In a much anticipated decision in the General Assembly (GA), governments agreed in September to move ahead with the process of creating a stronger, more effiective, and better resourced gender entity in the UN system. The new organization will be led by an Under Secretary General (USG) who will carry the women’s empowerment mandate
at the highest levels within the UN. Once created, the organization will function at both operational and normative policy making levels, meaning it will have both local country offices and also a global policy function within the UN Secretariat. Women’s right advocates around the world pressured governments to adopt the GA resolution through an international campaign called “GEAR”, for Gender Equality Architecture Reform. There is still a need to continue putting political pressure on governments and the office of the Secretary General to move quickly with the process of hiring the USG and actually set up the organization. Most importantly, governments need to commit significant resources to make the promise a reality.
Cynthia Rothschild, Senior Policy Advisor
Charlotte Bunch, Founding Director and Senior Scholar
Center for Women’s Global Leadership