Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for joining us here today to celebrate outstanding achievements in the field of population and development.

All over the world, human rights are under attack. The gains we have made in development are at risk of being undone.

We are at an inflection point.

The right choices need to be made to ensure that   sustainable development and gender equality advance in the right direction. That includes upholding legislation that protects human rights and bodily autonomy.

This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development.

A reminder of the vital importance of prioritizing the rights of all, with particular focus on those left behind, including women, girls, young people, people of African descent, indigenous peoples, and people with disabilities.

That is what brings us here today.

It is a great pleasure to be here with you as we recognize the work of individuals and organizations who are changemakers in the field of population and development.

Those who are not discouraged by the enormous challenges we face, but who dedicate their life’s work to finding solutions. 

I want to thank Dr. Natalia Kanem for her work as Secretary of the United Nations Population Award Committee and for her leadership of UNFPA.

I also congratulate the Chair of the Committee, Ms. Rawa Zogbhi, and the committee members for selecting this year’s distinguished honorees.

In the individual category, we celebrate Her Excellency Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States.

She is a trailblazer and advocate for women and girls, migrant workers, and young people.

For over three decades, Dr. Haifa has been active at the global, regional, and national levels in the areas of policy and legislative reform, gender mainstreaming, strategic planning, human rights, peace and security, media and communication.

During that time, she has never wavered in her commitment to leveraging multilateral spaces and engaging civil society actors to move the rights agenda forward.

Throughout her distinguished career, she has worked to advance the population and development agenda, establishing the Arab Council for Population and Development and promoting dialogue and the meaningful engagement of young people.

In the institutional category, we highlight the achievements of the National Alliance to End Female Mutilation and Child Marriage in Ethiopia.

Since 2012 the Alliance has demonstrated the real power of partnerships in action to improve the lives and well-being of women and girls.

It brings together government stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, development partners and United Nations agencies.

Creating enabling environments for women and girls, and engaging men and boys, is crucial to poverty eradication and sustainable development.

The Alliance has transformed norms and behavior and ensures the provision of appropriate and responsive service delivery to support women and children affected by harmful practices.

Through its research, the enhancement of national data and information systems, and the sharing of relevant experiences and best practices, the Alliance promotes evidence-based interventions to end child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation in Ethiopia.

Excellencies,

On behalf of the United Nations and the Secretary-General, I commend today’s honorees for their achievements.

Your work embodies the spirit we need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: dedication to action that is bold and ambitious.

As we look forward to the Summit of the Future and toward building a gender-equal future, let us put people and their sexual and reproductive health and rights at the center of our efforts.

Together, we can build a better future for all.

Congratulations again to the awardees.