15 October 2020 President Meta addresses the World Summit of Women and Girls
Honored Dr. Justina Mutale, President of the Justina Mutale Foundation
Your Excellency, President Atifete Jahjaga
Excellencies!
Dear women and girls from around the world,
It is my pleasure to participate in this World Summit on Woman and Girls, which celebrates today the 2020 United Nations International Day of the Girl.
I am convinced that this event will serve to women and girls share their experiences and challenges: from gender equality to women and girls’ empowerment, from gender based violence to female leadership.
I would like to thank President Atifete Jahjaga, for taking care of my presence in this Summit today.
She became the first female President of the Republic of Kosovo and of the whole region and she has constantly advocated for women’s and girls’ rights in Kosovo, in the region and beyond.
During my long experience in politics, I have been fortunate to work and collaborate with many women and girls with high professional integrity and extraordinary commitment to their jobs and responsibilities.
Distinguished participants,
The pandemic Covid-19 has put the world into a serious social, economic and health crisis and has amplified gender, race, ethnic and socioeconomic inequities.
Women and girls around the world have been especially affected by this crisis.
We, as leaders, should acknowledge the widespread uncertainty, lead with empathy and help build environments where women can advance.
Even in such a difficult situation, I have seen women in Albania, in Kosovo, in the region, and all around the world, work very hard, dream very big, and be optimistic, despite the challenges, we all are facing.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Gender equality is still an unfinished battle and a big challenge for our societies.
Nevertheless, for many women and girls, whose freedoms and rights are still being violated, their engagement in the administration, the public service and the politics, is now an undeniable fact of social emancipation in my country.
I would like to congratulate them, because it is undoubtedly, because of their merit and their high commitment to lifelong education and training.
We must value the intellectual and professional assets of women and girls, in politics and policy-making.
I shall admit that in our excessive political discourse and in our masculine social environment, it is not easy for a lady, both a wife and a mother, to be engaged in political life or public service.
Therefore, it is important to promote as many models of successful women and girls in politics as possible.
Models of devotion, dedication and commitment.
We should promote and prioritize equity and inclusion, a more agile and flexible workplace, better services and infrastructures to facilitate women and girls’ advancement in our society.
Our society should strongly address the issue of violence against women and girls which entails significant social and economic costs for our countries.
Decreasing and eliminating violence against women and girls requires a community-based, multiple approach, and continuous engagement of all stakeholders.
Failure to address this issues means a significant cost for the future of our society and our countries.
That’s why we should all work together to ensure that women and girls’ voice is heard.
Honored ladies,
A great woman, one of the greatest that humanity has ever had, Mother Theresa, says: “The world is full of good people. If you can’t find one, be one”
It is the essence of love that Mother Teresa leaves behind, that reminds us of the power that resides in us all.
As long as we have a heart and a mind centered on love, we are empowered to make a difference in the lives of many.
Thank you for the strong messages you are giving to the world, through values all of you not only believe in, but also work hard to make them happen.
I wish you a lot of success in this Summit!
Thank you!