On 9 March 2015, MIKTA – a consultative grouping of Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Turkey and Australia – issued a joint statement at the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to commemorate International Women's Day.

As current MIKTA chair, ROK's Permanent Representative of the to the UN Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, Choi Seok-young, made the joint statement on behalf of the five MIKTA countries.

Joint Statement on behalf of MIKTA on the occasion of commemorating International Women's Day at the 28th Session of the Human Rights Council

9 March 2015, Geneva

Thank you, Deputy High Commissioner.

I take the floor on behalf of the five MIKTA countries - Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia - to make a joint statement on International Women's Day.

MIKTA welcomes the opportunity to affirm to the Human Rights Council and through it the international community our strong support for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as we commemorate International Women's Day.

This year, as we mark the 20th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as an outcome of the process initiated by the first World Congress on Women held in Mexico City, we reaffirm our commitment to removing all obstacles to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

We affirm that the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women and girls is essential for the empowerment of women.

We recognise that women and girls are disproportionately affected by serious human rights violations and inequality between women, men, girls and boys.

Women and girls continue to face serious human rights violations. MIKTA strongly supports the important work done to date by the Council to end violence against women and girls.

Women in the labour force face disadvantage, exemplified by the difference in labour force participation rates between men and women. We recognise that enabling women to participate in the economy is critical to a country's prosperity and call on the Council to promote women's access to safe, decent and well paid employment.

Women continue to be underrepresented in decision-making, leadership and peace-building, often as a result of discriminatory laws, practices, attitudes and gender stereotypes, low levels of education, lack of access to health care and the disproportionate effect of poverty. MIKTA calls on all members of the Council to ensure the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of decision-making, leadership and peace-processes, including by tackling root causes that hinder women's full and equal participation.

As we approach the end of the Millennium Development Goals period, we recognise the need for a transformative, stand-alone goal on gender equality in the Post-2015 Development Agenda to ensure that support for gender equality is galvanised and that gender equality and the empowerment, including economic empowerment, of women becomes a reality, not an aspiration.

MIKTA encourages the Council to continue to ensure that the human rights of women and girls are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of its work to achieve universal human rights.

I thank you, Deputy High Commissioner.