Madam President,

Thank you for circulating Draft Decision CD/WP.635 proposing linguistic technical updates to the Conference on Disarmament Rules of Procedure.

India supports the proposed updates that will have the effect of accurately reflecting that both women and men can occupy the roles of representative to the head of a CD delegation, President of the UN Secretary General to the Conference.  Language is important as it also affects perceptions and sometimes perpetuates gender stereotypes. However, we can also harness language to bridge gender biases and to reflect progress, diversity and inclusive. We believe that the proposed linguistic technical updates make the Rules of Procedure gender inclusive and is indeed a powerful way to promote gender equality.

Madam President,

India can support the proposed linguistic technical updates to the Conference on Disarmament Rules of Procedure as contained in CD/WP.635, we recognize the hard work done by you, Madam President, as well as the Australian Presidency, in this regard during last year. We hope that under your guidance and leadership, the much-needed proposal would reach fruition. My delegation has also been given to understand that the scope of the proposal is strictly limited to a technical update of the Rules of Procedure to make them gender neutral and is not intended to make any of the amendment to the Rules of Procedure.

I thank you, Madam President.