Belgium and UN Women sign agreement to promote women’s rights and gender equality
Date:
UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister of Development Cooperation, signed the first Framework Arrangement in New York on 20 September 2016, to formalize and strengthen collaboration for promoting women’s rights and gender equality.
![UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister of Development Cooperation, signed the first Framework Arrangement in New York on 20th September 2016. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown](/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Images/Sections/News/Stories/2016/BelgiumMOU_ED_20Sept2016__LB_4197_1_675x450.jpg?la=en)
The Memorandum of Understanding provides a coherent framework for collaboration between the two entities. Through the Framework, Belgium commits to support UN Women in the realization of its mission to empower women in order to fuel thriving economies, spur productivity and growth, eliminate discrimination against women and girls as well as to achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian actions and peace and security.
Speaking at the ceremony, Alexander De Croo, representing the Government of Belgium, highlighted, "For Belgium, this means a strong focus on inclusive and sustainable economic growth and more particularly on entrepreneurship and cooperation with the private sector. We also concentrate on the least developed countries. Safeguarding and strengthening of human rights are key aspects. The Sustainable Development Goals are a unique opportunity for our generation to lift millions of people out of extreme poverty and to provide more opportunities for human development. Belgium is looking forward to fulfil this ambition together with our multilateral partner organizations."
![Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister of Development Cooperation and UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka sign the first Framework Arrangement in New York on 20 September 2016. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown](/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Images/Sections/News/Stories/2016/BelgiumMOU_ED_20Sept2016__LB_4189_1_675x450.jpg?la=en)
Thanking the Government of Belgium for its contribution to UN Women’s core budget, Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said, “To have a partner contributing to our core budget, and through multi-year funding, allows us to plan and deliver on our mission.” With the signing of the Framework Arrangement, UN Women is committed to working with Belgium towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) also signed framework agreements with the Government of Belgium at the same ceremony.