10 June 2015 – The Philippines stressed the need to have a whole-of-society approach in promoting women empowerment during the High-Level Panel Discussion (HLPD) on Women in Diplomacy: The Leading Role of Women in Weather and Climate Contexts held at the CICG in Geneva, Switzerland last May 26.
Ambassador Cecilia B. Rebong, Permanent Repesentative of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, who was one of the invited speakers in the HLPD said: “We should have a whole-of-society approach if we want to achieve women empowerment in our communities. We should have a supportive society.”
The HLPD was organized to launch the Women’s Leadership Programme, which was a project of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) together with UN Women, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Ambassador Rebong further said “If we want a strong leadership role of women in weather and contexts, then we need strong and bright women to help drive it. We have to do away with stereotyped careers for men and women.” Ambassador Rebong highlighted the women leaders of the Philippines in general and of the Department of Foreign Affairs, in particular, who exceptionally served the country and opened doors for more women to prove that they, too, can lead well.
She emphasized: “If we, in the UN and as leaders in the international community would like to seriously take our commitment in strengthening the voice of women in diplomacy and enhancing their potential, then we should be opportunity-driven, bold and strategic, and passionate and creative to achieve something of significance.”
The HLPD seeks to address the principles of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the field of weather and climate.
Other members of the panel were the Australian Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador John Quinn; Finnish Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Paivi Kairamo; World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Assistant Secretary General Elena Manaenkova, and UNDP Senior Programme Advisor Sara Sekkenes. Mr. Rabih El-Haddad, Manager of the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme of UNITAR, moderated the discussion.
Delegates to the World Meteorological Congress, members of the diplomatic community in Geneva and representatives from NGOs, private sector, academia and civil society attended the event. END