Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard at UN Women Annual Session 2025

Thank you, Madam President, 

Let me begin by expressing our deep appreciation to the Executive Director and her dedicated team for their steadfast commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls around the world.

Sweden is honored to serve as President of the UN Women Executive Board for 2025. We are pleased to be working alongside such a strong bureau and team of vice-presidents from Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Japan and Uganda. 

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action — a milestone that invites both reflection and renewed resolve. Despite important gains, the pace of change remains unacceptably slow, making it even more critical to reaffirm our collective commitment to advancing gender equality. Now more than ever, we must reaffirm our shared commitment to accelerating progress. In this endeavor, UN Women’s unique mandate and leadership are indispensable.

We are witnessing increasing pushback against girls’ and women’s enjoyment of human rights, not least their sexual and reproductive health and rights. I am deeply concerned about the intolerable use of sexual violence in conflict and the attacks against women human rights defenders. Together we must put up a strong defense of women’s rights to own decisions over their own lives and bodies, to be able to live and move freely without threat of abuse or violence and to participation in all spheres of life.

I’m proud to be part of a government that prioritizes gender equality in every aspect of its policy agenda. Gender equality is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart choice. 

Empowering women fuels economic growth, sparks innovation, and builds more prosperous and resilient societies. Sweden places women’s economic empowerment at the core of its development agenda. When women have equal access to education, decent work, finance, and resources, entire communities and economies rise.

Sweden strongly supports UN Women’s efforts to enhance its normative leadership and coordination role within the UN system. UN Women plays a leading role in shaping a more effective and impactful UN that delivers for women and girls, everywhere. 

Our goal is a future where every individual, in all their diversity, has the freedom to determine their own paths and the opportunity to actively contribute to thriving societies.

UN Women can count on Sweden’s continued support and engagement. Thank you.