Donald Trump’s victory has strengthened the resolve of gender equality campaigners, UN Women chief of staff tells nurses

The battle for gender equality has become ‘even more determined and stubborn’ in the wake of the US presidential election result, the RCN International Centenary Conference has heard.

UN Women chief of staff Khetsiwe Dlamini told the conference on Tuesday that Hillary Clinton’s failed bid to became the first woman president in US history had only strengthened campaigners’ will to fight on for gender equality.

In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women as a global organisation for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Dr Dlamini made the statement following her speech to the conference in London, and in response to a question from former RCN general secretary Peter Carter.

Dr Carter expressed concerns about the progress of gender issues in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory earlier this month. 

No overnight fix

‘The whole advancement of women’s issues has been so impressive over the past few decades. Are they likely to slip off the agenda and slip back?,’ he asked.

In response, Dr Dlamini said UN Women had been hoping that there would finally be a female president in democrat Mrs Clinton.

'But we are not daunted. We will see that it happens,’ she said.

The fight goes on

She added: ‘The whole gender equality fight is not an overnight win… there will be setbacks but those setbacks we use to regroup and become even more determined and stubborn about our agenda.’

Dr Dlamini also told the conference that the UK had been a ‘key player’ in the goal to end discrimination against women.

She also paid tribute to the work of nurses in helping to end the Ebola crisis through sharing information to communities hit by the outbreak.

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