The UN Women joined the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty this Thursday (13.03). The announcement was made during a side event at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), in New York, United States. The meeting sought to raise suggestions for the Council of Champions, part of the governance structure of the Global Alliance, on actions that can enhance results for women in the fight against food insecurity and poverty.
“It is with great honor and satisfaction that I welcome the accession of UN Women to the Global Alliance. The Alliance represents a joint effort by nations, institutions and international organizations to mobilize resources, knowledge and financing to implement effective actions towards UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2,” said Wellington Dias, Minister and Chairman of the Board of the Global Alliance. “The inclusion of UN Women further strengthens this initiative, bringing an essential gender perspective to achieving these goals. Together, we will build a more just and equal future,” he added. During the event, Maria Noel Vaeza, UN Women’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighted the disproportionate impact of poverty between men and women, in addition to reinforcing the role of rural, Afro-descendant and indigenous women in food security in the region. “We need to work together. This platform serves as a mechanism to unite countries committed to implementing policies focused on combating hunger and poverty with partners capable of offering technical and financial support, such as governments, philanthropic institutions, research centers and international organizations,” said Vaeza. The Special Secretary for Combating Poverty and Hunger, Valéria Burity, was present at the debate and spoke about the impact of Brazilian actions and programs, such as Bolsa Família and the Food Acquisition Program (PAA), on women in the fight against food insecurity.
“These are some examples that are part of the Global Alliance’s policy basket and that show how it is possible to reduce socioeconomic and gender inequalities. In recent years, there has been a significant reduction in gender and racial inequalities in access to food,” recalled Burity. “Brazil seeks to serve as an example of how it is possible to create consensus around combating hunger and poverty, with a reduction in social, racial and gender inequalities. This is also the role of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty,” she concluded.
Women in the Global Alliance
The side event to the 69th CSW aimed to bring perspectives from different stakeholders on how the Global Alliance can deepen the issue of gender equality and women’s empowerment, considering the potential impact on the results sought by the partnerships promoted by the Alliance. Other points were the gender transversality, the role of women in the design and implementation of policies and the search for more model policies with positive results for women and girls.
Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty
The Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty aims to support and accelerate efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty, while reducing inequalities and advocating for sustainable, inclusive and fair transition pathways.
The Alliance operates through three main pillars – national, financial and knowledge. Facilitate the mobilization and improved alignment of domestic and international support to enable the large-scale implementation of evidence-based, country-led and country-owned programs and policy instruments, especially by the countries most affected by hunger and extreme poverty.
