Ms. Gertrude Mongella of Tanzania who served as Secretary-General of the Fourth UN World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 , looks back on the conference¡¯s impact three decades later. In a conversation with Africa Renewal, she shares insights on achievements and the future of gender equality as the UN turns 80.
Below are excerpts from that interview:
Africa Renewal: The United Nations turns 80 in 2025, and you are also celebrating your 80th birthday, what key milestones have you been able to witness in the UN¡¯s journey?
Gertrude Mongella: Thank you very much! I¡¯m glad you reminded me that I am a ¡®Twin sister¡¯ to the United Nations, which is a very big privilege.
The United Nations was formed out of a desire to bring peace in this world after the second world war. So, nations which existed then, decided to have a union.
This means that most of the African countries, Asian countries, were not yet nations, they were under the colonial power. So that first of all, gave me an indication that the United Nations literally was for the already independent countries in the world, which were few.
But as we got independent in Africa, we joined the United Nations. We thought that the ideas and the dreams of the United Nations, were very useful to all of us. I¡¯ll give you an example, the Commission on Status of Women (CSW) was formed in 1946, just after the union was formed. I think this was an important, forward-looking strategy, that the United Nations ¨C because of the war, they recognized that the women had played a big role in sustaining society and families, and they wanted to make sure that at least they recognized that type of activity that the women had carried on during the war.
In African countries we see the same thing, that in the struggle for independence, many women have played a very critical role to the liberation of the continent.
Beijing was, I can say, that was where I really became an international civil servant.
Now if you look at that time, that¡¯s when you see the role of the United Nations. It was able to bring together the whole world. 181 nations came together, NGOs in their numbers came together in Beijing. It gave me an opportunity to appreciate the work of the United Nations, it was only and organization like the UN which could bring together the world and discuss an agenda which could be decided unanimously at Beijing.
So, in 80 years, I should clap for my twin sister or brother, the UN. So far, so good, like myself, so far, so good. As the UN keeps on moving, I¡¯m also keeping on moving to make this world a better world.
This story was originally published by .
