On 12 April, UNA-UK Executive Director Natalie Samarasinghe spoke about 'what women can expect from the UN' at a meeting organised by UNA Tunbridge Wells.
After making the case as to why women were a majority still in need of a minority policy approach, Natalie outlined some of the broad challenges and transformational shifts required for real equality of opportunity. She argued that the debate should not be about wanting the same for women as for men, but about creating systems that are better for everyone.
She gave a brief overview of the trajectory of women's issues at the UN, before focussing on the 1995 Beijing Declaration - an enduring global manifesto - and opportunities linked to its 20th anniversary.
The Q&A session highlighted the shared challenges faced by women in rich and poor countries, with participants discussing how to tackle the resurgence of conservative views on political, sexual and reproductive rights.
