GENEVA - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) reacted positively on Wednesday to the Political Declaration adopted unanimously by the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), reaffirming its value of gender equality.

The UN Member States "also recognize the contributions of all women and girls, including adolescent girls, to their societies, and the opportunities to strengthen these contributions in decision making processes, and as agents of change as well as ensuring their equal access to safe, accessible and affordable digital technology and to inclusive and equitable quality education, including physical education and sports, and promote life-long learning as well as access to health-care services and to empower them and fulfill all their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and end all forms of violence and discrimination against them", according to the declaration.

IOC Member Laura Chinchilla spoke at a high-level ministerial roundtable to urge Member States to engage more strongly with the sports sector for the advancement of social development of women and girls.

She also reaffirmed ongoing collaboration with public authorities, the UN, development banks, the private sector and civil society to promote the social development of women by enhancing safe and inclusive access to sport.

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Participants in this year's CSW gathered at the UN Headquarters in New York from March 10-21 to discuss the developments since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration in 1995.