Tatiana Valovaya

Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General, UN Geneva, visited on Friday the General Women's Union (GWU) premises to discuss prospects for joint cooperation for further development and empowerment of women.

Valovaya's visit is part of series of photo exhibitions "17 Faces of Action” which will be organised as part of COP28 activities.

UN Geneva is partnering with Association of Swiss Women & Empowerment (ASWE) in a series of photo exhibitions "17 Faces of Action” in different countries to recognise and demonstrate the contribution of women to the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with subsequent large-scale combined event at the Palais des Nations. The initiative is being held in the UAE in cooperation the GWU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The UN official reviewed the GWU's programmes and strategies a well as its achievements and progress in development, advancement and empowerment of women and promotion of gender balance under the leadership and support of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (Mother of the Nation), Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).

Valovaya expressed her appreciation to the GWU for its support in organising the exhibition, which aims to highlight women’s work towards sustainable development goals in various countries, noting the contribution of women in the UAE in enhancing the country’s progress towards a prosperous, fair and sustainable future.

The "17 Faces of Action” project consists in photographing in 17 countries, members of the United Nations, 17 women, whose contributions have had an impact on the development of society and in the achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations in their respective countries.

Each of the 17 selected woman in each country chooses to express her views on one of the SDGs. The project was launched in 2022 and will be completed in 2024. For its final stage, the portraits taken in all 17 countries will be showcased to visitors as part of a general exhibition at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

WAM