Italy's deputy foreign minister Marina Sereni on Friday praised the key role played by women worldwide in the fight against the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic and urged women's rights to be upheld.
"This crisis has hit women hard, but it has also shown their extraordinary strength. They have played a vital role in the forefront of health workers around the world," Sereni said.
Sereni was addressing an online meeting on the role of women in the fight against Covid-19. The conference was organized by the Italian Representation to the United Nations with other national Representations and opened by Vice Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, the foreign ministry stated.
"As a result of the lockdown there has been a dramatic increase in domestic violence and abuse against women," Sereni went on.
"With Covid-19, there is a clear risk of seeing a dangerous step backwards in women's living conditions and gender equality."
The defence and promotion of women's fundamental rights must be at the centre of all efforts to combat Covid-19, said Sereni.
National recovery plans must prioritise women's participation in the labour market, new services to families, the promotion of women's leadership roles in the economy and society, Sereni argued.
"Women must be fully involved in the decision-making process," she said.
Italy has a longstanding commitment to preventing violence and promoting women's rights and during its presidency of the G20 next year wants to keep attention on this issue, Sereni stated.
Issues that emerged at Friday's conference including food security, the need to keep supply chains open, debt sustainability will also be a key focus of Italy's G20 presidency, she said.
"We are dealing with huge problems, but I believe that this pandemic also offers us the opportunity to renew our commitment to promoting women's rights and empowerment. All this means working together as women, at national, regional, and global level".
