Thank you Mr. Co-Chair,
Since this is the first time my delegation is taking the floor in this 11th session of the OWG, I wish to congratulate you on your dedicated work in compiling and consolidating the text to this point and convey our appreciation to you for your efforts in mainstreaming the complex and diverse views expressed over the past deliberations into a clear document that is more focussed towards reaching targets for the SDG.
Mr. Co-Chair,
With regards to focus area 5 on gender, Maldives wishes to make few general comments. Sustainable Development must be equitable, including towards achieving gender equality and women's empowerment.
Maldives believes that equity, equality and empowerment of women can only be achieved through a stand- alone goal on gender parity. Based on this belief, we are pleased with the Co-chair’s text having a specific focus area on this subject. In order to achieve these targets, the cultural barriers to reaching gender equity must be identified and addressed.
My delegation is in general supportive of the targets listed. We support the listings aimed at making it universal, taking into account the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental aspects. We believe a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment can only be efficient if it is a transformative goal. It must ensure women the same rights, same access and same opportunities, while ending all forms of discrimination against women of all ages, with a clear target of achieving these essential objectives by 2030. Moreover, we support gender sensitive budgeting.
On focus area 6 on Water and sanitation:
Maldives welcomes the comprehensive list and thanks the co-chairs in particular for the integration of targets highlighted by both developed and developing countries
