NEW YORK, March 7 (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning on Friday, stating that women’s rights are under increasing attack globally and that urgent action is required to prevent hard-won progress from being reversed. Speaking at a UN event on the eve of International Women’s Day, Guterres highlighted how centuries of gender discrimination are being compounded by modern threats.
“Digital tools, while brimming with promise, are also often silencing women’s voices, amplifying bias, and fueling harassment,” Guterres remarked. He also warned that women’s bodies have become “political battlegrounds,” as online abuse increasingly translates into real-life violence.
Instead of advancing gender equality, Guterres said society is witnessing “the mainstreaming of chauvinism and misogyny.” He underscored that addressing gender inequality goes beyond fairness—it is fundamentally about power.
“It is about who gets a seat at the table and who is locked out,” he said. “It is about dismantling systems that allow inequalities to fester. And it is about ensuring a better world for all.”
The Secretary-General urged the international community to stand firm in defending women’s rights and to counter these growing challenges. The remarks come as the global push for gender equality faces significant setbacks, even as progress has been made in some areas.