Marcos highlights education, opportunities for women in UN speech

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., alongside other heads of states delivered their statements at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York on 9 March (New York time).

The session focuses on accelerating the movement for women’s rights through a fundamental commitment to inclusive and accessible justice.

For his part, Marcos highlighted the presence of women in different fields, alongside the opportunities that women could obtain in their lifetime.

“If women are educated, safe, able to work, able to lead, and able to decide the course of their own lives, then no level of prosperity can truly be called progress.” Marcos stated.

“There is one principle that remains beyond question: we cannot hope to solve the great challenges of our time if half of our humanity is excluded from shaping those solutions. Women must be present wherever decisions are made.” he added.

Marcos also underscored the willingness of the Philippines to work with other nations for the advancement of the causes for women, saying that societies rise when women also take the leap.

“When women lead, nations move forward. And when every girl—no matter where she is born—can stand with confidence and say that her future is truly her own,” he expressed.

Education remains on top of priorities

The president then put an emphasis on education, which many girls are denied as a right.

“When a girl is educated, the benefits extend far beyond the individual. They strengthen families, uplift communities, and expand the possibilities of entire nations. Economic empowerment is equally essential,” he mentioned.

According to Marcos, education opens the door to employment, finance, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

Putting a halt to violence

Marcos then addressed violence against women, to which he describes as something that “erodes dignity, weakens communities, and undermines the very foundations of our justice,”

He emphasized that cultural change must be observed, aside from laws and institutions for the eradication of violence against women and to continue challenging the limits that are placed among women.