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy Advisory Board, on 17 November. Placing a HeForShe pin on his lapel, Ms. Puri thanked Mr. Zapatero for his personal leadership on gender equality and women’s empowerment and expressed her appreciation for the continued support Spain has shown to UN Women. In the face of growing challenges for women due to increasing conflicts and violent extremism, she said Spain’s leadership in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment is critical.
Ms. Puri stressed that this year the UN has witnessed a historic moment in recognizing gender equality and women’s empowerment as a central theme in the various processes agreed upon by the international community, including in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mr. Zapatero agreed and highlighted how integral gender equality and women’s empowerment are in achieving other goals of the 2030 Agenda.