Thank you for listening to Depictions Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights Show. Kay welcomer Policy, Human Joy and welcome back to Policy and Right here in Depictions Media Radio, I'm your host Michael Cloggs. So in British Columbia, David Eby and his team have managed to recruit more than four hundred US healthcare workers to British Columbia and they have claimed to still have thousands of other applicants along
the way. And there's a bit of a breakdown of this for those who live in British Columbia that Fraser Health has collected one hundred and five healthcare professionals, while the Interior Health has collected eighty three healthcare workers. The Island Health in ninety seven and other areas have have collected up to seventy two more healthcare workers into into various areas, helping to improve response times, treatment times for
for the British Columbia healthcare system. One of one of the things that is helping attract more people more healthcare workers to British Columbia is, in addition to evidence of to public health support and for reproductive rights and strong public healthcare, BC has a standard of living with free public health and K through twelve education, subsidized and licensed daycare,
top ranking universities, and diverse safe communities. And this is some of the selling points that they've been attracting healthcare workers from the United States from starting from March of twenty twenty five last year, and the campaign has continued through January twenty twenty six, and British Columbia has said that they have more than twenty seven hundred job applications from US healthcare professionals that is varying from nurses to
doctors and other types of healthcare professionals. So moving though, we want to get to an Alina uh Baerbach Uh. She's of course former prime minister for a foreign minister for for Germany. As she has moved along as we know to the President of the General You and General Assembly, she's making statements about how gender equality is being affected
and threatened. Some of the things that that she is talking about precursors to aggression of repeatedly highlighted systematic UH repressions of women and the UH stifling of domestic stake dissidant as cruel, early warnings of signs of forthcoming authoritation sorry A in terrorism and international Belligerents. She points to
acts of Russia as a potent, tragic example. The dismantling of civil society, including organizations dedicated to women and minority rights, she argues, paved the way to the ultimate invasion of Ukraine. She also talked about the threat to open societies. The digital assault is viewed as a direct essential threat to democratic and open societies by driving women out of public discourse and discouraging them from seeking leadership roles due to
the overwhelming risk of character assassinations and violence. This digital toxic toxicity deliberately erodes the representative legitimacy of democratic institutions. Other things that she talked about the persuasive, pervasive justice gap. Fundamentally, she highlights the massive and un constable global justice gap of women worldwide still possess only approximately two thirds of the legal rights held by men in regions like Afghanistan and so then this is a regression, is not the
This regression is not subtle. The rights are being actively and systematically script away from the through oppressive religious and political restrictions on women's bodies, the rights of resources. In this budgetary commitment is required the fundamental shift in development and humanitarian aid spending. Germany's FF piece set to challenge the benchmark and commitment dedicating eighty five percent of relevant funds to to demonstrably gender sensitive projects by twenty twenty five.
Between twenty twenty five and twenty twenty six, the fiscal ensuring the aid active actively empowers women rather than passively perpetuating exists inequalities. She goes on about different types of of repression, which we're going to hear in a few minutes her her press conference at the United United Nations
Press Center in New York City. Other things that are we're being talked about is the need to improve shelters in areas like Afghanistan for women in need that due to abuses and things and political policies in in Afghanistan, that there is an extreme need for shelters to help women who are being persecuted. So we're going to hear some about that, as well as other things and updates.
We have an update about Iran, and interesting how we're talking about Iran, and there have been all over social media about how the United States public While okay, so President Trump did not ask for permission or put it to a congressional vote about invading or attacking Iran in general. He just marched forward with air strikes and continued air strikes even to the day after one making a promise that, hey, the United States would not be getting involved in foreign wars.
He also the United States public is not not really willing to overtly back this aggression against Iran, and along with that, one of his one of the members of the Trump administration has resigned, is stating that the war itself was not a necessity and could have been avoided to begin with. So there is still quite a struggle going on with with the United States Israel as they are charging into Iran and claiming that they have killed or or maimed the top Iranian leadership in current airstrikes.
So something to keep up with about what is going on in Iran and why the United States and Israel find it necessary to attack Iran in general. So why don't we push forward with all the confusion that is happening and listen to one David eb as he talks about some of the successes that he's having in recruiting US healthcare workers into British Columbia and listen to the United Nations as they talk about how shelters are needed
in Afghanistan. And also listen to Angela ann Alina Baherbach as she talks about how ginger equality is under threat and still women are at risk and don't have uh the equality that and fall far behind men and having rights both publicly and politically.
I have some very good news to share with British Columbians today. It was about.
Just over a year short of a year ago. We looked around at what was happening in the world and thought that there was an advantage potentially to be had by reaching out to American healthcare professionals and letting them know what the opportunities were for them in British Columbia.
British Columbians will know one of our big challenges in the healthcare system has been recruiting the number of healthcare professionals we need, whether doctors or nurses or science professionals to be able to deliver the level of service that British Columbians deserve. So we thought to ourselves that we'll
reach out and we'll underline our advantages. Obviously, British Columbia is a great place to live, one of the best places to live in the world, a very high standard of living, a great place to grow your career as a medical profession, a place where we respect reproductive rights,
where we respect science. It informs our policy, and we have a universal healthcare system where you don't have to pull out your credit card to access care or put your family into debt for the rest of their lives to ensure that you get the care that you need. So we brought that message south of the border. Now you'll remember at the time, the Conservatives were very opposed to this. They thought it was a waste of money, They thought it wouldn't be successful. They were very critical
of the program. Well, I'm happy to share with you that our hunch was right. We have been able to recruit a significant number of American healthcare professionals, and I'm here to provide you with an update on that. In the ten months between March of last year and January twenty twenty six, more than four hundred healthcare professionals have accepted job offers within BC's public health care system. That includes eighty nine doctors, two hundred and sixty nurses, nurse
practitioners in twenty three allied health professionals. Some are here already, like doctor West will be speaking briefly, working in communities throughout the province, and more are on their way.
It's great news for British Columbians.
It means more doctors, nurses and health science professionals to support you and your family getting the carry need. These health professionals are distributed across the province, across health authorities. It means hundreds of additional highly skilled health professionals that we would not have otherwise had access to.
Now. I know missus Osborne will be giving.
You more details about this announcement, but I just want to say to any American healthcare professionals that are out there, British Columbia is ready to welcome you with open arms. We have a public healthcare system, we respect science, we respect reproductive rights, we have highly inclusive and welcoming workplaces and communities, and we can't wait to welcome you to British Columbia. Come join your friends.
Thanks very much, Thank you so much, Premier. Making the decision to move to a new community is never easy, but it is even a bigger step when it's to a new country. The doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and allied healthcare professionals who are choosing to come to British Columbia. They're not just changing jobs, they are moving families, they're
starting new chapters, they're building new lives. And we knew that we had to make that as smooth as possible, so we brought together what we're calling a TEMBC approach, working closely with regulatory colleges, with Health Match BC and health authorities to streamline credential recognition and to help US healthcare professionals find and apply the jobs that they're seeking quickly.
We are already seeing the results as the premier is outlined, and last year we received more than twenty seven and fifty jobs applications from US trained doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and allied health professionals who want to work here in
British Columbia. We've already registered more than thirteen hundred to be able to work here in British Columbia, and that includes over nine hundred and thirty nurses, over two hundred nurse practitioners, more than two hundred physicians, and that in itself includes more than seventy family doctors. And these are professionals who are moving from the US from places like Washington, Oregon, California, Texas, New York, Colorado, Alaska. They're choosing communities all over British Columbia,
including Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, port Alberni, Colonna, Terrace, Necup. A few months ago, I had a chance to meet three emergency room nurses who have moved to Nanaimo, and hearing their stories and about why they chose to come to British Columbia, how excited they are to start their careers build their lives here really brings home what this recruitment effort is all about. These are healthcare professionals who are
making BC their home. They're strengthening healthcare teams here. They're helping communities across our province access the care that people need. And it is just the beginning. We continue to see strong interest from US doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals, people who want to come here to British Columbia. And when people ask why, the answer is very clear. British Columbia is a place where professionals can practice evidence based
medicine in a strong public healthcare system. It's a province where we protect access to reproductive healthcare. It's a province where people receive care based on their needs and not on their ability to pay. But it's also about the quality of life.
Here.
BC offers universal health care, free public education from kindergarten to grade twelve, subsidized childcare, world class universities, and safe, diverse communities. For many health professionals and for their families,
these are very powerful reasons to choose British Columbia. And as Premieerybe said, some of these professionals are already here strengthening our healthcare system today, and many more are on their way, and we're really proud to welcome them because every single doctor, nurse, practitioner and allied health professional who chooses to move to British Columbia is making our healthcare
system stronger for British Columbians. So I'd like now to invite doctor Yanto West to come up and make a few remarks.
Thank you.
Thanks everyone. So I started graduate school in Seattle in twenty fourteen, and a couple of years in I had the idea that I might want to move to Canada, so I booked my credentials with something called the National Register. That meant that when November twenty twenty four came around and our family made the decision to move to Canada, the process went a little bit smoother.
We were able to move pretty fast.
It was still a lot of things to do, but it reduced a paperwork burden and I was able to make things happen pretty quickly. We took it just one step at a time. A former colleague from Vancouver actually gave me a zoom tour over Google Maps of Vancouver and that helped me feel like, Okay, we can do this. Things like Healthmatch BC and Todd Maffins videos gave me
hope to keep going. I was able to get registered as a psychologist in BC and about six months then I had a job offer in about a month, and about a month after that we were moving.
We had to leave a lot.
Behind in order to move so quickly. Our car paid off, but it couldn't covert to kilometers, so the car had to stay. But that said, I'm really loving my bike commute, as my coworkers will attest to I talk about it every day. The neighborhood has been so welcoming. I've never had such a neighborly daily life before. We were just talking about I have a cup of sugar. Friends where I can walk down the street, borrow cup of sugar, pick each other's kids up from the pool, like I've
never had that kind of neighborhood before. And I had annoyed you about the ice rinks. There are so many. I'm working at BC Children's and I'm loving it that people here are amazing. I level the diverse disciplines and the way research.
Is valued here. I'm very grateful to be here.
Thank you so much, Doctor west On behalf of everybody. I want to say thank you for following your heart to British Columbia, helping to take care of our children and youth here at BC Children's Hospital. We really appreciate all the passion and the expertise that doctor west is bringing and hoping that they'll reach back out into their communities back home and invite even more American professionals to
move British Columbia. So with that, we will conclude this part of today's event, and I would like to invite Premiere you be back.
Up for questions.
Thank you, Thank you, minister, Thank you everyone for joining us here today at BC Children's Hospital.
We're gonna take questions from the media now.
Before we get into questions, I just wanted to briefly address concerns that people feel about the atmospheric river events that are taking place along the northern Northwest coast, central Coast, and potentially the west coast of Vancouver Island.
We'll have an.
Update later today about those weather events. The River Monitoring Center is keeping track of river levels across the province and we will keep British Columbians updated as we move forward and get more information about any flood risks in those regions.
Thanks very much, Thank you.
We're gonna take questions from the press now.
All reporters will have one question and one follow up for a media on the line. Please remember the press are one tender the queue and to want to meet yourself and called upon.
We're going to start here in person with Ben Milcher from TTV.
Thanks very much.
My first question is from my colleagues on Vancouver Island and it's for Minister Osborne regarding the announcement.
To be okay good.
I just want to give you time to a gesture, hoding.
Okay, yeah, we'll get it done.
Appreciate that Nanaimo who has received a lot of coverage for being a lot of wat for US healthcare workers. Can you talk about the impact on the island and are you able to break down the numbers at all for how many US healthcare professionals have chosen to settle.
On Sure, give it to do it.
Thank you so much for the question. We're really excited to see US trained professionals making the move to all different communities, different sized communities in British Columbia. We have had some really strong interest on Vancouver Island, and in fact, out of the four hundred and fourteen healthcare professon that have accepted job offers in the last ten months, eighty
three of them have our story of pardon me. Ninety seven of them have come to the island health area and some Nanaimo, but also port Alberni, to Fino, Victoria,
other communities on Vancouver Island. They are settling well, and as I said in my remarks, just listening to some of the stories, for example of er nurses that have made them move to Nanaimo, and they are feeling safe welcomed, really enjoying a workplace setting with their colleagues and mostly speak about a real values match with our public universal healthcare system here in British Columbia, and being able to practice medicine, deliver healthcare in the way that they were
trained to that they were called to as professionals, and being able to do that safely here in British Columbia.
Follow up, Ben Bass.
My follow up is for Premierbee.
It's off topic.
World events have caused the price at the pump to spike dramatically in recent weeks, adding to the cost of im burdened that many British Columbia families are dealing with. Does your government have any plans, whether that be through a targeted rebate or perhaps an easing of some of the gas taxes to make things easier for BC families.
Thanks.
I know what was a point of concern for many British Columbians, myself included when the price at the pump skyrocketed in relation to events in the Middle East. Knowing that our crud stock is coming from Alberta. Refineries in Alberta and in the United States, and the refinery in the Lower Mainland as well as a smaller one up north. Trying to find that connection between events in the Middle East and the price of the pump for British Columbians
has been a concern. The Utilities Commission has been given the authorities that they require to be able to ensure that British Columbians are not being gouged at the pump for events that are taking place internationally but have very little impact on domestic feedstock for the pumps, and we will be looking to the Utilities Commission to fulfill that responsibility for British Columbians. We will always be looking for
ways to ensure affordability for British Columbians. This is a very challenging issue given global events and our continued advocacy for consideration around additional refinery capacity for Canada so that we're able to withstand and ensure that we have a safe and secure supply of gasoline, jet fuel and other essentials for our economy going forward. Given the instability globally, is a suggestion that we hope the federal government takes seriously.
Next one head to Katie Rosa from CBC.
Put a report into the rebuilding of the community of ligtid and it's found it at the time of the fire, the province not have a comprehensive legal spremework to guide disaster recovery, and also that the province didn't anticipate that they expected the village to build to do its own recovery, and many residents did not have fire insurance. So I guess what did the province learn from this report and what will be done to improve going forward.
Thanks The report will be out later this afternoon and the Minister will be responding to the report on behalf of government. The situation in British Columbia has changed since the fire and Letton. We've passed a new law that requires the conversations between communities and first nations to happen in advance of an emergency, rather than in the middle
of an emergency or immediately following an emergency. This hopefully will be just one of the many improvements that have come about hard lessons learned through the events and the terrible loss of property that took place in following that devastating fire.
We look forward to.
Responding to the Outor of General's report when it's released this afternoon.
Followed Katie Yeah This is from a colleague in the Seashells area. The federal government says that temporary foreign workers can get an extension, but it requires a positive request from the province. So will you be writing this letter for workers on the Sunshink code.
Yeah, thanks Katie, and thanks for asking me about this.
You know, I am first of all, we have many communities that have labor shortages in different areas and including in the area of today's announcement healthcare. I am not a fan of the temporary foreign worker program. It ties workers to a single employer, raising the possibility of abuse and exploitation. It does not provide a pathway to citizenship.
So workers who have built a life in a community, are contributing, are paying taxes, or filling a vital role, are facing deportation back to home countries, including in critical areas like healthcare, childcare, and in the private sector as well. The idea that the solution to the challenges we face is an expansion of this program is frankly a bit frustrating.
We have advocated to the federal.
Government on multiple occasions that the provincial government of British Columbia deserves the same opportunity as the provincial government of Quebec to direct permanent, long term citizenship path labor opportunities that we can recruit those workers that we need for our province and offer them a path to citizenship so that they can stay here and work here and build our province as people have for generations. I don't understand
why that call hasn't been heard. In fact, our numbers of permanent places that we can offer people a path the citizenship through the provincial nominee program has been cut dramatically instead of expanded. This is a point of agreement across the province or across the country provincial leaders nationally that this change needs to happen. Today's announcement about the overwhelming interest of healthcare professionals to come to British Columbia
from the United States is just one sector. Similar overwhelming interest exists in academia in the private sector, leading researchers, business operators, others who would love to come to British Columbia people to fill vital roles in rural and northern communities. For businesses to be able to operate everything from restaurants to educational facilities, to childcare facilities to highly skilled trades.
We need to have that ability to offer pathway to permanent citizenship and recruit those workers.
That we need.
I do not believe that this announcement by the federal government assists us at all in addressing those needs.
For the long term.
It will bring in a group of people that will face deportation again in two more years when their licenses expire. How does that help us? How does that help us
build a province that we need. We will continue to advocate to the federal government for reforms to ensure that rural and northern communities have the support that they need, that we're able to recruit the workers that we need, They're able to build on this amazing healthcare work that we've done, bringing healthcare workers not just from the United States, but also from the United Kingdom and around the world
to British Columbia. And we really need the federal government to listen and to understand that that is the best way to help us build this amazing province that we live in.
Andrew McPherson, Global News, Good morning.
This question is for Health Minister Jodie Osbourne. You've talked about the number of doctors, nurses, relocated recruited to BC over the last year. Can you clarify how many healthcare workers have left BC over the same time frame and where they ended up going.
Thank you for the question. Yes, So today we're announcing that four hundred and fourteen healthcare workers have moved from the US to British Columbia and accepted job offers, with hundreds and hundreds more applying for jobs and expected to be on their way. We don't have specific statistics on healthcare workers who leave British Columbia, but we can look at the Registry of physicians and nurses, for example, and know that over the past year we have added, for example,
thirty three hundred nurses to British Columbia. We have as well added more physicians into British Columbia who are traveling here from other provinces, from other countries as well, so the net effect is very positive. That's more people moving here than leaving the country. In fact, we lead the country in terms of the number of physicians per capita.
Is something we're very proud of and we're going to continue to do by training more physicians, nurses and healthcare workers who will stay here in British Columbia, as well as making it easier for those healthcare professionals coming from other provinces and other countries to be part of our healthcare system here.
Thanks for the question.
Ferguson, who is the special representative for you and women in Afghanistan and she is joining us virtually from Kable. Please bring miss Ferguson's face to the screen there. Oh great, now we see you. Good afternoon or good evening, I guess to you. Thanks very much for attending, and please the floor is yours.
Thank you so much, and good after everyone. Thank you for having me here this afternoon. So for women and girls in Afghanistan, twenty twenty six was already proving to be an extremely difficult year. Now, at the conflict in the Middle East and ongoing hostilities with Pakistan, many are facing even more trauma and hardship. Just last night in Kabul and airstrike by Pakistan military forces impacted a health care facility for the treatment of drug addicted individuals, many
of whom were killed and injured. We join Yunama in expressing our deepest condolences to the family of those who were killed. Under international law of course attacks on hospitals and civilian facilities are strictly prohibited.
In eastern Afghanistan.
Women and children are paying a heavy price for the continuing violence.
More than half of the two hundred and eighty nine.
Civilians killed or injured as of yesterday before the carbor bombing, and as has been verified by YUNAMA, these many of these people already killed have been women and children. According to assessments in four of the most affected districts near the Pakistan border, at least sixty four thousand people have been affected by the military escalation, just over half of
them women and girls. This includes thousands of families who've been displaced yet again after living for six months in temporary camps following the August twenty twenty five earthquake, and among them are women and girls who've already returned from.
Iran or Pakistan.
So in other words, for many women, this is their second or even third time they've been forced to flee in the past year. Women report fearing violence or exploitation while on the move, and their access to basic services and livelihoods has once again.
Been severely disruptive.
Initial assessments by the UN and partners show women's most urgent needs are shelter, healthcare, and clean water. Un Women is working with partners to ensure women are included in assessment teams so their needs are understood and to support access to services for women. Women humanitarians on the front lines are under enormous pressure, worrying about their own safety
while also helping others. We reiterate unama's calls for immediate cessation in hostilities to prevent further loss of civilian life and for all parties to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law. In Western Afghanistan, we anticipate a sharp increase in Afghan's returning from Iran in the coming weeks, including
women traveling alone or with children. Together with our sister agencies including iom U and Women is prepared to deploy more women humanitarians at the border to help Afghan women retorneys with registration and support services. Because in Afghanistan there's no alternative services for women must be provided by women or women.
Don't receive a service.
You and Women is mobilizing resources to expand cash support for women headed households, provide well being or dignity kits, and help them start small lovelihood businesses well also to continue to support women only safe spaces at the border and in communities where attorneys and internally displaced people are settling. But we urgently need more funding to meet these needs at this critical moment.
Beyond displacement, we're.
Also alarmed about the economic impact of these conflicts. Women and girls in Afghanistan simply can't afford yet another economic shock. More than ten point seven million women and girls were already expected to need humanitarian assistance this year. Now, rising prices linked to conflict in the region will make it even harder for families, especially women headed households, to afford food and other essentials. As we know, all this is unfolding in a country where women are already facing the
world's most severe women's rights crisis. In one of the latest developments, Decree Number twelve on Criminal Rules of Courts formally removes equality between men and women before the law and authorizes violence against women by allowing punishments, including physical violence, to be carried.
Out by husbands in the home.
It also makes it harder for women to seek protection or justice. We're deeply concerned about this decree and call on the de facto authorities to ensure that laws and policies protect the rights of women and girls in line with Afghanistan's international human rights obligations. Noting the theme of this year's Commission on the Status of Women, Access to Justice for All Women and Girls, I want to point out that even before Decree number twelve, women faced a widening justice gap in Afghanistan.
New findings from.
UAN Women, YUNAMA and IOM, based on nationwide consultations in December last year, underscore how many Afghan women have been left without safe or effective avenues to resolve disputes or hold perpetrators of abuse to account. According to the findings, only fourteen percent of women reported having access to formal dispute resolution services, compared to fifty three percent of men.
You and Women continues to call for the ban preventing Afghan women UN staff and contractors from accessing UN premises to be lifted.
However, it's important to be clear.
That no matter what UN Women is staying and delivering in Afghanistan, despite the many restrictions on women and girls and the current conflicts, we continue to find ways to operate and stand with those who need support the most. For example, In twenty twenty five alone, You and Women protected access to life saving services for more than three hundred and fifty thousand Afghan women and girls and supported nearly two hundred women civil society organizations to function and
offer services. But to continue, we urgently need more support. You and Women is currently facing a fifty percent funding gap for our work in Afghanistan in twenty twenty six, and across a wider response in Afghanistan, the gaps are even greater. Under the twenty twenty six Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, partners aim to support seventeen point five million people, including more than five million women. To do this, one point seven billion dollars is needed, including nearly five one
hundred million for women alone. If the current hostility is continued, needs will only grow and this will affect the resources required. Finally, I want to highlight one of the greatest risks facing Afghan women that is ongoing, and that is this normalization, the risk that the world becomes used to the restrictions that women face here. When we start to accept this as normal, we stop believing it can change and we
stop seeing it. So to the international community, including decision makers gathered in New York this week for the Commission on the Status of Women. I would say, don't call this normal. Despite all the obstacles and restrictions, Afghan women continue to show extraordinary courage and determination and.
We need to as well.
Change is still possible, but only if the world continues to stand with Afghan women.
Thank you very.
Much, Thank you. I'll now open the Florida question. So our first question goes to Mariam.
Thank you so much for this We're thing. My name is Miriam Ramanti and I am with you Afghanistan International. You talked about normalization and often Afghan women talk about this that they want the international community to take more concrete steps. Does you and women support Doha Talks? And
if you have disagreements, how do you voice that? And also there is critics going on going around that saying that giving the band on Afghan women working with the United Nations, how can you still say your program is still gender sensitive when you and women even can't function or work at your offices. Doesn't this represent a fundamental failure of your mandate?
Thank you, thank you very much. Yes, you and women don't support the Doha talks.
Where member of both the working groups one on counter narcotics and the other on.
The private sector.
And this is these are really important platforms to bring both the de facto authorities Member States and women and men who are Afghans.
Together to talk about what the issues are.
And so I was involved just in February with these talks and there was actually robust discussion around what the barriers are for women. There were four women in those talks and they spoke very openly and honestly about what the barriers were, and I thought it was a unique platform to be able to raise some of the issues in a safe environment with different stakeholders. On the women's ban,
we are doing our utmost to get women back to work. However, the ban does not ban women from working for the UN. It bans women from coming to compounds. So Afghan women are still working. They're either working from home and we've provided the necessary equipment for them to do so, and they're also working in the field.
So the assessments I mentioned, we.
Have Afghan Women's staff members who are part of field assessments. They continue to support the NGO partners.
They build their capacity to provide.
Training, monitor the kind of work that we're doing. They themselves support negotiations so that NGO partners can continue to operate, for example, so we although it's essential for them to come back to work, they are also working still in the field.
Thank you so much for this briefing. This is now Abdullah with Rudau Media Network. You said Pakistan did carry out that strike on the hospital. Is your office taking any further steps to hold Pakistan accountable for you know, what seems to be a violation of the international law and like, such as proposing anything to the Security Council? My second question is what leverage, if any, does the UN have or your office have in Afghanistan to improve
the situation of women and girls there. Thank you.
So.
Of course, our role here is to be focusing on the immediate needs of women and girls in the country, and this is what we're focusing on at the moment. So I'm aware that there have been calls for you know, an investigation and and that kind of thing, and so while this goes on, I continue to focus on what the issues are for women and girls here. I will say I drove past that site today in my to
attend another meeting, and it was devastating. There were many you know, many families there trying to find their loved ones, and so it is I really you know, I really just need to re emphasize what I've already said that this kind of targeting of civilian spaces is really prohibited.
Under international law.
And yeah, we we are. It's it's devastating for us as well seeing this happen in Carble.
Okay, Jill see Hi, this is Dulci Linebank from Past Blue.
I wanted to ask you two questions. You said that you're expecting an influx of Afghan women leaving Iran. Now we're in the third week, and I think about two weeks ago you An officials said there was no outflow of people from Iran to neighboring country. So has this changed? What are you expecting? Why aren't there more people fleeing Iran? And I believe there's a new decree from the Taliban then it's okay to beat your wife? Is that accurate? And what is the actual law?
Say?
Thanks, thank you.
On the Iranian border, we are expecting more people to arrive. It's been extremely cold and it's also the month of Rama, and so the pattern.
Has been after eed that more people start to come. So you know, I don't know what the restrictions.
Will be in terms of them getting to the border from the Iranian side.
Which may also affect flows.
But judging from what's happening in Iran and also the patterns in the past, we believe that there will be more people coming over. It's quiet at the moment and we wait to see what happens. I know that the DFA are also expecting an influx after eed, and within the UN.
We're all preparing for that.
On the new decree, yes, that's Decree number twelve, which I mentioned in my remarks, and it does allow husbands, fathers and masters actually to act as enforces of moral discipline outside the form of judicial institutions I'm just reading here, including through corporate punishment. So in doing so, it does embed jenda based violence in the home and it also sort of reinforces the power differences between men and women.
So the decree also.
It does actually criminalize some forms of domestic violence while also making it legal to use violence in the household. So to prove that you have been a victim of violence or to go to court, you need to actually have either broken bones, bruises and obvious wounds and you need to attend court with your chaperone or maharam, who may.
Of course be the perpetrator of this kind of violence.
So there are many problems with this new decree and we are extremely concerned about it. It also doesn't criminalize sexual violence or any other kind of violence like psychological violence or financial abuse or any other of the categories and domestic violence.
Let's go to some questions online. First, first, if the.
Cap thank you for harm, I thank you, mister Fergusan. This is from Associated Press of Pakistan. I'm sure you have seen the flat denial by Pakistan of hitting this hospital or Meath hospital, and they have said that their target was Camp Phoenix, which is which is an ammunition storage facility several kilometers away from that hospital. And what do you say about that?
Well, I know that that that is what's being said. I've read some of the press, but I understand it. This attack was carried out by the Pakistani Air Force and I've seen the target, so yeah.
Okay, admit, thank you madam for listen. My name is Abdel Hamidsam from the Arabic daily Al KUNTZLAMI I want to ask you first about the women of the minorities in Pakistan?
How are they doing?
The house aara and it will speak if you can elaborate on that. And I have a second question, since Baliban are abusing women and Afghanistan, but don't you see that the world community is also abusing the country itself and the government, the defactive government of Taliban. So it is normally when you see some abused class or abuse the group, they would transfer this abuse to the lower class whom they control. How do you see the analogy?
Thank you?
So can you just repeat the second part of your question so that I understand.
Saying that since the Taliband, the de facto government are abusing women in Afghanistan, no one can deny that.
But also they the Taliband themselves are.
Being abused by international powers or are froze their assets and not allowing them to have access to their resources, which is normally as a trans fanance said that means sometimes who are abuse will transfer and what they're receiving from external powers to their own subjects.
Thank you, thank you.
That's a very complex question that I'll try and deal with. On the minorities first, actually Decree number twelve that I mentioned also talks about minorities and people of different faiths, and it does. It does put in a hierarchy within the communities which make these minorities lower, lower down and with less power. So it has kind of strengthened some
of that discrimination. On your other and so within that, of course, women and girls here often experienced multiple levels of disadvantage, including those who are from smaller minorities or who are of different faiths, so it makes their lives even harder. So and on your other question, really, I'd like to bring it back to what I see in Afghanistan, which is the severe discrimination and I would say persecution of women themselves from men, and you know there are
no women in power. This new decree really solidifies some of the discrimination that women already experience. And this is what we're concerned with in Afghanistan, rather than the sort of broader theories of why that happens, it's the tangible problems that women experience and what we can try and do to.
Increase their access to there.
I'm right, hello everyone, thank you all for coming. I see that we're also joined by a number of folks online who have tuned in. I'm very happy to have with us today her Excellency an Alena Berbach, President of the General Assembly, and she will be providing some updates in taking questions from you about things that are happening with the General Assembly and with her office. And so without further ado, I will turn the floor over to her excellency.
Good afternoon also from my side, happy Friday, and thank you for the opportunity to update you on the corn priorities of the General Assembly.
As you all know, we are in the midst of the seventies session of the Commission of the Status.
Of Women, which began by marking the International Women Day and underlining how important it is, especially in these days to strengthen women's rights, because all around the world we can see women rights are the benchmark for the strengths, freedom and economic development of societies. So therefore, in the interest of all gender equality has never been more supported globally than today. But at the same time we have never seen such organized attempts to roll back these successes.
That makes this session of the CSW an incredibly important one and I think we have all felt in the room, but especially also in the run up to the International Women's Day, all around the world, the strong signal that women and girls everywhere in the world will never let
go of the rights they have achieved so far. This was undered also on Monday in the General Assembly Hall by the vast majority of Member States who defended women's and girls right with their vote, a rebuke to those who would have us turned back the clock on women's equality, whether it be to the protection of women and girls in the digital space, the understanding of intersectionality, and the right of every woman like every man, to decide about
their own bodies and their own health. And these days also underline the strong commitment of many many delegations. I have welcomed many representatives from all regions around the world, be it presidents of the parliaments, be it foreign ministers, be it ministers from family or for social affairs, because most of the states have understood over the last decades that any improvement with regard to jender quality is also strengthening their societies.
As we say sometimes.
It's the economy stupid, and the facts are crystal clear. If countries would close the gender pay gap, the productivity all around the world, the GDP would increase by twelve trillion US dollar. If we would close a digital divide between men and women, the world economy would grow until twenty fifty by over one hundred trillion US dollar. This is the GDB combined between the United States and China.
And we would also see if all women had the same opportunities to work as they would like to work, also ensuring that you have childcare available, This could increase the global GDP by twenty eight trillion, again, which would be an increase of twenty six percent according to the McKenzie Global Institute. So again, women rights are in the interests of all. Yet, as we have seen over the last week, not only women rights are under attack, it's also true for.
The international order.
Therefore, defending the UN Charter remains my central priority of the Adius Session. In just the last few weeks, we have marked the fourth year of the Russian full invasion of Ukraine, and we have seen an extremely dangerous military escalatian between Iran, the United States and Israel that threatens to engulf the entire region in conflict. The Secretary General
and I have underlined the end Charter is clear. The international community and its member states all have a responsibility to protect human rights as well as to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial, integral, or political independence of any state or in other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations. We know that the Charter and international law is only as strong.
As the will to uphold it.
Therefore, given the recent discussions on international law, I would like to remind Member States that international law was not only written for the good times, but especially.
For the challenging situations.
And we have seen also in last decades that, unfortunately, also here in the United Nations, the Security Council has
faced vetus and block it. Yet in every time it has been extremely important to not question this institution or international law, but try to overcome this blockage of the Security Council, as difficult as this might be, because otherwise we would lose the principle of this institution all by itself, and by that the life insurance for all countries around the world to be able to sleep in peace because you can trust that nobody is violating peace and security
and thereby violating the security of your own countries. So again I call it an all Member states to abide by the values and principles and shrined in this fundamentsial document. At a time when this is institution is under so much pressure, the UNAIT reform becomes even more important, so there is no time to waste.
The opposite is true.
Because the times are so challenging and this institution is so much under pressure, we need even more and very serious debate how to modernize this institution and make it more efficient and more delivering on the principles.
Together with the Secretary General.
Therefore, I, as a President of the General Assembly, I am driving the reform process forward and we are keeping up our ambitious timetable, especially for Workstream two, to make this organization fit for purpose and strengthen necked for the twenty first century.
Sallengers, the co chairs of the Attack.
Working Group for Workstream two, are currently working with the Member States to finalize the outcome report for adoption in the General Assembly by the end of this month, which is when their mandates.
Draws to a close.
For workstream one and three of the UNAD process, I continue to hold monthly informal briefings on the progress of the United Nations UNAD reform initiative with USG Guy Rider and the other speakers and agencies heading towards April, so no time to rest here. As well, as you all know, we are also heading towards the interactive dialogue for the next Secretary Gennal. This process is well underway as you are aware. The interactive dialogue with the SG candidates will be the.
Week of twenty years April.
We circulated information on how the dialogues will be conducted and we will continue to share additional information as it becomes available. During the interactive dialogues, each candidate will have the opportunity to present their vision statement, answer member States questions,
and engage with civil society organizations. I invite you, as representatives of the press and therefore also those who could share all these dialogues throughout the world, to engage in this process, maybe even before the interactive dialogue starts to cover the topics and also are the different candidates because the choice of who leads this organization matters deeply, especially in these challenging times, as they will also represent what this institution stands for in the future and if it
truly represents all human kind in this regard, I'm looking forward to seeing you quite soon again when we get into the months of April and the preparation for the interactive dialogues wonderful.
So we have twenty one minutes, so if there are questions, just so that we provide some structure. If there are questions regarding the SG selection, we will take those first, followed by questions on CSW and women's rights, and then if we have time for other questions, we will take those questions on the SG selection.
These can I do an official welcome to the President the General Assembly on behalf of the United Nations Correspondence Association. Thank you for doing this briefing and we hope you will do many more. My question is mainly on CSW, but can you tell us the date that the you're going to start doing these meetings with the individual candidates?
Thank you, I'm heavy question, but you wanted to collect for a secondary general I'm sorry, Technolo.
Would you like the view of those PGN SG questions? Okay, Pamela Gabe and we have more. Yes, we'll take those.
Thank you to the PGA for all of us as well, Mike, Pamela far from US News and World Report, Big picture question in summary, you've been in office, what do you think the best the qualities that you'd like to see in the next Secretary General. I mean you could write a doctoral thesis on this, but in short, thank you.
Okay, Gabriel, this is Gabriel Zandra from Al Jazir English. I know we're short on time, so I'll make it quick. Have you spoken specifically to Raphael Grossi about stepping down as the head of the IAEA or not?
And if not, why, thank you, Madam President for this briefing on the next Secretary General. I just want to know your personal opinion on why this organization hasn't had a woman president in eighty years and how hopeful are you that we're going to have a woman president this time?
Okay?
One more on the sg.
Cyto Tanaka from the Shuman Japanese newspaper, a similar question. We got three candidates female candidates so far. What are your reaction to it and what do you expect for the selection process?
Yeah, wonderful, Thank you.
So maybe I start with the last part and repeat so everybody is aware again we have indeed so far five nominations. First came in November by Argentina of Ralfred Grossi, then in February by Chile Brazil and Mexico of Michelle Bachelet, then beginning of March by Barundi the former president of Senegal Marquisal, then in March by Costa Rica of Rebecca Greenspan and just recently in March by Maldives, Virginia Gamba
of Argentina. With regard to primarily your question are obviously we all have different thoughts in our mind, but the PGA does not have time for thesis to write about her writer areas for the next SG and especially my role is to implement the Rivertazation resolution, and as outlined in the Revitalization Resolution and in the joint letter, there
are a couple of criterias. So also the question about competence is answered in this letter that this next Secretary Journal should provide strong and dedicated effected leadership skills with experience in governance structures, but also with regard to United Nations, with regard to management skills of this institution and the
light of the reforms. And then it has also the strong call with regard to regional diversity, and this call in consensus by one hundred ninety three member states to strongly call member states for the nomination of women and these are the criteria set by all member states in consensus. And then everybody who will be part of this process
can also decide by themselves about their choice. My role is to lead this process based on the resolution, but also based on the strong call for the representation of this institution, the principles.
And the Charter.
And this is why the set up for this interactive dialogue as outlined in my.
Letter, will be structured. It will be three hours for every candidate.
I know myself this is long, but as PGA, I've also done it and member states really valued that they really had the chance to ask the question and to engage.
We invite also civil society and this will be structured around the personal vision statements and the management skill and then in the second part around the three pillars being peace and security, sustainable development and climate and human rights to precisely speaker about these principles of the United Nations as I said, as outlined in the Resolution seventy nine SO three hundred and twenty seven and the joint later in this regard. This is also the answer to the
question of Al Jazeera. Many of the candidates contacted me, so I spoke with many of the candidates at different occasions they had been also the CaAl with regard to a financial disclosure again in the resolution by the Member States, and also the CaAl with regard of upholding current positions in the UN system. Again it's up to Member States with regard to the implementation of this resolution.
I'm guiding the process.
And with regard to individual a person. Please you probably understand in this process that this is a very transparent, very neutral and fair process in which every candidate and maybe they are more coming, we'll have the same chances and opportunities of this three hour interactive dialogue. And this is why relating again and thank you for the kind words.
For the date.
We will start in the week of the twenty years of April. Again, these times are not short of challenges. We have in parallel the NPT Review Conference with many delegations and representatives here as well and with many room book links. So also these technical issues are being part
of the process. So it depends how many more candidates will come, how often we have to split the day in a morning session of three hours and an afternoon session of the three hours, and if we have tripling of the candidates.
Obviously this one week won't.
Be enough, but for the quint moment, we have five and this would fit in all in these dates. So this is why we will be more precise on the exact dates so when we know how many. And this is also why I called on the nomination to be handed in before first of April, so we can organize a process where not only member states can be assuring that they're all there, but also media and the big interest.
I heard it also from me and member states visiting me how they can also live stream these interactive hearings to their countries, to their parliament or their regional constituencies.
Okay, well follow up questions on SG or CSW. Okay, then we have CSW ED and then Stefano you also had a CSW question. Other questions on CSW please d.
Thank you very much, Madam President. This was the first time that the in csw's history that the Commission on the Status of Women did not adopt its outcome document by consensus. What is your reaction to that and what do you believe the impact of these divisions are for the fight to achieve gender equality.
Stephano, you had a question as well on CSW.
Madame President, thank you. During c s W week, Israel hostedday You one side event with Iranian women who describe imprisonment, torture and repression under the Iranian regime, who openly called for its hand. Would you have been willing to participate in such an event and what message would you send today to those Iranian women in Iran?
Do we have other questions on CSW sorry, Abdelhamid online? Who's you us online? I believe seeing your hand?
Yes, my question also on cs seventy and I want to ask you, Madame President, about the Gaza women. I felt they were ignored in this session.
Why is that?
And the second about the girls' school on t one hundred and seventy of them were killed. Do you condemn that outright and unequaediically?
Thank you?
Okay, those are all of our questions on cs W looking online as well. All right, thank you all. I will turn the floor over to the PGA.
Thank you for all this very important question. It first was regard to the vote on Monday on the CSW.
Outcome to be very precise.
We never have seen a vote before, but we have seen before that hasn't been an outcome document, and I think this is very important because it also underlines in these challenging times that we have progress besides the backlash.
And for me this is really important. I think we've spoken about it before, because especially in a digital world where hate and bad news click six times better than good news, we have to be very careful that we are not entering this vicious circle about negative news reinforcing more negative news, because the successors are all there, especially
for women rights. I was naming numbers if full gender parity would be there, what the economy would achieve, But I mean there are many women here in the room who still had the situation that when you were working and your husband had a job being paid less, still you need the signature in this country to get a credit card or at least to improve the limit of
the credit card. Even recently in the last years, my generation was facing the same situation now on a digital level, that the algorithm of credit cards was still programmed on this old bias that when I earned more than my husband, yeah, still automatically the credit card debit frame was larger for a male husband, doesn't matter what the woman was earning.
So this work in progress is ongoing, but we're taking positive step by positive step and now looking at this situation that for the first time we do have a vote. But this also underlined for the first time because there has been this vote, that the vast majority was not working hand in hand with those who want to see
a backlash. So the positive news about this and this is the positive news that the rest all other member states being part of the decision making at that moment, are supporting the progress also in the CSW resolution and the second very important message from this year, but I think we all feel it around the world. Women are
so strongly empowered everywhere. The topics we had in the past about cultural relativism that maybe in some regions women flies are not as important as another region, this is not there anymore, especially not shared by women at all. And these women, because are capable by digital tools, are now joining hands. So women in the Americas, in Europe
are speaking up. Maybe related to the question if they are facing atrocities of women suffering in Iran, The question was what is my message to the women of Iran as a woman and also as a PGA standing up for human rights? Stand at your site in my previous role. This is why there has been installed the fact finding a mission in the Human Rights Council with regard to
the violations again Iranian women. Related to the question in Gaza, we have had this discussion also before because for me, human rights and also women rights are inivisible.
I do not.
Work on the grounds if you speak about violation in Afghanistan about women rights at one event, this would mean you are not looking at violations of women rights are in Gaza or the suffering of women and girls in Gaza. If we start to divide who's suffering more against the ethnic groups and especially against the women, this just pays in the hands of those who are trying to divide
this big solidarity. And why is there an effort to divide this big solidarity Because at the moment everybody can see women will not step back if their rights are.
Being under attack.
And therefore, also especially with Afghanistan, and this is why I'm mentioning it very often also here at CSW. The systematic attack on women and girls in Afghanistan is this most severe attack on human rights because in Afghanistan women are denied every normal human right we are all enjoying. They are imprisoned in their own homes, and unfortunately we have not spoken about that one intensively enough, especially in a time when we saw other violations of international law.
In peace and security.
At the same moment, the Talibana regime issued this new legislation about violence against the women and girl and there was no outcry at all. This doesn't mean that other human rights violation in other parts are less important. It just underlines again why it's so important to speak about all of one. And therefore I also condemned the massive killing and exercise use of force against the protesters in Iran at the same.
Time in January Farraberry, where we.
Have reports about more than thirty thousand people being killed, especially also young people, many many women and girls. This is why I also called not only a strong condemnation of this human rights violation to stop, but that all of those have to be held accountable.
For these crimes.
This is why the fact finding mission of the Human Rights Counsel is so important still in these times, because they are responsible for collecting these evidence so that one day perpetators can.
Be brought to justice.
And this goes also to the situation of women and girls in Gaza.
I just met with Descross from a UNDP.
He reported me back on his visit in Gaza about the horrible situation that with regard to the trucks and humanitarian aid entering Gaza, the progress is very very little also.
For you and trucks.
This means again women and girls are suffering most if housing is demolished as it is on the ground that hardly any reconstruction at the moment is possible, and therefore really thankful because also the horrible situation of civilians in Gaza has to be addressed, and the same goes for
accountability and the protection of civilians in Gaza. Bringing me to the question of the horrible strike on the girls' school in Iran that has resulted in the deaths of more than one hundred and sixty civilians, especially children, especially girls. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in all times. Unacceptable that a school was hit by strike during school hours. There's clear international humanitarian law about the responsibilities in times
of war. Therefore, it is very important that we have an investigation of this terrible and tragic incident and any violation of international humanitarian law cannot remain without consequences. Also here accountability for those responsibility must be given.
Okay, that is we have time for one more question. Is it a follower? Sorry, let me go to someone who hasn't asked the question yet. Sorry, you could just say your name and your news organization.
Okay, is STEVEE got the bomb from Avenues? Thank you for your briefing. My question is regarding the reformation, the UN reform process. I was wondering UK and give some more details or some be some more specific on some issues, for example, what's going on, what going to happen with the veto power and then if you can advance some of these ambitious timetable that you are working with.
Thank you, Okay, thank you.
Given the short time at this complex RNAD process, I try to point at a different expect First of all, we have this three different workstream workstream or one about the financial situation. Luckily we could succeed to have a budget at the end of twenty twenty five, but the SG has rang the alarm bell that we would face another liquidity not only crisis but shut down in June July if member states are not paying their contribution in full in time. Is not possible anymore because in time
is over. But many after this strong call paid then a couple of days later, but still many Member states.
Have not paid their current obligation.
So therefore this is the most important thing, the call of member state.
A second, it's also part.
Of the reform step the SG and I myself, we are again tabling the proposal that the money which could not be spent because it was not being.
Paid by Member states, that this.
Should not be reimbursed to the rest of the Member States, because this is currently the rule and this is a vicious circle. If the UN has to pay back money which it never received, obviously it's losing even more money and more cuts are needed. This is now again under discussion in the Fifth Committee, and especially also myself, I'm calling on Member States to look at this point again. So this is Workstreame one with the current financial situation. Works from two is the work in.
The General Assembly.
And this is where I said, with a very ambitious timetable, because Member States decided to have this ad hoc working group looking how we can make our work in the General Assembly more efficient. For example, that we have thousands of resolutions with duplications. Their proposal now to have sunset clauses for resolutions, but also if we have to have every resolution every year, if it can be biennial or not. There are other parts where we have the high level meetings.
We have also more than one thousand meetings all around what I said, even difficult to find spaces. Member states agreed, for example that in September there should not be more than three high level meetings altogether, but five have been already suggested. So obviously this is contradicting the own proposals.
So we are trying to bring this down again. Then proposals on speaking time limitation, because if we have unlimited speaking time, we need translation all the six languages, we need the rooms.
This is also a lot of money, So many.
Proposals in this working group group, and as I said, the co chairs from Jamaica and New Zealand, they worked intensively and I'm very thankful to that in the last months on almost daily consultation with member states and especially
also with capitals. They will publish their final reports at the end of March, and their mandate goes till the end of March thirty first of March, and there has been this clear call of adopting the proposals, but we are in the midst of the negotiations, so we can give more update on that report when it's finally published.
Works in three.
Also topic which has been here for CSW is regarded, especially of the many agencies, the proposals by the SG with regard to mergers making the work on the ground. Fishient did really delivering for the people on the ground. And we're in the midst of this process. But the SG can update more on the details and especially Guy Riders giving the mentally briefing also in the General Assembly, so it comes from the resident coordinators, how they can coordinate better.
It's a discussion about the.
Humanitarian reset, how the humanitarian agencies work more efficient together. It's a question about duplications over the last a couple of years, the merger between you and Women and you and fp A. So many many proposals, and also on that one. We're trying to do as much as we can in the upcoming months to decide on these reform steps within this EIGHTIA session but also within the term
of this Secretary Channel. So don't book a too long summer holiday, because I can promise you hopefully not outside there in the world with other negative events happening. But inside this building that we will have many many not only work but also reform steps we are going to take.
I thank you.
Well, convince my son. There were colors in the world back when I was young, and though everything wasn't black and white, wrong was wrong and right was right. It was about that time I finally realized maybe my son was right.
Though old damn time.
Most of us were gone in a clearer time, Yeah, things were black. Showread depictions Things.
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