Campaign for Gender Equality Architecture Reform at the UN
In 2006, women from all over the world pressured the United Nations to add the reform of its gender equality bodies on the agenda of its reform process. The GEAR Campaign, a network of more than 310 civil society organisations, was formally launched in 2008 to follow up this process.
The GEAR Campaign (Gender Equality Architecture Reform) was notably demanding the consolidation of the existing UN agencies addressing gender equality into a single improved and independent entity and the involvement of women’s organisations and global civil society in its processes.
In September 2009, all 192 member states of the UN General Assembly finally adopted a resolution agreeing to the creation of a consolidated and stronger UN agency for women. "Now we must ensure that it is a robust and transformational body, capable of advancing the realisation of women’s rights on the ground, urgently and effectively" declared Charlotte Bunch, Founding Director, Center for Women’s Global Leadership, USA.
In order to achieve this, the agreed new women’s agency urgently needs sustained political commitment from all governments and immediate, substantial funding to ensure its effective establishment and success. Specifically, the new women's agency must have
- world coverage and the necessary country presence and strong policy and programmatic mandate to effectively improve the lives of women worldwide
- accountability mechanisms in place at both national and international levels, including through meaningful involvement of civil society, particularly women’s non-governmental organisations.
- substantial and predictable resources to ensure the capacity to meet expectations and deliver results at all levels. It must be funded initially at a minimum level of $1 billion USD, with increases over time
- an Under-Secretary-General, appointed by International Women’s Day on 8 March 2010, in order to lead the agency
Show your solidarity for women worldwide, visit the GEAR Campaign website for more information on how to support the campaign.
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Gear Up now for a UN that works for women
The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign, a network of over 300 women’s, human rights and social justice groups around the world urges UN Member States and the UN Secretariat to move swiftly forward to create the new UN gender equality entity.