Press Release:

GEAR CAMPAIGN, CALLING FOR A STRONGER UNITED NATIONS ENTITY FOR WOMEN, WILL LAUNCH TODAY

February 26, 2008

New York, NY – Today, at 5:00pm 16 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will launch the Campaign for Stronger Gender Equality Architecture Reform, GEAR, in the Hardin Room on the 11th Floor of the Church Center at the United Nations.  The GEAR campaign will call on United Nations member states to create a stronger United Nations entity for women – one with greater status, an expanded field presence, and a high level of funding. Sponsors of the campaign include the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), Development Alternatives for a New Era (DAWN), the Association of Women’s Rights and Development (AWID) and the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL).  The launch coincides with the 52nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women which this year is dedicated to financing for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

As many governments have failed to implement commitments to women’s rights made in the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, and many other UN world conferences, the GEAR campaign seeks a new UN entity dedicated to creating effective mechanisms to promote gender equality. Without greater efforts to empower women, the Millennium Development Goals will not be met. The GEAR campaign seeks an independent, women-specific agency with adequate stature, resources, operational capacity in the field, and a high level leadership to drive this agenda, including financing for gender equality.

A leading women’s agency is necessary, along with effective mainstreaming efforts throughout the system.  Currently, the UN has several small under-resourced agencies focused exclusively on women’s issues; other larger agencies sometimes do important work on gender equality, but it is a small part of their mandate, and often receives low priority.  

“The important work UNFPA does on sexual and reproductive health and rights should be preserved,” said Carmen Barroso, Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region. Barroso stressed that the new entity should enhance and complement the good work that is already been done by other agencies and should not replace them.    

Strengthening the UN’s gender equality machinery is a crucial part of financing for gender equality and for development more generally.  It will better enable the UN and governments to deliver on promises made to advance gender equality and women’s human rights, which are essential components of development at the global and country levels. 

For Inquiries Contact:
Laura Zaks
Tel: (212) 214-0287
Email: lzaks@ippfwhr.org