New York Just seven days after having been sworn into office, the new Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, welcomed civil society representatives based in New York at UN Women Headquarters and pledged strong collaboration. She acknowledged the key role of civil society in making progress for human rights, in ensuring a successful outcome at the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, as witnessed in the agreement to end and prevent violence against women and girls, and in pushing for the creation of UN Women.

“My vision is for close and non-bureaucratic partnership in which the focus is on unity and solidarity for action,” said Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Addressing the group of some 50 representatives, the Executive Director pledged to maintain an activist approach and appealed for solidarity, joint fundraising and partnership to enhance accountability to benefit women and girls around the world.

She urged civil society to work with UN Women and others to make sure that women’s rights, empowerment and gender equality are central to the post-2015 development agenda, as outlined in UN Women’s paper on the stand-alone gender goal. She highlighted the importance of moving from words on paper to concrete action and the need to reach out and engage grassroots women.