UN's interventions and assistance for the development of women

By: Kazuo tase acting director , UNIC Islamabad

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to take part in the Government of his/her country. The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of women's social, economic and political status is essential for the achievement of both transparent and accountable government and administration and sustainable development in all areas of life.”

UN has made significant progress in advancing gender equality and

development

• The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

MDG 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND

EMPOWER WOMEN

“No individual and no nation must be denied the opportunity to benefit from development. The equal rights and opportunities of women and men must be assured”

Millennium Declaration

Its necessary to closing the gap between women and men in terms of capacities, access to resources and opportunities, and vulnerability to violence and conflicts.

UNWOMENUN Women focuses on areas fundamental to women’s

equality:Violence against WomenPeace and SecurityLeadership and ParticipationEconomic EmpowermentNational Planning and BudgetingHuman RightsMillennium Development Goals

HOW UNWOMEN WORKS

Program and Technical AssistanceCommission on the Status of

WomenCapacity Development and

TrainingUN System Coordination

UNDPUNDP focuses on gender equality and women’s empowermentpathway to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and

sustainable development.UNDP coordinates global and national efforts to integrate

gender equality and women’s empowerment

PROJECTS AND INITIATIVESGENDER THEMATIC TRUST FUND

UNDP/Japan Women in Development Fund

Focus AreasGender and poverty ReductionGender and Democratic

GovernanceGender, Environment and energyHIV, Human rights and sexual

diversityGender, crisis prevention and

recovery

MATTERS OF FACT Fewer than three percent of signatories are women. Women perform 66 percent of the world’s work, Produce 50 percent of the food,Earn only 10 percent of the income and own only one

percent of the property. Only 19 percent of national parliamentarians are female.

Women representation in UNDP:

In UNDP, 35 percent of middle management staff are women. Female employees comprise 33 percent of the workforce in

senior management.

UNFPAKey issues and linkageReproductive health

including maternal morbidity

Steward of natural resources

Economic empowermentEducational empowermentPolitical empowerment

UNIDO:UNIDO implements the following activities directly related to MDG3:

Women entrepreneurship developmentBusiness environment reform through technical and advisory servicesSME cluster developmentTechnological upgrading and agro-value chain developmentRural and renewable energy for productive useEntrepreneurship curriculum programsBuilding of national and regional networks of Business Support

Organizations (BSOs)

Example of UNIDO project under MDG3:

Rural and Women’s Entrepreneurship Development Program

Successful Initiative In Morocco:339 women have been trained in production management,

technological improvements and systems assuring safety and quality in manufacturing

More than 70 women have been trained in spinning, weaving and finishing as well training in management, accounting and maintenance reporting

Women entrepreneurs have participated in trade fairs in Spain and Italy, thereby building their understanding of markets and market requirements

Women entrepreneurs in rural areas have been able to generate an income and improve their standards of living, as well as offer stable employment

UNICEFMission Statement

“UNICEF aims, through its country program, to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social, and economic development of their communities”

WATER AND SANITATION SECTOR

Promote the survival, protection and development of children

To promote behavioral changes essential to realizing the full benefits of water and sanitation services.

ILOThe ILO Action Plan for Gender Equality 2010-15 is the ILO’s

tool to implement its policy on gender equality and mainstreaming.

Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) are the main vehicle for delivery of ILO support to countries.

International labour standards

Promoting the four key gender equality Conventions Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); the

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981

(No. 156); the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183)

TECHNICAL COOPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Technical cooperation projects with the ILO gender network to support capacity building of constituents on gender

Mainstreaming, conduct participatory gender audits and expand the ILO’s global knowledge of gender issues in the world of work.

Ensuring that a gender perspective is both visible and accountable in their implementation.

Research and informationthe ILO collects, monitors and analyzes labour market

information and shares this data widely.

Knowledge development, training and capacity

buildingThe Gender and Non Discrimination Programme of the ILO

Training Centre in Turin includes regular training courses on gender mainstreaming

ILO also publishes a wide range of gender-specific training materials.

ILO Pakistan: Skills for rural development

Skills are central to: improve employability and livelihood opportunities, reduce poverty, enhance productivity, promote environmentally sustainable development.

FURTHER INFORMATION

www.unifem.org/gender_issues/ www.unifem.org/worldwidewww.un.org/womenwatch/daw/TechnicalCooperation/index.

htmhttp://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/womenempowerment/overview.html

http://www.unfpa.org/public/http://www.unido.org/http://undp.org.pk/

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS