UN General Assembly adopts resolution presented by Spain, entitled "Women, girls and COVID-19"

As Minister González Laya claimed, "how we respond now will emphatically shape the future of our societies and the impact of the crisis on human rights. Accordingly, the response and recovery policies in the wake of the pandemic must specifically address the impact and role of women and girls".

Spain has promoted this resolution in the firm conviction that women and girls must be at the heart of the response to COVID-19 and in the subsequent recovery. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Women stressed since the outbreak of the pandemic its disproportionate impact on women and girls around the world. They also stressed the fundamental role that they should play in the solution and response and their necessary participation in all decision-making processes. Since that time, Spain began to work on a resolution to contain the most pressing actions to guarantee that this crisis did not lead to setbacks regarding the rights of women and girls.

The increase in violence, the overwhelming participation of women on the front line of the health response, the role of civil society, the importance of the care economy and its redistribution, and the effect that the pandemic has had on women who work in the informal economy and access to sexual and reproductive health services are some of the issues included in the resolution. Similarly, this resolution emphasises the specific needs of women and girls in conflict situations, and recalls the importance of the agenda on women, peace and security in response to the pandemic.

Spain has developed an open and transparent negotiation process that has been praised by a large number of delegations from various countries to the United Nations, as well as by the European Union. Following 10 informal negotiation meetings and with resounding support in voting against the amendments presented against the resolution, it was adopted by consensus.

Spain will continue to exercise its leadership at a multilateral level on gender equality - a strategic priority for Spanish foreign policy.

Non official translation