Ministers meet UK minister during Commission on the Status of Women

The Minister for Equality, Christian Santos, and the Minister for Health, Care and Business, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, have returned to Gibraltar after attending the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York City.

During the visit, Mr Santos and Ms Arias-Vasquez met Baroness Smith of Malvern at the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations to discuss equality policy, including the transposition of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women to Gibraltar, women’s participation in politics, and legislative and policy developments affecting women and girls in Gibraltar and the United Kingdom.

Mr Santos also attended a reception hosted by James Kariuki, Chargé d’Affaires at the UK Mission to the UN, which brought together representatives involved in the wider Commission programme.

Mr Santos said: ““Participating in this year’s Commission has been a valuable opportunity to engage directly with international discussions that continue to shape how countries approach equality in practice.”

“Although the contexts may differ, many of the underlying challenges remain shared, and there is real value in understanding how others are responding, particularly at a time when equality issues continue to require sustained attention globally.”

“Our meeting with the Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern was particularly useful in discussing shared legislative priorities and equality policy, while separate discussions during the Commission also provided valuable insight into how other countries are approaching parental leave as we look to develop that work in Gibraltar.”

Ms Arias-Vasquez said: “Our meeting with Baroness Smith formed an important part of the wider discussions taking place during the Commission. Attending the Commission on the Status of Women was an important reminder that equality is never a finished conversation. Progress should be recognised, of course, but never mistaken for completion.”

“Hearing directly from women and policymakers from across different countries reinforced that while legal protections matter enormously, the real test is whether equality is genuinely felt in practice, in workplaces, in opportunities, and in the way societies continue to evolve. Gibraltar may be small, but these are conversations that matter here too, and there is real value in continuing to engage internationally as we reflect on the progress we have made and the work that still remains.”