Credit / UN Photo/Cia Pak / María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73 rd  session of the General Assembly, delivers her remarks at the opening of the general debate of the seventy-third session of the General Assembly Sep. 25, 2018.

 By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC TIMES

María  Fernanda  Espinosa Garcés,  the 73rd President of the United Nations General Assembly, is a trail blazer. Upon her inauguration in 2018, she officially became the fourth woman and the first Latina to ever lead the powerful UN General Assembly.  Madame Espinosa Garcés, has more than 20 years of multilateral experience in international negotiations, peace, security, defence, disarmament, human rights, indigenous peoples, gender equality, sustainable development, environment, biodiversity, climate change and multilateral cooperation. She was the first woman to be named Permanent Representative of Ecuador in New York, after having served as Ambassador in Geneva. She has served Ecuador as Minister of Foreign Affairs (twice), Minister of National Defence, and Coordinating Minister of Natural and Cultural Heritage. Espinosa Garcés is an Ecuadorian who was born in Spain.  Espinosa Garcés’ high profile position will most definitely inspire more women to pursue positions of leadership in roles traditionally held by men. After all, Espinosa Garcés is only the fourth woman to serve as President of the UN General Assembly in the 70-year history of the world body.  Espinosa Garcés has stated that, as President of the UNGA, one of its main areas of focus for her tenure is the issue gender parity. As much as possible, she tries to ensure that women are represented in the debates/conversations just as men are.

“Ms. Espinosa is the President of the General Assembly. She supports of course more participation of women in this organization,  but across the board because she firmly believes that women do make a difference,”  said Monica Grayley,  the UNGA President’s  Spokesperson at Thursday’s Noon press conference at the United Nations.   Grayley explained that  Espinosa Garcés  has seven priorities in the GA session,  and “gender equality is actually the first priority topping this list.” Grayley added:  “She has seven (priorities) and they are equally important.  So she can only support  efforts to increase the participation of women in peacekeeping processes but also of course across the board in the  United Nations. We all know for instance that when women are taking part in conflict resolution processes peace has a chance to last 15 years longer than if women were not part. So, there are tremendous contribution that women can do and are doing and the President of the General Assembly actually commends these efforts. And we should do more than we are doing right now.”

Credit: http://webtv.un.org / H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd session of the General Assembly

As a writer and poet, Espinosa has published more than 30 academic articles on the Amazon River, culture, heritage, development, climate change, intellectual property, foreign policy, integration, defence and security. She has also published five volumes of poetry and received the Ecuadorian National Poetry Prize in 1990.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the UN General Assembly, speaks at 70th Anniversary of UDHR Dec. 6, 2018 at UN world headquarters New York City  with “Women Who Shaped The Universal Declaration”  photo exhibit behind her. Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, chaired the  UDHR drafting committee.

“I am truly honored to be here today and to help honor those women who wrote the Universal Delcaration. Women such as Eleanor Roosevelt who was chair of the drafting committee and is recognized as the  driving force for the adoption of the declaration. Women such as  Hansa Mehta (from India) who changed the phrase ‘All men are born free and equal’  to ‘All human beings are born free and equal.’  What a big change… what importance this has nowadays.”

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the UN General Assembly, said at the 70th Anniversary of UDHR Dec. 6, 2018.

Espinosa Garcés Also Urges Meaningful Engagement Of Youth In Sustaining World Peace And Development

Photo by Gary Raynaldo  /  Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President, United Nations General Assembly, speaks at International Peace Institute policy forum Manhattan, NY Apr. 9, 2019. 

Espinosa Garcés  has dedicated the 73rd Session of the GA  to making the  ‘UN relevant to all’,   which includes a focus on youth, peace, and security as one of her official top priorities.

“Youth, peace and security must be actively embraced by all UN members. We must change the narrative of youth. Young people must be included in the decision-making.”

-Espinosa Garcés,  IPI  Forum  Apr. 9, 2019

Diplomatic Times /      Espinosa Garcés, President, United Nations General Assembly, speaks at International Peace Institute policy forum Manhattan, NY Apr. 9, 2019. 

“Young People must be included in decision making period!  We will not make progress on youth peace and security without making progress on broader civic, economic inclusion of young people. This includes participation at the UN. “

-Espinosa Garcés,  IPI  Forum  Apr. 9, 2019.