Remarks by the UN RC a.i at the Opening of the 10th edition of the Women’s Film Week

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the launching of the 10th edition of Women’s Film Week.

At the outset, allow me to express my sincere appreciation to UN Women, the Royal Film Commission of Jordan, the artistic directors, and all national and international partners who contributed to make this initiative possible under the patronage of HRH Princess Basma Bint Talal.

Today’s launch is an exciting kick-off to the many events that will follow to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8th.

We are here to celebrate Women’s art as well as to reflect on the frontiers that women are pushing every day.

The work of women artists in Jordan is truly inspiring.  

By channeling the power of cinema and craft to change people’s mind and behavior, they are making a real difference in the lives of people in the country.  

Ladies and gentlemen,

This year, the theme for International Women’s Day, “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” celebrates the tremendous contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation and mitigation, improved food security,  and protection of our ecosystems.

Women have proven to be leading the way towards more equitable and sustainable solutions to climate change, as narrated in Sunu, in Rouge, or in Mundo.  

I would also like to thank young people, who are watching today’s event, for bravely providing a dynamic impulse here and around the world on climate action.

You are a key agent of change.

All of us including actors have a  responsibility to address environmental challenges and reduce their negative impacts, including those related to gender and human rights to ensure that adaptation and response measures are fair and non-discriminatory.

Jordan was one of the first governments in the region to put in place a Gender and Climate Change Strategy, and integrate gender perspectives into climate, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.

This festival will shed further light on this.

To implement this, we need an all-of-society approach, involving the whole government, the international community, civil society, the private sector, the media, the artist as well as women and youth.  

We need every single person in this room to come together to call for change.

That is what is so powerful about this annual festival. It unites us and amplifies the voices of women and girls for equality.

As the UN system, we will continue to do our part in supporting the Government of Jordan and other partners in their efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment through key frameworks such as the upcoming UN-Jordan Cooperation Framework (and   the National Strategy for Women 2020-2025.

لنَعملْ جَميعاً على مُضاعفةِ جُهودِنا لِتَحقيقِ المُساواةْ للمرأةِ الأُردنيَّة في الوصولِ إلى الصحةِ والتعليمْ والتوظيفْ والمناصبِ القياديَّةْ - والوقوفِ إلى جانبهنَّ لتحقيقِ حقوقهِنَّ وليَحصُلنَ على المَزايا الكاملةْ مِن أجلِ أُردُنٍ مُزدَهر.

Thank you. شكراً لكم.