Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 20 September (BelTA) - Belarus is a good example for other countries in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka told Vice Speaker of the Council of the Republic, the head of the Belarusian Union of Women Marianna Shchetkina on the sidelines of the Second Eurasian Women's Forum in St. Petersburg on 20 September, BelTA learned from the press service of the upper house of the Belarusian parliament.

The parties discussed issues related to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN under-secretary-general praised Belarus’ SDGs efforts and noted that this is a good example for other countries. She also expressed gratitude for the support of the UN-Women organization,” the press-service said.

According to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, intermediate results of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the UN member states in September 2015 will be reviewed in 2020. The sides also talked over the implementation of Belarus’ National Action Plan on Gender Equality through 2020.

Marianna Shchetkina thanked Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for the support that the UN provides in the SDGs matters. She invited the UN under-secretary-general to take part in the National Assembly on SDGs scheduled to take place in Minsk in January 2019. The vice-speaker also suggested an association of SDG-related organizations under the aegis of the United Nations.

The Second Eurasian Women's Forum is underway in St. Petersburg through 21 September. The forum is entitled Women for Global Security and Sustainable Development. The forum has brought together women from more than 100 countries: MPs, representatives of the executive authorities, international organizations, business, academia, public organizations.

The program of the forum includes discussion panels, meetings and presentations to discuss the empowerment of women and their role in politics, the development of the digital economy, innovative development of the social sector. The forum has also focused on the role of women in ensuring environmental security, enhancing international cooperation, promoting charity and humanitarian projects.

The organizers are the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia.