UN-Habitat Deputy Executive Director Dr. Aisa Kacyira was one of
the key speakers at the opening of this year's Commission on the
Status of Women meeting that is currently taking place in New
York. Every year, representatives of Member States gather at the
United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on
gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and
formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and
women's empowerment worldwide. This is a week dedicated to the
plight of women and girls in developing countries and during the
session several parallel events including those that shine a
spotlight on women living in urban poor areas are held. Speaking
at the opening of the Commission, Deputy Executive Director of
UN-Habitat, Dr Aisa Kacyira, said: "There has been a long-
standing notion that the poor are better off in urban than rural
areas, but recent studies and research are showing the contrary.
Although conditions vary, research shows that women and girls
often suffer t