The United Nations has said that over four million girls are estimated to be at risk of female genital mutilation each year.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who made this in an OP-ED on Thursday said billions of women and girls face injustice, discrimination and marginalisation.
Guterres noted that discrimination against women and girls remained perfectly legal in much of the world.
“Billions of women and girls face marginalisation, injustice, and discrimination, as millennia of male domination continue to shape societies. The persistent epidemic of gender-based violence disgraces humanity.
“Over four million girls are estimated to be at risk of female genital mutilation each year. Discrimination against women and girls remains perfectly legal in much of the world. In some places, that makes it difficult for women to own property, in others, it allows men to rape their wives with impunity,” he stated.
He also said that wherever there was conflict, climate disaster, poverty, or hunger, women and girls suffered the most.
Guterres noted, “Global crises are hitting women and girls hardest. In every region of the world, more women than men go hungry. In both developed and developing countries, a backlash against women’s rights, including their sexual and reproductive rights, is stalling and even reversing progress.
“At our current speed, full legal equality for women is some 300 years away; so is the end of child marriage. This rate of change is frankly insulting. Half of humanity can’t wait centuries for their rights. We need equality now. That means accelerating the pace of progress.”
UN Secretary-General said there was a need for “public and private investment in programmes to end violence against women, ensure decent work, and drive women’s inclusion and leadership in digital technologies, peacebuilding, climate action, and across all sectors of the economy.”
International Women’s Day is usually marked every March 8 and this year’s theme is ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress.’
