In the current landscape, we face one of the most pressing challenges that hinders efforts to achieve gender equality and sustainable development: lack of financing. 

The lack of adequate funding for programs focused on women's needs not only perpetuates gender inequality, but also stunts sustainable economic and social growth

The unequal distribution of resources to address women's specific needs fuels a cycle of inequality that blocks progress towards a world where everybody, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities. According to recent UN Women data, the annual funding gap for gender initiatives stands at an alarming US$360 billion, further exacerbating the economic vulnerability of the world's women. 

In the midst of turbulent times marked by political, economic and climatic crises, budget austerity is intensifying in many countries. This situation, unfortunately, not only further restricts the availability of resources to address the needs of women and girls, but also exacerbates the already difficult conditions in which they find themselves. During conflicts and crises, levels of gender-based violence increase and women face greater risks of poverty and exclusion. Additionally, climate change disproportionately affects women, who are responsible for the care of their families and communities, and environmental degradation directly impacts their food security and health. In this troubling context, it is worrying to note that not only are these growing needs not being met, but existing funding is being reduced.

From the Spanish committee, we encourage you to join UN Women's urgent call for significant and sustained investment in gender equality initiatives. This commitment to gender equality must be reflected in concrete policies and adequate budget allocations. Only through decisive and sustained investment can we move towards a future where all women have the opportunity to reach their full potential and contribute to the development of more just and egalitarian societies. 

It is essential that governments and international institutions recognize the importance of investing in women as a key driver of progress and prosperity. Another alarming figure reveals that only 0.13% of official development assistance goes to feminist organizations, which is evidence of a lack of commitment to gender equality globally. The lack of adequate funding for programs focused on women's needs not only perpetuates gender inequality, but also stunts sustainable economic and social growth.

Overcoming these challenges requires allocating enough resources to ensure that women and girls have access to education, health care, economic opportunities and protection from gender-based violence. Investing in programs for women's economic empowerment, leadership and political participation is essential to creating more inclusive and equitable societies. 

In a world where the challenges facing women and girls continue to be underestimated and underfunded, it is critical to recognize the need for meaningful change. Beyond statistics and reports, these are real lives that are affected by a lack of resources and attention. Every day that passes without an adequate response is another day of perpetuating inequality and denying the full potential of half the world's population. It is time for those in power and institutions to take bold and decisive action to invest in a future where gender equality is not just an aspiration, but a palpable reality for all people, everywhere.