GEAR Campaign
Background
In 2006, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan convened a High-Level Panel to explore how the UN system could be strengthened in terms of coherence and coordination in the areas of development, humanitarian affairs and the environment. After women from around the world pressured the UN to better address gender equality in the reform process, Kofi Annan asked the Panel to include gender equality as its mandate. The Panel’s report included recommendations on strengthening the gender equality architecture (GEA), and was endorsed by the current Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon in March 2007.
Currently, there are four separate women’s entities within the UN system that are overlapping and compete for resources, impeding their ability to effectively address women’s needs worldwide. Other larger agencies sometimes do important work on gender equality, but it is a small part of their mandate, and often receives low priority.
GEAR Campaign
In March 2007, the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), together with the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) convened a meeting of 50 women activists from around the world, to develop a comprehensive and multi-faceted strategy for global, regional and national action to gain UN General Assembly’s approval of a stronger and single, fully-resourced women’s entity at the UN.
As a result of that meeting and the continued need for women’s collaborative advocacy on this issue, WEDO along with hundreds of activists spanning all regions, launched the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign in February 2008, to mobilize women’s groups and allies to push for the adoption of the new UN entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment. WEDO was asked by to serve as a co-facilitator of the Campaign.
UN WOMEN BORN
On June, 30th 2010 the GEAR Campaign proudly celebrated the United Nations General Assembly resolution, formally adopted by the General Assembly on Friday, 2 July, to establish “UN Women”—the new gender equality entity at the UN.
On September 14th, 2010 United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon announced the selection of Michelle Bachelet as the new Under-Secretary-General (USG) of UN Women.
The Latest GEAR Campaign News
Executive Board Adopts UN Women’s Strategic Plan and the GEAR Campaign Adopts a New Strategy
New York, August 1st, 2011- In late June the Executive Board of UN Women decided to adopt UN Women’s strategic plan. With the ultimate goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment the strategic plan focuses on women’s political leadership, women’s economic empowerment, violence against women, gender budgeting and gender mainstreaming intergovernmental processes. It is an ambitious plan and there are many challenges that lie ahead for UN Women. However, the GEAR Campaign, comprised of civil society organizations passionately advocating for the creation of UN Women, is now enthusiastically advocating for UN Women’s success.
WEDO in continued partnership with the…
Ambition and Commitment Needed for the Future of UN Women
New York, July 1st, 2011– Original article published by IPS News. UNITED NATIONS, Jun 30, 2011 (IPS) – When the United Nations inaugurated a landmark special agency for women last January, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon set an initial target of 500 million dollars as the proposed annual budget for the new gender-empowered body. But nearly six months later, the voluntary funding for U.N. Women (UNW) from the 192 member states has remained painfully slow. Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, expressed disappointment over the funding shortfall. Nearly six months after its operationalisation, the actual contributions and pledges received are modest and only around 80 million dollars, he said. “This is not commensurate with the aspiration and ambition assigned to U.N. Women,” he complained.
CSW Event: GEAR Up: Women and Civil Society Moving Forward!
[ February 24, 2011; 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm. ]
Join the GEAR Campaign, a network of over 300 women’s, human rights, and social justice groups from around the world who actively follow the United Nations gender equality architecture process. This
event will focus on official developments of UN Women and civil society strategies for moving forward.
When: Thursday, 24 February 2011
Time: 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Location: Salvation Army, 221 East 52nd St. (btw 2nd and 3rd Ave.), Main Auditorium
GEAR- Working with UN Women and Contributing to the Achievement of its Goals
New York– From January 24-26, 2011 UN Women is holding its first Executive Board Meeting. Click here to read the GEAR Campaign Statement made at the meeting this afternoon.
WEDO Congratulates UN Women on its First Week in Operation
New York– On January 1, 2011, UN Women—the new women’s empowerment and gender equality body that consolidates the four smaller women and gender agencies of the UN—officially became operational. Although UN Women has not received as much recognition as it deserves, it is one of the greatest achievements of the United Nations in the 21st Century.
