United Nations paper on Gender Equality Architecture and GEAR Campaign analysis

The UN Deputy Secretary General (DSG) recently circulated a paper in the General Assembly that explored and analyzed the four options that are being considered as possibilities to strengthen the UN's work on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Part of the more comprehensive UN reform process, this restructuring would particularly affect the four women-specific entities: the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues, the Division for the Advancement of Women, and the International Research and Training Institute for Women. The four structural options presented in the paper are (i) maintaining the status quo; (ii) creating an autonomous fund/programme; (iii) creating a department within the Secretariat; and (iv) creating a composite entity of all four women-specific entities.

In response to the DSG's report, the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign published an analysis to facilitate further discussion about the options, especially because of the expectation that the General Assembly will hold an informal consultation at the end of August or early September to move the process forward with some type of resolution. The paper produced by the campaign supports the options for an autonomous fund or a c0mposite entity because these two seem to have the greatest likelihood of strengthening gender equality activities on the ground - a primary point of advocacy for the GEAR campaign. However, the analysis points out a critical need for clarity and detail on how the options will function to strengthen the work on gender equality in the UN, rather than just achieve better coordination. In addition, this process must also be accompanied by strong advocacy for a substantial increase in resources, especially at the country level. See DSG's report and GEAR analysis

NEW WEBSITE SUPPORTS GEAR CAMPAIGN ADVOCACY

The GEAR campaign has recently published a website as a networking and communication tool for campaign members and as an information point for those seeking to find out about the campaign. The site includes basic information about the campaign and its driving principles, a calendar of relevant events and a repository of past statements and records of global and regional advocacy on the issue.