SDG 5: Intervention by APRCEM, supported by Women’s Major Group

High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, session on SDG 5
Cielito Perez, CWR, Philippines
15 July 2025, New York

Thank you, Chair.

I deliver this statement on behalf of APRCEM.

SDG 5 or gender equality — is both a stand-alone goal and the foundation for achieving all other goals. With this, we reiterate the urgent need for a strong and clear language on women’s human rights, economic justice, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Weakening this language in the Ministerial Declaration threatens decades of progress and undermines gender equality as key to sustainable development.

Women and girls in Asia and the Pacific face intersecting crises brought by a failing neoliberal development model. This includes debt, austerity, exploitative labour, climate crisis, limited sexual and reproductive health and rights, and rising costs of living. They deepen inequalities, increase care burdens, and fuel discrimination and violence.

Insufficient gender data remains a barrier. Governments should fund and strengthen the collection and use of gender-sensitive data.

Governments must center economic justice – cancel unjust debt, end austerity measures, ensure gender-responsive programs and social protection, and redirect military spending to social services. We reiterate – public finance must come before private and corporate profit.

We call on all Member States to strengthen commitments to multilateralism; to protect women’s human rights, and guarantee democratic spaces for rights holders – civil society and feminist movements–at all levels.

With only five years left, the integrity of the 2030 Agenda depends on our collective courage and political will to advance gender justice, and development justice – toward a transformative, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Thank you.