On October 29th the UN Security Council will hold its 8th annual debate on Women, Peace and Security (resolution 1325). This year’s debate will focus on women’s participation in peace processes, an essential component of the full implementation of resolution 1325.
With digital cameras, women in conflict-affected countries document their lives. Using their photographs, they advocate for themselves and make their voices heard. This project and exhibition are a few of many ways that the International Rescue Committee supports women and advances the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.To read more see the UNIFEM website.
Partner News
the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) wishes to hire an Evaluation Consultant to conduct an assessment of the iKNOW Politics project. The objective of the program assessment is to evaluate the extent to which iKNOW Politics has successfully completed the program objectives.
The assessment will inform NDI’s final substantive narrative report to UNDEF as well as provide input into the planning of the second phase of UNDEF funding (received September 2008) and future iKNOW Politics activities. The performance period is from November 10 to December 19, 2008. For more information, please see the attached RFP. Interested applicants should submit electronically: 1) a Curriculum Vitae (CV), 2) two letters of references, and 3) a letter of interest containing a proposed methodological approach to a network assessment and draft work plan. All application packages should be sent to Mireya Reith, Program Officer, Women’s Political Participation Team, NDI, at mreith@ndi.org , by 6:00PMEST on Friday, October 31, 2008.
Parliamentarian delegates to the IPU's 120th Assembly in Addis Ababa discussed the issue of women in politics on Monday, while a study conducted by the international body during the past two years found out that men are still better positioned in the political arena. Researchers interviewed nearly 300 parliamentarians in 110 counties in every region of the world, with most women respondents citing domestic responsibilities as the single most important deterrent to entering a life in politics, an obstacle rated much lower among male respondents.
To read the full article, please visit Xinhua Net.
The Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, and the Executive Director of UNIFEM, Mrs. Ines Alberdi, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join efforts to make cities and towns free from violence against women and girls. On average, violence makes up at least 25 to 30 percent of urban crime, and women, especially in developing countries, are twice as likely to be victims of violent aggression (including domestic violence) as men.
To read the new article, please visit UNIFEM's Website.
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Gender Practice Leader for its regional centre in Bangkok, Thailand.
To view the vacancy notice and apply online, please visit: UNDP jobs at http://jobs.undp.org.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI), an iKNOW Politics Partner, is seeking a Director of Women's Programs: Women's Political Participation, based in Washington, D.C.
To see the vacancy notice and to apply, please visit: the National Democratic Institute
The new decade begins with the election of another woman president. Laura Chinchilla, candidate for the Partido Liberación Nacional, won the presidential race in Costa Rica with 46.8 percent of the vote. In Chile, meanwhile, Michelle Bachelet is ending her term with an approval rating of 83 percent. Their stories are no longer mere anecdotes, but are charting a new course for women in Latin American politics.
In 2009, Latin America also witnessed important regulatory changes in women’s rights to political participation. New constitutions and legislation in Ecuador and Bolivia include provisions for parity in public office. In Costa Rica, Electoral Code reforms established parity, not only for candidate slates, but also for the makeup of all internal party structures. Does this mean Latin America is on the threshold of the “decade of parity”? Is there consensus about the need for balance between the number of men and women in politics?A look at the numbers shows Latin America is still far from that goal. Regionwide, women hold an average of 23 percent of ministerial posts and barely 20 percent of seats in both houses of Congress — 18 percent in Senates and 20 percent in lower houses/unicameral bodies. In the last round of legislative elections, through May 2009, the share of female candidates fielded by parties/coalitions was only 24 percent. Although in many countries women have made significant inroads in Congress, important positions remain off limits to them because of lack of support from parties. Women head only 20.5 percent of congressional committees or commissions. In addition, in the lower house/unicameral and upper chambers, women in the region represent a mere 11.5 and 6.6 percent of party caucus chiefs, respectively. WHO DECIDES IN PARTIES?The lack of support for women leaders in political parties is reflected in their representation in internal party structures. Although women make up more than 50 percent of the membership of many parties, they are largely absent from top party posts. Only 19 percent of party executive committee members are women, and the proportion of women who serve as party presidents or secretary generals is even lower, at 15.8 percent. This is especially serious, because these organisations and their top leaders not only oversee the choice of candidates, government plans and public policies once they are in office, but in many cases they also choose legislative leaders. If parties do not become more democratic and open their doors to women, how will this under-represented half of the population, which has much to contribute to politics, become visible?For several years, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its Program for the Support of Women’s Leadership and Representation (PROLEAD), and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) have been promoting women’s leadership and gender equality in Latin America. Because of the urgent need for reliable data about women’s political participation in areas that have received little attention, in 2008 the two organisations launched a study of 95 political parties. The figures cited above have been drawn from this study. This information will soon be available online through the database “Gender and Political Parties in Latin America (GEPPAL),” which will be freely accessible to anyone interested in increasing and enhancing women’s political participation as a way of strengthening the region’s democracies.For more information:Kristen Sample, Chief of Mission for Andean Countries International IDEALima, PeruTelephone: 511- 440-4092 – 440-4093 Email: k.sample@idea.intVivian Roza, CoordinatorProgram for the Support of Women’s Leadership and Representation (PROLEAD)Inter-American Development BankWashington, DC, USATelephone: 1-202-623-2571Email: vivianro@iadb.orgTo read the complete press release, please see the file attached.
Regional perspectives in progress achieved and remaining gaps and challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action On Thursday, representatives of the UN’s five regional commissions presented regional perspectives in progress achieved and remaining gaps and challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Platform.
They each reported that much progress has been made in a number of areas including girls’ education and women’s political participation. Nevertheless, the representative of Asia and the Pacific noted that maternal death is still extremely high in the region. The representative for Europe pointed to the inadequate availability of sex-disaggregated statistics and proposed to work more on policy dimensions of increasing men’s involvement in care and house work. The representative for Latin America and the Caribbean noted that if things progress at the current pace it will take 40 more years before the region can achieve gender parity in political participation. The representative was also concerned with the existing gender wage gap where a well-educated woman earns much less than non-educated man.At statements throughout the week, delegations of many countries expressed support for the UN’s proposed new gender entity, with several urging that it be finalized and operational as soon as possible.Member States Report on Links between MDGs and Beijing Platform for Action Delegations of 29 Member States presented their achievements and concerns related to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the Beijing Platform for Action during a dialogue of the high-level plenary on Thursday. United Nations system entities and non-governmental organizations shared innovative approaches and experiences and results achieved, as well as specific challenges in implementing the Platform for action and achieving the MDGs. The moderator’s summary of the dialogue contribute to the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review in July 2010 and the September 2010 High-level plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on accelerating progress towards the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.Notable highlights among the presentations discussed issues of reproductive and sexual health when tackling maternal health, financial commitments to the New Gender Entity, measuring progress towards “Delivering as One” with the United Nations, combining collaboration among multi-stakeholders and the individual responsibility of countries towards the international community for the achievement of MDGs and Beijing Platform for Action. As closing recommendations for action, it was noted that the gaps and challenges in the Beijing Platform for Action’s 12 areas of concern must be addressed through a coherent and multisectoral approach that took into account the impacts of the multiple global crises.See full report of the two panel events here Additional Resources:UNDP side events during the Commission on the Status of Women [PDF]UNDP Fast Facts on Progress since the Beijing Conference [PDF]UNDP’s messages for the Commission on the Status of Women 2010 [PDF] For more Information on the CSW15-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) Click here for WEBCAST
Regional perspectives in progress achieved and remaining gaps and challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action On Thursday, representatives of the UN’s five regional commissions presented regional perspectives in progress achieved and remaining gaps and challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Platform.
They each reported that much progress has been made in a number of areas including girls’ education and women’s political participation. Nevertheless, the representative of Asia and the Pacific noted that maternal death is still extremely high in the region. The representative for Europe pointed to the inadequate availability of sex-disaggregated statistics and proposed to work more on policy dimensions of increasing men’s involvement in care and house work. The representative for Latin America and the Caribbean noted that if things progress at the current pace it will take 40 more years before the region can achieve gender parity in political participation. The representative was also concerned with the existing gender wage gap where a well-educated woman earns much less than non-educated man.At statements throughout the week, delegations of many countries expressed support for the UN’s proposed new gender entity, with several urging that it be finalized and operational as soon as possible.Member States Report on Links between MDGs and Beijing Platform for Action Delegations of 29 Member States presented their achievements and concerns related to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the Beijing Platform for Action during a dialogue of the high-level plenary on Thursday. United Nations system entities and non-governmental organizations shared innovative approaches and experiences and results achieved, as well as specific challenges in implementing the Platform for action and achieving the MDGs. The moderator’s summary of the dialogue contribute to the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review in July 2010 and the September 2010 High-level plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on accelerating progress towards the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.Notable highlights among the presentations discussed issues of reproductive and sexual health when tackling maternal health, financial commitments to the New Gender Entity, measuring progress towards “Delivering as One” with the United Nations, combining collaboration among multi-stakeholders and the individual responsibility of countries towards the international community for the achievement of MDGs and Beijing Platform for Action. As closing recommendations for action, it was noted that the gaps and challenges in the Beijing Platform for Action’s 12 areas of concern must be addressed through a coherent and multisectoral approach that took into account the impacts of the multiple global crises.See full report of the two panel events here Additional Resources:UNDP side events during the Commission on the Status of Women [PDF]UNDP Fast Facts on Progress since the Beijing Conference [PDF]UNDP’s messages for the Commission on the Status of Women 2010 [PDF] For more Information on the CSW15-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) Click here for WEBCAST
New York/Geneva, 3 March 2010 - No. 336Taking stock of women’s political participation today gives cause for guarded satisfaction. Fifteen years after the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, overall improvements have been registered in parliamentary and executive spheres of government. Still, the target of gender balance in politics is far off in too many countries. In the words of Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), “Things have certainly improved, but not nearly as much as we would want them to”.
This is the main conclusion of a new survey on progress and setbacks of women in parliament released by the IPU. The survey is being published along with a new World Map of Women in Politics 2010, a poster-size map produced in cooperation with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women showing the number of women politicians by country and region.ParliamentsBy the start of 2010, the global average for the proportion of women parliamentarians reached a high of 18.8 per cent, compared to 1995, when it stood at 11.3 per cent. This equates to an average 0.5 percentage point gain per year. Ms. Rachel Mayanja, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues, noted that ECOSOC had set a target of 30 per cent women in leadership positions to be met by 1995. “We are a far cry from this goal. But we are determined to finish the Beijing agenda. We cannot afford any further delays in action to achieve the gender equality goals, including for women’s political participation.” While overall progress has been slow, some counties have progressed at a much faster pace than others. The number of parliamentary chambers reaching the 30-per-cent target now stands at 44 (16.7%) spread across 38 countries. This is a six-fold increase over 1995, when just seven chambers in seven countries achieved this goal. The range of 30 per cent-plus chambers is diverse and includes 16 in Europe, 13 in the Americas, 11 in Africa and four in the Asia-Pacific region. The number of chambers with a membership of 10 per cent or less women members has more than halved, from 62 per cent in 1995 to 27 per cent today.However, it is clear that challenges to women’s political empowerment remain in all regions. In several parliaments there have only ever been a handful of women, and the number of parliamentary chambers where no women have seats has not shown any dramatic decline, dropping from 13 in 1995 to 10 today. Women’s advancement into leadership positions in parliament has been much slower than the improvement in access to parliament. From 24 in 1995, there were 35 women Presiding Officers at the helm of parliaments at the start of 2010.Ministerial positionsFor women in the Executive and Heads of State, overall progress is even slower than at the parliamentary level. As shown in the World Map, women count for just nine out of the 151 elected Heads of State (6%) in 2010, up from just eight women leaders in 2005.On average, women hold 16 per cent of ministerial posts. In total, 30 countries have more than 30 per cent women members, with Cape Verde, Finland, Norway and Spain achieving over 50 per cent women ministers. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of countries with no women ministers has increased — from 13 in 2008 to 16 in 2010. The majority of these States are found in the Arab region, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.Compared with 2008, there is more diversification in terms of the portfolios held by women. As with previous years, however, women tend to dominate portfolios related to social affairs, children and youth, women’s affairs, and increasingly the environment.Detailed information on dedicated web page at: IPU.Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU - the oldest multilateral political organization in the world - currently brings together more than 150 affiliated national parliaments and eight associated regional assemblies. The world organization of parliaments also has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer to the United Nations.Contacts:In Geneva: Ms. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer. Tel.: ++41 22 919 41 16, e-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org and cbl@mail.ipu.orgIn New York: Ms. Julie Ballington, IPU Programme Specialist, Gender Partnership Programme. Tel. ++1 202 557 58 80; e-mail jb@mail.ipu.org; ny-office@mail.ipu.org
New York/Geneva, 3 March 2010 - No. 336Taking stock of women’s political participation today gives cause for guarded satisfaction. Fifteen years after the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, overall improvements have been registered in parliamentary and executive spheres of government. Still, the target of gender balance in politics is far off in too many countries. In the words of Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), “Things have certainly improved, but not nearly as much as we would want them to”.
This is the main conclusion of a new survey on progress and setbacks of women in parliament released by the IPU. The survey is being published along with a new World Map of Women in Politics 2010, a poster-size map produced in cooperation with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women showing the number of women politicians by country and region.ParliamentsBy the start of 2010, the global average for the proportion of women parliamentarians reached a high of 18.8 per cent, compared to 1995, when it stood at 11.3 per cent. This equates to an average 0.5 percentage point gain per year. Ms. Rachel Mayanja, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues, noted that ECOSOC had set a target of 30 per cent women in leadership positions to be met by 1995. “We are a far cry from this goal. But we are determined to finish the Beijing agenda. We cannot afford any further delays in action to achieve the gender equality goals, including for women’s political participation.” While overall progress has been slow, some counties have progressed at a much faster pace than others. The number of parliamentary chambers reaching the 30-per-cent target now stands at 44 (16.7%) spread across 38 countries. This is a six-fold increase over 1995, when just seven chambers in seven countries achieved this goal. The range of 30 per cent-plus chambers is diverse and includes 16 in Europe, 13 in the Americas, 11 in Africa and four in the Asia-Pacific region. The number of chambers with a membership of 10 per cent or less women members has more than halved, from 62 per cent in 1995 to 27 per cent today.However, it is clear that challenges to women’s political empowerment remain in all regions. In several parliaments there have only ever been a handful of women, and the number of parliamentary chambers where no women have seats has not shown any dramatic decline, dropping from 13 in 1995 to 10 today. Women’s advancement into leadership positions in parliament has been much slower than the improvement in access to parliament. From 24 in 1995, there were 35 women Presiding Officers at the helm of parliaments at the start of 2010.Ministerial positionsFor women in the Executive and Heads of State, overall progress is even slower than at the parliamentary level. As shown in the World Map, women count for just nine out of the 151 elected Heads of State (6%) in 2010, up from just eight women leaders in 2005.On average, women hold 16 per cent of ministerial posts. In total, 30 countries have more than 30 per cent women members, with Cape Verde, Finland, Norway and Spain achieving over 50 per cent women ministers. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of countries with no women ministers has increased — from 13 in 2008 to 16 in 2010. The majority of these States are found in the Arab region, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.Compared with 2008, there is more diversification in terms of the portfolios held by women. As with previous years, however, women tend to dominate portfolios related to social affairs, children and youth, women’s affairs, and increasingly the environment.Detailed information on dedicated web page at: IPU.Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU - the oldest multilateral political organization in the world - currently brings together more than 150 affiliated national parliaments and eight associated regional assemblies. The world organization of parliaments also has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer to the United Nations.Contacts:In Geneva: Ms. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer. Tel.: ++41 22 919 41 16, e-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org and cbl@mail.ipu.orgIn New York: Ms. Julie Ballington, IPU Programme Specialist, Gender Partnership Programme. Tel. ++1 202 557 58 80; e-mail jb@mail.ipu.org; ny-office@mail.ipu.org
New York/Geneva, 3 March 2010 - No. 336Taking stock of women’s political participation today gives cause for guarded satisfaction. Fifteen years after the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, overall improvements have been registered in parliamentary and executive spheres of government. Still, the target of gender balance in politics is far off in too many countries. In the words of Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), “Things have certainly improved, but not nearly as much as we would want them to”.
This is the main conclusion of a new survey on progress and setbacks of women in parliament released by the IPU. The survey is being published along with a new World Map of Women in Politics 2010, a poster-size map produced in cooperation with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women showing the number of women politicians by country and region.ParliamentsBy the start of 2010, the global average for the proportion of women parliamentarians reached a high of 18.8 per cent, compared to 1995, when it stood at 11.3 per cent. This equates to an average 0.5 percentage point gain per year. Ms. Rachel Mayanja, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues, noted that ECOSOC had set a target of 30 per cent women in leadership positions to be met by 1995. “We are a far cry from this goal. But we are determined to finish the Beijing agenda. We cannot afford any further delays in action to achieve the gender equality goals, including for women’s political participation.” While overall progress has been slow, some counties have progressed at a much faster pace than others. The number of parliamentary chambers reaching the 30-per-cent target now stands at 44 (16.7%) spread across 38 countries. This is a six-fold increase over 1995, when just seven chambers in seven countries achieved this goal. The range of 30 per cent-plus chambers is diverse and includes 16 in Europe, 13 in the Americas, 11 in Africa and four in the Asia-Pacific region. The number of chambers with a membership of 10 per cent or less women members has more than halved, from 62 per cent in 1995 to 27 per cent today.However, it is clear that challenges to women’s political empowerment remain in all regions. In several parliaments there have only ever been a handful of women, and the number of parliamentary chambers where no women have seats has not shown any dramatic decline, dropping from 13 in 1995 to 10 today. Women’s advancement into leadership positions in parliament has been much slower than the improvement in access to parliament. From 24 in 1995, there were 35 women Presiding Officers at the helm of parliaments at the start of 2010.Ministerial positionsFor women in the Executive and Heads of State, overall progress is even slower than at the parliamentary level. As shown in the World Map, women count for just nine out of the 151 elected Heads of State (6%) in 2010, up from just eight women leaders in 2005.On average, women hold 16 per cent of ministerial posts. In total, 30 countries have more than 30 per cent women members, with Cape Verde, Finland, Norway and Spain achieving over 50 per cent women ministers. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of countries with no women ministers has increased — from 13 in 2008 to 16 in 2010. The majority of these States are found in the Arab region, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.Compared with 2008, there is more diversification in terms of the portfolios held by women. As with previous years, however, women tend to dominate portfolios related to social affairs, children and youth, women’s affairs, and increasingly the environment.Detailed information on dedicated web page at: IPU.Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU - the oldest multilateral political organization in the world - currently brings together more than 150 affiliated national parliaments and eight associated regional assemblies. The world organization of parliaments also has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer to the United Nations.Contacts:In Geneva: Ms. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer. Tel.: ++41 22 919 41 16, e-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org and cbl@mail.ipu.orgIn New York: Ms. Julie Ballington, IPU Programme Specialist, Gender Partnership Programme. Tel. ++1 202 557 58 80; e-mail jb@mail.ipu.org; ny-office@mail.ipu.org
Women Must Be Involved and Funded in Post-Crisis Responses“Women are not heard, not respected and not funded,” said Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, at the UNDP/UNIFEM panel discussion, “The Price of Peace: Financing Gender Equality in Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction.” Robinson called for a requirement that 30 percent of negotiators in all peace processes be women for the UN to be involved.
Moderating the panel, UNDP Gender Team Director Winnie Byanyima cited a UNIFEM study indicating that in 10 major peace processes in the past decade, women were on average six percent of negotiators. Forthcoming research by UNDP indicates that no rules have been established to integrate gender equality into post-conflict funds.Ingrid Fiskaa, Norwegian State Secretary for International Development, said large funds must address women’s needs. “Women will not settle for a gender window – they want a door for full access to resources,” she said.Panelists also agreed solutions should include: earmarking funds for women’s needs in recovery and reconstruction; including gender expertise in all assessment missions; and making women’s economic empowerment a top priority in the aftermath of all crises, including the recent earthquake in Haiti.Click here for a list of panelists and details of the event. Voices of Haitian WomenThe earthquake in Haiti has left the impoverished country’s women even more vulnerable to sexual violence, sexually-transmitted diseases, poverty, disability and illness, Haiti Minister of Women’s Affairs Marjorie Michel said Wednesday at a panel, “Voices of Haitian Women,” organized by UNIFEM, UNDP and the Huairou Commission. Haitian Ambassador to the UN Leo Merores and Haitian activists from local organizations were also present.Michel said that the difficult situation of the country’s women has been exacerbated by the fact that many prominent women’s advocates and feminists died in the earthquake. She stressed the need to integrate women into all reconstruction efforts. “Reconstruction depends on solidarity for Haiti and equality between all humans and equality between women and men,” she said.Other panelists echoed her concerns about violence against women and cited the need for such things as creating income-generating projects for women; capacity building for single parents, given the large number of women-headed households; and ensuring that women have safe housing. Click here for a list of panelists and details of the event.Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to EqualityThe economic crisis’ impact on women and the opportunities it provides to rebuild global and national economies to make them more inclusive was the focus of the panel discussion, “Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to Equality,” sponsored by UNDP, IDRC and the Governments of Canada and Nicaragua.“The capitalist system has failed us,” said Nicaragua’s Minister of State, Ana Isabel Morales, adding that the Nicaragua may not achieve the MDGs but that Nicaragua has achieved a lot in empowering women at a decision-making level. Suzanne Clément, coordinator/head of agency Status of Women Canada, said the economic crisis has had a greater impact on women and that male needs have been prioritized over the needs of women and children.Three speakers from the Casablanca Dream, a group of women thinkers and activists, spoke about how the current economic system has failed “women, minorities and the poor in general.” They pointed to the need to transfer economic power from North to South and said that requirements for economic development include growth that “bubbles up” rather than “trickles down,” socially useful banking and finance, and support for equitable property rights.Click here for a list of panelists and details of the eventPlenary Observes International Women’s Day“We can be proud but not complacent,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon at the Plenary’s International Women’s Day Observance. The Secretary-General noted the prevalence of violence against women and also urged the General Assembly to adopt a resolution as soon as possible to commit to create the proposed UN gender entity. The press release on the SG’s statement is available here. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33954&Cr=gender+equality&C… Other speakers included Norway’s Minister for Gender Equality and Children’s Affairs (notably a man), who said there is no gender equality as long as violence against women exists; a Canadian high school student and Chinese immigrant who said that gender equality will not be eliminated as long as the preference for sons over daughters exists; and the president of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.Africa’s Women’s Affairs Ministers Focus on Gender-Responsive BudgetingAbout 30 participants from Women’s Affairs Ministries in Africa gathered for a two-day workshop this week on gender-responsive budgeting. After remarks by representatives of the Commonwealth Secretariat, UNDP, UNFPA and ECA, discussions focused on the economic crisis and the opportunity to integrate gender-budgeting into economic plans and policies; the need to strengthen capacities for gender-budgeting among gender machineries, members of parliament and civil society; the consideration of gender budgeting not as a separate women’s budget but as an integrated budget in which women as well as men’s needs are taken into account; and the need to determine women’s needs through a participatory process involving civil society and women.High-level Plenary – Statements March 1-3 – Click here for WEBCASTClick here for provisional list of speakersRegional groups:Argentina on behalf of the MERCOSUR and Associated StatesChile on behalf of the Rio Group ( English | Spanish )Equatorial Guinea on behalf of the African UnionSamoa on behalf of the Pacific Islands ForumYemen on behalf of the Group of 77 and China Member States:AfghanistanAngolaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustralia AustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBarbadosBelgium ( English | French )Botswana Brazil Burkina FasoCameroonCanadaCape VerdeChinaColombiaCongoCosta Rica CroatiaCzech RepublicDominican Republic ( English | Spanish )Ecuador EgyptEstonia FijiFinlandGambiaGhanaGermanyGreeceGuatemala Guinea Hungary IcelandIndonesiaIsraelItaly Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait LithuaniaLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLuxembourg MalawiMalaysiaMauritania Mexico ( English | Spanish )Mongolia Montenegro Morocco NamibiaNepalNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaPakistanPanamaParaguay Peru Philippines PortugalQatar Republic of KoreaRussian FederationSamoa Senegal SerbiaSierra Leone SloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth Africa SwazilandSwedenSwitzerland TunisiaTurkeyUgandaUnited KingdomUnited Republic of TanzaniaUnited States of AmericaViet NamZambiaZimbabweStatements by the UN:Ms. Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur on violence against women Other intergovernmental organizations:European Commission Inter-Parliamentary Union
Women Must Be Involved and Funded in Post-Crisis Responses“Women are not heard, not respected and not funded,” said Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, at the UNDP/UNIFEM panel discussion, “The Price of Peace: Financing Gender Equality in Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction.” Robinson called for a requirement that 30 percent of negotiators in all peace processes be women for the UN to be involved.
Moderating the panel, UNDP Gender Team Director Winnie Byanyima cited a UNIFEM study indicating that in 10 major peace processes in the past decade, women were on average six percent of negotiators. Forthcoming research by UNDP indicates that no rules have been established to integrate gender equality into post-conflict funds.Ingrid Fiskaa, Norwegian State Secretary for International Development, said large funds must address women’s needs. “Women will not settle for a gender window – they want a door for full access to resources,” she said.Panelists also agreed solutions should include: earmarking funds for women’s needs in recovery and reconstruction; including gender expertise in all assessment missions; and making women’s economic empowerment a top priority in the aftermath of all crises, including the recent earthquake in Haiti.Click here for a list of panelists and details of the event. Voices of Haitian WomenThe earthquake in Haiti has left the impoverished country’s women even more vulnerable to sexual violence, sexually-transmitted diseases, poverty, disability and illness, Haiti Minister of Women’s Affairs Marjorie Michel said Wednesday at a panel, “Voices of Haitian Women,” organized by UNIFEM, UNDP and the Huairou Commission. Haitian Ambassador to the UN Leo Merores and Haitian activists from local organizations were also present.Michel said that the difficult situation of the country’s women has been exacerbated by the fact that many prominent women’s advocates and feminists died in the earthquake. She stressed the need to integrate women into all reconstruction efforts. “Reconstruction depends on solidarity for Haiti and equality between all humans and equality between women and men,” she said.Other panelists echoed her concerns about violence against women and cited the need for such things as creating income-generating projects for women; capacity building for single parents, given the large number of women-headed households; and ensuring that women have safe housing. Click here for a list of panelists and details of the event.Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to EqualityThe economic crisis’ impact on women and the opportunities it provides to rebuild global and national economies to make them more inclusive was the focus of the panel discussion, “Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to Equality,” sponsored by UNDP, IDRC and the Governments of Canada and Nicaragua.“The capitalist system has failed us,” said Nicaragua’s Minister of State, Ana Isabel Morales, adding that the Nicaragua may not achieve the MDGs but that Nicaragua has achieved a lot in empowering women at a decision-making level. Suzanne Clément, coordinator/head of agency Status of Women Canada, said the economic crisis has had a greater impact on women and that male needs have been prioritized over the needs of women and children.Three speakers from the Casablanca Dream, a group of women thinkers and activists, spoke about how the current economic system has failed “women, minorities and the poor in general.” They pointed to the need to transfer economic power from North to South and said that requirements for economic development include growth that “bubbles up” rather than “trickles down,” socially useful banking and finance, and support for equitable property rights.Click here for a list of panelists and details of the eventPlenary Observes International Women’s Day“We can be proud but not complacent,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon at the Plenary’s International Women’s Day Observance. The Secretary-General noted the prevalence of violence against women and also urged the General Assembly to adopt a resolution as soon as possible to commit to create the proposed UN gender entity. The press release on the SG’s statement is available here. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33954&Cr=gender+equality&C… Other speakers included Norway’s Minister for Gender Equality and Children’s Affairs (notably a man), who said there is no gender equality as long as violence against women exists; a Canadian high school student and Chinese immigrant who said that gender equality will not be eliminated as long as the preference for sons over daughters exists; and the president of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.Africa’s Women’s Affairs Ministers Focus on Gender-Responsive BudgetingAbout 30 participants from Women’s Affairs Ministries in Africa gathered for a two-day workshop this week on gender-responsive budgeting. After remarks by representatives of the Commonwealth Secretariat, UNDP, UNFPA and ECA, discussions focused on the economic crisis and the opportunity to integrate gender-budgeting into economic plans and policies; the need to strengthen capacities for gender-budgeting among gender machineries, members of parliament and civil society; the consideration of gender budgeting not as a separate women’s budget but as an integrated budget in which women as well as men’s needs are taken into account; and the need to determine women’s needs through a participatory process involving civil society and women.High-level Plenary – Statements March 1-3 – Click here for WEBCASTClick here for provisional list of speakersRegional groups:Argentina on behalf of the MERCOSUR and Associated StatesChile on behalf of the Rio Group ( English | Spanish )Equatorial Guinea on behalf of the African UnionSamoa on behalf of the Pacific Islands ForumYemen on behalf of the Group of 77 and China Member States:AfghanistanAngolaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustralia AustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBarbadosBelgium ( English | French )Botswana Brazil Burkina FasoCameroonCanadaCape VerdeChinaColombiaCongoCosta Rica CroatiaCzech RepublicDominican Republic ( English | Spanish )Ecuador EgyptEstonia FijiFinlandGambiaGhanaGermanyGreeceGuatemala Guinea Hungary IcelandIndonesiaIsraelItaly Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait LithuaniaLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLuxembourg MalawiMalaysiaMauritania Mexico ( English | Spanish )Mongolia Montenegro Morocco NamibiaNepalNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaPakistanPanamaParaguay Peru Philippines PortugalQatar Republic of KoreaRussian FederationSamoa Senegal SerbiaSierra Leone SloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth Africa SwazilandSwedenSwitzerland TunisiaTurkeyUgandaUnited KingdomUnited Republic of TanzaniaUnited States of AmericaViet NamZambiaZimbabweStatements by the UN:Ms. Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur on violence against women Other intergovernmental organizations:European Commission Inter-Parliamentary Union
The Commission on the Status of Women was in full swing on Tuesday, with countries continuing to report on progress since Beijing and UNDP participating in side events on HIV/AIDS, the Beijing Platform for Action’s links to achieving the MDGs, and considerations of gender in the mitigation of and response to climate change.
Countries Report on Progress and Express Support for Gender EntityDuring the morning Plenary session, more than 14 countries reported on progress toward gender equality since Beijing. The most common interventions discussed were in the areas of violence against women, including related laws; the creation of ministries of gender equality; legal reforms related to marriage, housing and land ownership; education; and HIV/AIDS. While African countries emphasized poverty reduction, several European countries spoke about work/life balance, such as promoting paternity leave. The most notable progress on women’s empowerment and gender equality was reported by Sweden and Norway, whose reports were particularly well received.Nearly all the countries expressed full support for the UN’s new gender entity and two countries underscored the importance of having the new entity be fully operational by the MDG Summit in September.In Africa, a “Decade of Women”During the General Assembly’s commemorative meeting to mark the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a representative from the African Union said the AU is going to focus on women in the coming decade and has declared 2010 to 2020 to be the “decade of women.”Beijing Platform + CEDAW + MDGs = Progress on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment About 80 people attended a breakfast dialogue, Take Action Now: The Pathway from Beijing to 2015, at which it was underscored that the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination and the MDGS are mutually reinforcing. High-level representatives of the governments of Egypt and Denmark and representatives of Cambodia, Burkina Faso and Zambia spoke about specific actions taken in their countries to achieve MDG 3.Denmark, a champion for MDG3, emphasized the need to focus on a wide range of financial resources (e.g. ODA, domestic resource mobilization and remittances) to achieve the MDGs by 2015. Egypt reported building capacity on gender-responsive planning and budgeting, and Cambodia recounted progress in integrating gender equality in national policy and planning frameworks. There was particular interest in UNDP Burkina Faso’s presentation on how multifunctional platforms have supplied energy to reduce the time required for labour intensive tasks and enabled women to shift to income-generating activities. Recommendations for action included establishing powerful mechanisms for supporting work on gender equality at the national level; providing incentives for promoting gender equality, such as through the gender seal for private companies in Latin America; and engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including government, UN agencies, NGOs, academia and the private sector, to achieve the MDGs. The role of men champions was also highlighted, as well as the importance of having women leaders in strategic positions such as ministries of finance, planning and labour. Putting gender into HIV/AIDS response and HIV/AIDS into gender plansSinger/activist Annie Lennox, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and UN Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro were among the panelists who helped launch an Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV (2010-2014). Panelists and participants welcomed the plan, which was developed to address gender inequalities and human rights violations that continue to put women and girls at risk of HIV infection. Panelists urged all sectors of society to work together to help countries implement the plan, which was described as a “long overdue” gender-centric approach to HIV/AIDS.“No more pilots, it’s time for action,” said Clark, agreeing with several ministers who urged immediate implementation of the plan in all countries. “Governments, international, multilateral and civil society organizations need to integrate gender issues into the HIV programmes - and to integrate HIV issues into gender programmes,” Clark said. “These are fundamental matters that cannot be dealt with separately."Annie Lenox recounted how she became an activist on HIV awareness after an invitation from former South African President Nelson Mandela to engage artists. “He said that the HIV pandemic is a genocide. And it is. Music, film, writing...all of these are creative ways to help transform HIV into something from the past."UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe, moderating the panel, was one of several people on the panel and in the audience who noted the critical importance of addressing violence against women, both in preventing and responding to HIV/AIDS.Gender Equality Key to Climate Change ResponseThe importance of considering gender implications in the response to climate change was the focus of the panel discussion, Gender Equality and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for the MDGs, which drew a crowd of over 140 people. Winnie Byanyima, Director of the UNDP Gender Team, emphasized the growing opportunity of a new climate deal for financing adaptation and development, but cautioned that little attention has been given so far to addressing how climate change financial resources can reach the poorest women and men equitably. A representative from the Finnish Council for Gender Equality said that Finland will continue to support the participation of women in the global climate change negotiations in recognition of the important voice they bring to the table, as environmental stewards in many regions of the world where they are responsible for the majority of food production and in meeting household energy needs.Panelists agreed that sustained investments are needed in building the capacities of negotiators to understand the linkages between gender and climate change. Melanne Verveer, the US Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues, said that the United States recognizes that women, are critical to addressing climate change and that the U.S. will work to ensure that women's potential "is tapped to address this critical challenge." The representative from the Mexican government emphasized the importance of reaching a new climate agreement at the next COP meeting to be held in Cancun, Mexico in November 2010. There was general agreement among the panelists that the debate could be further strengthened if women's organizations were more focused on climate change as a development issue and, at the same time, if more environmental groups were to focus on the role of women's rights and gender issues.High-level Plenary – Statements March 1-2Click here for provisional list of speakers.Regional groups:Argentina on behalf of the MERCOSUR and Associated States.Chile on behalf of the Rio Group ( English | Spanish )Equatorial Guinea on behalf of the African UnionSamoa on behalf of the Pacific Islands ForumYemen on behalf of the Group of 77 and China Member States:AfghanistanAustriaAzerbaijanCameroonCanadaChinaBahamasBarbadosBrazil Belgium ( English | French )Cape VerdeCzech RepublicEstonia FijiGambiaGermanyGreeceIcelandIndonesiaItaly Jordan Kenya LithuaniaLuxembourg Mauritania Mexico ( English | Spanish )Montenegro Morocco NamibiaNepalNew ZealandNicaraguaParaguay Peru Philippines PortugalQatar Republic of KoreaRussian FederationSamoa Senegal South Africa SwedenTurkeyUgandaUnited KingdomUnited Republic of TanzaniaViet NamZambiaZimbabweOther intergovernmental organizations:European Commission Background Documentation:Global 15-year review process in the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women OverviewNational level review of implementation QuestionnaireMember States responsesRegional 15-year review processes Regional reportsRegional meetings
The Commission on the Status of Women was in full swing on Tuesday, with countries continuing to report on progress since Beijing and UNDP participating in side events on HIV/AIDS, the Beijing Platform for Action’s links to achieving the MDGs, and considerations of gender in the mitigation of and response to climate change.
Countries Report on Progress and Express Support for Gender EntityDuring the morning Plenary session, more than 14 countries reported on progress toward gender equality since Beijing. The most common interventions discussed were in the areas of violence against women, including related laws; the creation of ministries of gender equality; legal reforms related to marriage, housing and land ownership; education; and HIV/AIDS. While African countries emphasized poverty reduction, several European countries spoke about work/life balance, such as promoting paternity leave. The most notable progress on women’s empowerment and gender equality was reported by Sweden and Norway, whose reports were particularly well received.Nearly all the countries expressed full support for the UN’s new gender entity and two countries underscored the importance of having the new entity be fully operational by the MDG Summit in September.In Africa, a “Decade of Women”During the General Assembly’s commemorative meeting to mark the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a representative from the African Union said the AU is going to focus on women in the coming decade and has declared 2010 to 2020 to be the “decade of women.”Beijing Platform + CEDAW + MDGs = Progress on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment About 80 people attended a breakfast dialogue, Take Action Now: The Pathway from Beijing to 2015, at which it was underscored that the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination and the MDGS are mutually reinforcing. High-level representatives of the governments of Egypt and Denmark and representatives of Cambodia, Burkina Faso and Zambia spoke about specific actions taken in their countries to achieve MDG 3.Denmark, a champion for MDG3, emphasized the need to focus on a wide range of financial resources (e.g. ODA, domestic resource mobilization and remittances) to achieve the MDGs by 2015. Egypt reported building capacity on gender-responsive planning and budgeting, and Cambodia recounted progress in integrating gender equality in national policy and planning frameworks. There was particular interest in UNDP Burkina Faso’s presentation on how multifunctional platforms have supplied energy to reduce the time required for labour intensive tasks and enabled women to shift to income-generating activities. Recommendations for action included establishing powerful mechanisms for supporting work on gender equality at the national level; providing incentives for promoting gender equality, such as through the gender seal for private companies in Latin America; and engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including government, UN agencies, NGOs, academia and the private sector, to achieve the MDGs. The role of men champions was also highlighted, as well as the importance of having women leaders in strategic positions such as ministries of finance, planning and labour. Putting gender into HIV/AIDS response and HIV/AIDS into gender plansSinger/activist Annie Lennox, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and UN Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro were among the panelists who helped launch an Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV (2010-2014). Panelists and participants welcomed the plan, which was developed to address gender inequalities and human rights violations that continue to put women and girls at risk of HIV infection. Panelists urged all sectors of society to work together to help countries implement the plan, which was described as a “long overdue” gender-centric approach to HIV/AIDS.“No more pilots, it’s time for action,” said Clark, agreeing with several ministers who urged immediate implementation of the plan in all countries. “Governments, international, multilateral and civil society organizations need to integrate gender issues into the HIV programmes - and to integrate HIV issues into gender programmes,” Clark said. “These are fundamental matters that cannot be dealt with separately."Annie Lenox recounted how she became an activist on HIV awareness after an invitation from former South African President Nelson Mandela to engage artists. “He said that the HIV pandemic is a genocide. And it is. Music, film, writing...all of these are creative ways to help transform HIV into something from the past."UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe, moderating the panel, was one of several people on the panel and in the audience who noted the critical importance of addressing violence against women, both in preventing and responding to HIV/AIDS.Gender Equality Key to Climate Change ResponseThe importance of considering gender implications in the response to climate change was the focus of the panel discussion, Gender Equality and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for the MDGs, which drew a crowd of over 140 people. Winnie Byanyima, Director of the UNDP Gender Team, emphasized the growing opportunity of a new climate deal for financing adaptation and development, but cautioned that little attention has been given so far to addressing how climate change financial resources can reach the poorest women and men equitably. A representative from the Finnish Council for Gender Equality said that Finland will continue to support the participation of women in the global climate change negotiations in recognition of the important voice they bring to the table, as environmental stewards in many regions of the world where they are responsible for the majority of food production and in meeting household energy needs.Panelists agreed that sustained investments are needed in building the capacities of negotiators to understand the linkages between gender and climate change. Melanne Verveer, the US Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues, said that the United States recognizes that women, are critical to addressing climate change and that the U.S. will work to ensure that women's potential "is tapped to address this critical challenge." The representative from the Mexican government emphasized the importance of reaching a new climate agreement at the next COP meeting to be held in Cancun, Mexico in November 2010. There was general agreement among the panelists that the debate could be further strengthened if women's organizations were more focused on climate change as a development issue and, at the same time, if more environmental groups were to focus on the role of women's rights and gender issues.High-level Plenary – Statements March 1-2Click here for provisional list of speakers.Regional groups:Argentina on behalf of the MERCOSUR and Associated States.Chile on behalf of the Rio Group ( English | Spanish )Equatorial Guinea on behalf of the African UnionSamoa on behalf of the Pacific Islands ForumYemen on behalf of the Group of 77 and China Member States:AfghanistanAustriaAzerbaijanCameroonCanadaChinaBahamasBarbadosBrazil Belgium ( English | French )Cape VerdeCzech RepublicEstonia FijiGambiaGermanyGreeceIcelandIndonesiaItaly Jordan Kenya LithuaniaLuxembourg Mauritania Mexico ( English | Spanish )Montenegro Morocco NamibiaNepalNew ZealandNicaraguaParaguay Peru Philippines PortugalQatar Republic of KoreaRussian FederationSamoa Senegal South Africa SwedenTurkeyUgandaUnited KingdomUnited Republic of TanzaniaViet NamZambiaZimbabweOther intergovernmental organizations:European Commission Background Documentation:Global 15-year review process in the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women OverviewNational level review of implementation QuestionnaireMember States responsesRegional 15-year review processes Regional reportsRegional meetings
BEIJING+ 15 OPENS; LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS GATHER TO REVIEW PROGRESS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT The 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women opened at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday, bringing together UN senior officials, ministers, heads of delegations, activists and NGOs from throughout the globe to assess progress and challenges in women’s empowerment and gender equality.
The gathering, which continues through March 12, is focused on a 15-year review since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action were adopted at the landmark Fourth United Nations World Conference for Women in 1995. By Monday afternoon, over 2000 participants had registered, representing 333 non-governmental organizations from around the world. Among the scores of ministers and government leaders who traveled from their capitals to speak at the gathering were the Minister of Gender Equality from Spain, who was representing the European Union; the Samoan Minister for Women, Community and Societal Development, representing the Pacific Islands Forum; and the State Minister for Women and Family Affairs from Turkey. UN speakers included the director of UNIFEM and the chairperson of the General Assembly.Speakers expressed their support for implementing the Beijing Platform for Action and reported on areas of progress in their countries. Several mentioned the importance of addressing violence against women, migration issues and poverty. Some expressed support for the UN’s new gender entity yet despite anticipation; there were no formal announcements about the new entity or its leadership.In essence, Monday’s events set the stage for the following nine days of high-level plenaries, panel discussions and issue-oriented gatherings. More information about the event is available here on the UNDP website: http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2010/march/15-years-after-landmark-… See the links below for more information on UNDP’s participation in the 54th Commission on the Status of Women:o List of UNDP side events during the Commission on the Status of Women [PDF]o UNDP Fast Facts on Progress since the Beijing Conference [PDF]o UNDP’s message for the Commission on the Status of Women 2010 [PDF]o UNDP’s work on Women’s EmpowermentSee below Opening statements from Monday, 1 March• H.E. Mr. Garen Nazarian, Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women• Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General• H.E. Mr. Hamidon Ali, President of the Economic and Social Council• Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs• Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women• Ms. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director, UNIFEM• Ms. Naéla Gabr, Chairperson, CEDAWHigh-Level PlenaryRegional groups:Argentina on behalf of the MERCOSUR and Associated StatesChile on behalf of the Rio GroupSamoa on behalf of the Pacific Islands ForumYemen on behalf of the Group of 77 and China Member StatesChinaGambiaNew ZealandTurkeyUnited KingdomBackground Documentation:Global 15-year review process in the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women OverviewNational level review of implementation QuestionnaireMember States responsesRegional 15-year review processes Regional reportsRegional meetings
BEIJING+ 15 OPENS; LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS GATHER TO REVIEW PROGRESS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT The 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women opened at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday, bringing together UN senior officials, ministers, heads of delegations, activists and NGOs from throughout the globe to assess progress and challenges in women’s empowerment and gender equality.
The gathering, which continues through March 12, is focused on a 15-year review since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action were adopted at the landmark Fourth United Nations World Conference for Women in 1995. By Monday afternoon, over 2000 participants had registered, representing 333 non-governmental organizations from around the world. Among the scores of ministers and government leaders who traveled from their capitals to speak at the gathering were the Minister of Gender Equality from Spain, who was representing the European Union; the Samoan Minister for Women, Community and Societal Development, representing the Pacific Islands Forum; and the State Minister for Women and Family Affairs from Turkey. UN speakers included the director of UNIFEM and the chairperson of the General Assembly.Speakers expressed their support for implementing the Beijing Platform for Action and reported on areas of progress in their countries. Several mentioned the importance of addressing violence against women, migration issues and poverty. Some expressed support for the UN’s new gender entity yet despite anticipation; there were no formal announcements about the new entity or its leadership.In essence, Monday’s events set the stage for the following nine days of high-level plenaries, panel discussions and issue-oriented gatherings. More information about the event is available here on the UNDP website: http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2010/march/15-years-after-landmark-… See the links below for more information on UNDP’s participation in the 54th Commission on the Status of Women:o List of UNDP side events during the Commission on the Status of Women [PDF]o UNDP Fast Facts on Progress since the Beijing Conference [PDF]o UNDP’s message for the Commission on the Status of Women 2010 [PDF]o UNDP’s work on Women’s EmpowermentSee below Opening statements from Monday, 1 March• H.E. Mr. Garen Nazarian, Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women• Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General• H.E. Mr. Hamidon Ali, President of the Economic and Social Council• Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs• Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women• Ms. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director, UNIFEM• Ms. Naéla Gabr, Chairperson, CEDAWHigh-Level PlenaryRegional groups:Argentina on behalf of the MERCOSUR and Associated StatesChile on behalf of the Rio GroupSamoa on behalf of the Pacific Islands ForumYemen on behalf of the Group of 77 and China Member StatesChinaGambiaNew ZealandTurkeyUnited KingdomBackground Documentation:Global 15-year review process in the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women OverviewNational level review of implementation QuestionnaireMember States responsesRegional 15-year review processes Regional reportsRegional meetings
An overview of UNDP's engagement at the 54th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to be held from March 1 to March 12, 2010.
This CSW is particularly notable as it will undertake a 15-year review of progress toward gender equality since the landmark Beijing Conference for Women in 1995. UNDP's focus during the CSW will be to underscore how progress on the Beijing Platform for Action’s 12 critical areas of concern will accelerate progress on the MDGs. Making this link – between gender equality and the MDGs – will also be important for the upcoming MDG Summit in September. The following Key Messages, Key Facts and event poster underscore this theme. UNDP is organizing, co-hosting and participating in several notable events during the CSW. They include panel discussions on: # The Price of Peace: Financing Gender Equality in Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction. Co-hosted by UNDP and UNIFEM. Panelists include Mary Robinson Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative and formerly President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ingrid Fiskaa, Norwegian State Secretary for International Development, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, and Jordan Ryan, Assistant Secretary-General, and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, UNDP.# Gender Equality and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for the MDGs. Co-hosted by The International Alliance for Women, GCCA, UNDP, UNIFEM WEDO. Panelists include, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, US Ambassador for Global Women’s Affairs, Heidi Hautala, Chair, Finnish Council for Gender Equality and H.E. Ambassador Claude Heller, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Mexico.# Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to Equality. Co-hosted by UNDP, IDRC and the Permanent Missions to the UN of Canada and Nicaragua. Panelists include Suzanne Clément, Coordinator/Head of Agency, Status of Women Canada, and Nafis Sadik, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General and Special Envoy for HIV/ AIDS in Asia.# Take Action Now: The Pathway from Beijing to 2015. Co-hosted by UNDP, UNIFEM and the Governments of Denmark and Egypt. Panelists include Elizabeth Salguero, Parliament of Bolivia, Emily Sikazwe, Executive Director of Women for Change, Zambia and Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM.# Launch of the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, a UNAIDS event. Panelists include . Ms. Asha Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, Mr. Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director (moderator) and Annie Lennox, Advocate for women, girls and HIV.UNDP is also organizing and participating in panel discussions, breakfasts and side meetings on such topics as democratic governance and women’s rights; women, HIV and human rights; resourcing home-based caregivers in Africa; and ensuring women’s equitable participation and leadership in reconstruction in Haiti. For a complete list of side events involving UNDP, please see the attached flyer. Daily updates on CSW events and sessions will be posted on GenderNet. You can also view the main agenda and full list of side events on the official CSW website. For further information about UNDP’s participation in the CSW, contact Kim Henderson in the Gender Team.
An overview of UNDP's engagement at the 54th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to be held from March 1 to March 12, 2010.
This CSW is particularly notable as it will undertake a 15-year review of progress toward gender equality since the landmark Beijing Conference for Women in 1995. UNDP's focus during the CSW will be to underscore how progress on the Beijing Platform for Action’s 12 critical areas of concern will accelerate progress on the MDGs. Making this link – between gender equality and the MDGs – will also be important for the upcoming MDG Summit in September. The following Key Messages, Key Facts and event poster underscore this theme. UNDP is organizing, co-hosting and participating in several notable events during the CSW. They include panel discussions on: # The Price of Peace: Financing Gender Equality in Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction. Co-hosted by UNDP and UNIFEM. Panelists include Mary Robinson Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative and formerly President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ingrid Fiskaa, Norwegian State Secretary for International Development, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, and Jordan Ryan, Assistant Secretary-General, and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, UNDP.# Gender Equality and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for the MDGs. Co-hosted by The International Alliance for Women, GCCA, UNDP, UNIFEM WEDO. Panelists include, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, US Ambassador for Global Women’s Affairs, Heidi Hautala, Chair, Finnish Council for Gender Equality and H.E. Ambassador Claude Heller, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Mexico.# Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to Equality. Co-hosted by UNDP, IDRC and the Permanent Missions to the UN of Canada and Nicaragua. Panelists include Suzanne Clément, Coordinator/Head of Agency, Status of Women Canada, and Nafis Sadik, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General and Special Envoy for HIV/ AIDS in Asia.# Take Action Now: The Pathway from Beijing to 2015. Co-hosted by UNDP, UNIFEM and the Governments of Denmark and Egypt. Panelists include Elizabeth Salguero, Parliament of Bolivia, Emily Sikazwe, Executive Director of Women for Change, Zambia and Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM.# Launch of the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, a UNAIDS event. Panelists include . Ms. Asha Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, Mr. Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director (moderator) and Annie Lennox, Advocate for women, girls and HIV.UNDP is also organizing and participating in panel discussions, breakfasts and side meetings on such topics as democratic governance and women’s rights; women, HIV and human rights; resourcing home-based caregivers in Africa; and ensuring women’s equitable participation and leadership in reconstruction in Haiti. For a complete list of side events involving UNDP, please see the attached flyer. Daily updates on CSW events and sessions will be posted on GenderNet. You can also view the main agenda and full list of side events on the official CSW website. For further information about UNDP’s participation in the CSW, contact Kim Henderson in the Gender Team.
An overview of UNDP's engagement at the 54th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to be held from March 1 to March 12, 2010.
This CSW is particularly notable as it will undertake a 15-year review of progress toward gender equality since the landmark Beijing Conference for Women in 1995. UNDP's focus during the CSW will be to underscore how progress on the Beijing Platform for Action’s 12 critical areas of concern will accelerate progress on the MDGs. Making this link – between gender equality and the MDGs – will also be important for the upcoming MDG Summit in September. The following Key Messages, Key Facts and event poster underscore this theme. UNDP is organizing, co-hosting and participating in several notable events during the CSW. They include panel discussions on: # The Price of Peace: Financing Gender Equality in Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction. Co-hosted by UNDP and UNIFEM. Panelists include Mary Robinson Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative and formerly President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ingrid Fiskaa, Norwegian State Secretary for International Development, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, and Jordan Ryan, Assistant Secretary-General, and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, UNDP.# Gender Equality and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for the MDGs. Co-hosted by The International Alliance for Women, GCCA, UNDP, UNIFEM WEDO. Panelists include, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, US Ambassador for Global Women’s Affairs, Heidi Hautala, Chair, Finnish Council for Gender Equality and H.E. Ambassador Claude Heller, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Mexico.# Vision for a Better World: From Economic Crisis to Equality. Co-hosted by UNDP, IDRC and the Permanent Missions to the UN of Canada and Nicaragua. Panelists include Suzanne Clément, Coordinator/Head of Agency, Status of Women Canada, and Nafis Sadik, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General and Special Envoy for HIV/ AIDS in Asia.# Take Action Now: The Pathway from Beijing to 2015. Co-hosted by UNDP, UNIFEM and the Governments of Denmark and Egypt. Panelists include Elizabeth Salguero, Parliament of Bolivia, Emily Sikazwe, Executive Director of Women for Change, Zambia and Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM.# Launch of the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, a UNAIDS event. Panelists include . Ms. Asha Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, Mr. Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director (moderator) and Annie Lennox, Advocate for women, girls and HIV.UNDP is also organizing and participating in panel discussions, breakfasts and side meetings on such topics as democratic governance and women’s rights; women, HIV and human rights; resourcing home-based caregivers in Africa; and ensuring women’s equitable participation and leadership in reconstruction in Haiti. For a complete list of side events involving UNDP, please see the attached flyer. Daily updates on CSW events and sessions will be posted on GenderNet. You can also view the main agenda and full list of side events on the official CSW website. For further information about UNDP’s participation in the CSW, contact Kim Henderson in the Gender Team.
Women in the Asia Pacific region have the lowest rates of representation in politics, employment and property ownership, a new report presented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has revealed.The Asia Pacific Human Development report on gender, which was made public on the occasion of the 100th International Women’s Day today, revealed that women in the Asia Pacific region are socially, physically and economically backward and the progress remains slow particularly in South Asia.
To read the complete news piece please visit The Himalayan Times.
Women in the Asia Pacific region have the lowest rates of representation in politics, employment and property ownership, a new report presented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has revealed.The Asia Pacific Human Development report on gender, which was made public on the occasion of the 100th International Women’s Day today, revealed that women in the Asia Pacific region are socially, physically and economically backward and the progress remains slow particularly in South Asia.
To read the complete news piece please visit The Himalayan Times.
Women in the Asia Pacific region have the lowest rates of representation in politics, employment and property ownership, a new report presented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has revealed.The Asia Pacific Human Development report on gender, which was made public on the occasion of the 100th International Women’s Day today, revealed that women in the Asia Pacific region are socially, physically and economically backward and the progress remains slow particularly in South Asia.
To read the complete news piece please visit The Himalayan Times.
To better clarify the conceptual linkages and potential programmatic synergies between electoral assistance and parliamentary development, UNDP’s Democratic Governance Group requires the services of a consultant to develop a Concept Note that builds on the backgrounder prepared by the UNDP Brussels Office and reflects all of UNDP’s interests in electoral assistance and parliamentary development, including the pros and cons of closer integration and the practical impediments and recommendations for doing so.
Location : Home basedApplication Deadline : 24-Mar-10Type of Contract : SSALanguages Required : English Starting Date :(date when the selected canditate is expected to start) 05-Apr-2010Duration of Initial Contract : 20 working daysExpected Duration of Assignment : 30 April 2010To read the complete details please visit UNDP.org.