<p align="left">Hello from New York. First of all let me welcome you to this Global Consultation on the Rights of People Living with HIV to Sexual and Reproductive Health.</p>

<p align="left">I would like to thank Carolyn for inviting me this morning and I would like to commend the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children for issuing this very important report.</p>

<p align="left">Today, on International Women’s Day, I join others in paying tribute to women.</p>

<p>It is my honour to deliver a statement to this historic 50th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.</p>

<p>Today, during the next 24 hours, an estimated 6,000 girls will undergo the practice of female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C).</p>

<p class="bodytext">Today on World AIDS Day, it is time to pay tribute to the millions of individuals all over the world who have stood up and spoken honestly and openly about HIV/AIDS.</p>

<p>As the world commemorates the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, it is time to remind ourselves, as world leaders agreed at the 2005 World Summit, that progress for women is progress for all.</p>

<p class="bodytext">Ladies and Gentlemen,</p> <p class="bodytext">It gives me great pleasure to address you in this vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur. I would like to thank the International Steering Committee, especially the Federation of Family Planning Associations of Malaysia, for organizing this important Conference in collaboration with UNFPA, IPPF and the Ford Foundation and many other partners.</p>

<p>I would like to thank the Government of Indonesia for its warm hospitality and for hosting this important Conference.</p>

<p class="bodytext">Today, on the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, we can look back and feel good about certain accomplishments. Looking forward, we see there is still much to do.</p>

<p>It is a pleasure, again this year, to be in London to launch the <i>State of World Population 2005</i> report of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.</p>

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you this morning to our High-Level Panel on International Migration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).