GEAR Campaign
Background
In 2006, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan convened a High-Level Panel to explore how the UN system could be strengthened to achieve better coherence and coordination in the areas of development, humanitarian affairs and the environment.
At this time, there were four separate women’s entities within the UN system that were overlapping and competing for resources, limiting each other’s ability to effectively address women’s needs worldwide. And while other larger UN agencies were implementing important work on gender equality, it was often only a small part of their mandate, receiving very low priority.
With international pressure from the global women’s movement to ensure gender equality would be central to the reform process, Kofi Annan asked the Panel to include gender equality in 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.
GEAR Campaign
In March 2007, WEDO and 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 advocate for the UN General Assembly’s approval of a stronger 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 and CWGL joined with hundreds of activists spanning all regions to launch the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign in February 2008. The Campaign sought to to mobilize women’s groups and human rights and social justice allies to push for the adoption of a new UN entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment that could be resourced up to at least $1 billion per year, led by an Under-Secretary-General, have increased operations at country level and have a meaningful relationship with civil society, especially women’s organizations.
UN WOMEN BORN
In 2010, after years of tireless advocacy, members of 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 UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Shortly thereafter, on September 14th, 2010 UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon announced the selection of Michelle Bachelet as the new Under-Secretary-General (USG) of UN Women.
The GEAR Campaign members continue to work together to push for a UN that works for women. WEDO joins a NY lobby group that continues to work with regional focal points and the wider GEAR member group to build support for UN Women, its strong and strategic operationalization around the world, communication with civil society, and in the way of necessary resources.
The Latest GEAR Campaign News
UN Women and GEAR Campaign co-host a discussion on Post-2015 Development Agenda processes
NEW YORK (September 17, 2012)– UN Women and the Global Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign co-convened a meeting to discuss Civil Society engagement on the Post 2015 Development Agenda*. The goal of the meeting was to provide information and clarity on the processes of the Post-2015 Development Agenda and various developments and related activities, also to discuss how UN Women and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) can work together to ensure that gender remains central in the Post- 2015 Development Agenda.
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GEARing up: Important Steps toward a United Nations that Works for Women
New York– June 1, 2012
Shortly before the UN Women Executive Board meeting in early June, GEAR Campaign members were thrilled to learn of the establishment of the UN Women Global Civil Society Advisory Group. Meaningful and formal civil society engagement with UN Women has been a linchpin of the GEAR Campaign for the past few years and the global advisory group is a first step in formal civil society engagement. UN Women civil …
UN Women Takes Important First Step in Enhancing Civil Society Engagement
New York, May 18th, 2012
WEDO, as part of the GEAR Campaign, is excited to share the below press release with you “Civil Society Celebrates the Creation of a Global Civil Society Advisory Group for UN Women” and we look forward to working with civil society partners and UN Women to push for true progress on gender equality around the world.
The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign celebrates the formation of the UN Women Global Civil Society Advisory Group. Over the last years, the GEAR Campaign has advocated for strengthened civil society partnerships with UN Women at the global, regional and national levels. We are thrilled that the members of the UN Women Executive Director’s Global Civil Society Advisory Group have been announced today and those regional and national groups are being formed. This demonstrates that UN Women is serious about engaging with women’s rights groups as partners and advisors, which will strengthen UN Women’s vision for new regional architecture.
Building a Stronger United Nations for Women: One year after UN Women’s creation
[ February 29, 2012; 12:30 pm to 2:00 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. Panelists will provide brief presentations on the current status of civil society partnership with UN Women and will offer thoughts on potential directions forward.
Details
When: Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Location: Church Center UN, 777 1st Ave (at E 44th St.), …
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 …
