Choose a news category: All News Blog Entries MADRE Articles MADRE Statements Press Releases Talking Points Your Support in Action Go

A Step Towards a New and Powerful Voice for Women at the UN

Posted on: Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Keywords: UN

After more than three years of work and struggle by women's rights advocates worldwide, the UN General Assembly yesterday took a momentous step forward.  In a unanimous vote, they adopted a resolution pledging to create a new UN agency for women.

To date, the efforts of existing UN entities related to women's rights issues have been undermined by their lack of funding and political clout.  Unlike many other UN agencies, the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues, the UN Division for the Advancement of Women, and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), are not headed by an under-secretary-general, the third highest ranking position in the UN system.

All of these factors have combined to weaken the status of women's rights at the UN.

All of this is set to change with this week's historic resolution.

The new UN women's agency is set to be created in early 2010, out of the consolidation of the four existing women's entities, and led by an under-secretary-general.  The resolution charges Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with creating a detailed plan for the organization, funding and composition of the new agency.

The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign, mobilizing over 300 international organizations, has for years fought to change the status quo for women's rights at the UN.  In a statement, the GEAR Campaign commended this latest step forward, while recognizing the work that still remains to make this new UN women's agency a reality.  The campaign stated:

"Women around the world have waited a long time for the United Nations and member states to fulfill the promises made since the first International Women’s Year in 1975, the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) thirty years ago, as well as the UN World Conferences in Nairobi (1985) and Beijing (1995).

This is an important and crucial step forward – now it must be made operational without further delay."

 

To comment on this entry, visit myMADRE, the MADRE Blog.

 

« Back to "Press Room" Next Article »

Press Room

Article Tools

Increase Font Decrease Font Reset Font Print Page Email Page

Archives

"Press Room" Home May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 July 2006 June 2006 April 2006 March 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 April 2005 March 2005 November 2004 October 2004 April 2004 March 2004 January 2004 December 2003 October 2003 September 2003 June 2003 April 2003 January 2003 September 2002 June 2002 January 2002 November 2001 October 2001 September 2001 August 2001 January 2001