Seventh Meeting of Commonwealth
Ministers Responsible
for Women’s /
Gender Affairs
Statement by
Carolyn Hannan
Director, Division for the Advancement
of Women
United Nations Department of Economic
and Social Affairs
Madame
Chairperson
Honourable Ministers
Deputy
Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
Distinguished
delegates and observers
I am deeply honoured to have this opportunity to represent the United
Nations at this important Seventh Meeting of Commonwealth Ministers Responsible
for Women’s / Gender Affairs. I would like to thank the Government of the Republic
of the
I congratulate the
Commonwealth on the excellent Plan of Action for Gender Equality which clearly
builds on lessons from past experience and identifies critical areas for
further concerted action. The Plan of Action is a forward-looking document,
based on the principles enshrined in the Beijing Declaration and the Platform
for Action. It is focused on a number of priority areas which are critical for
moving towards full implementation of the Declaration and Platform.
Consistent with its
fundamental principles and objectives, the Commonwealth has made significant
contributions to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women
over the past decade. Member countries of the Commonwealth have played active
roles in the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women through
the intergovernmental processes within the United Nations, particularly in the
Commission on the Status of Women, but also in the context of the Economic and
Social Council and the General Assembly. Members of the Commonwealth, as States
parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women (CEDAW), have also contributed to advancing the human rights of
women and eliminating discrimination against women. Here I would like to
particularly acknowledge the current efforts of a number of Commonwealth
countries in the Pacific to meet the reporting requirements under CEDAW,
following a workshop on reporting organized last year.
Over the past decade,
innovative work undertaken by Member states of the Commonwealth has been
brought to the fore in global fora, including on such
critical areas as gender mainstreaming; utilizing budget processes to promote
gender equality; and increasing the representation and influence of women in
politics and in business. The Commonwealth Secretariat has also launched a
number of outstanding publications, including on gender management systems and
the Millennium Development Goals, which have contributed significantly to
global discussions.
The context of the Millennium
Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals
Since the Fourth World
Conference on Women in
The overall global framework
for gender equality and empowerment of women remains the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action from 1995 and the emerging issues identified in the review
and appraisal in 2000. The framework of the Millennium
Development Goals do not replace this global framework but should be
seen as an instrument to support its full implementation. It needs to be kept
in mind that, despite significant efforts, few measureable
targets were established in the Platform for Action and the outcome of the
review and appraisal in 2000. The Millennium Development Goals, with globally
endorsed targets and indicators, does therefore represent an important
opportunity for increasing the focus on national level implementation and
measuring progress and outcomes.
The development framework
provided in the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals
increasingly guides the work of Member States of the United Nations, as well as
the work of the United Nations system itself. It is therefore important to link
the Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender Equality to this framework, and
contribute to the expansion and enhancement of the focus on gender equality in
the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
The preparation of the MDG Country Reports
provides an opening for bringing greater attention to gender perspectives and
the situation of women and girls at national level. Local advocacy campaigns
and consultation with stakeholders should involve women as well as men.
Strategic links could be made between the commitments and recommendations in
the Plan of Action and the MDG reports in Commonwealth countries.
The contribution of the Commonwealth
Plan of Action for Gender Equality to the global review and appraisal
The Fifth and Sixth Meetings
of Ministers Responsible for Women’s Affairs made important inputs to the
five-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action in the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. This meeting, in
particular through the adoption of the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender
Equality, will also make a major contribution to the ten-year review and
appraisal scheduled to take place in 2005.
The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality is
important both substantively and in terms of process. I want to particularly
congratulate the Commonwealth, and the Ministers
responsible for Women’s / Gender Affairs, for the exceptionally positive
approach to the involvement of CSOs in the process,
as witnessed by the frank and forward-looking dialogue during the meeting. I
believe this constitutes a significant good practice example which I am sure
will influence the work of other international and regional bodies, including
the United Nations.
The Plan of Action has evolved through an innovative
process which builds on
achievements made, lessons learned, and gaps and challenges
identified, and outlines strategic actions for the future to ensure full
implementation across all areas. The major findings on which the Plan of Action
is based are also critical for the global review and appraisal of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action. Of particular importance is the
recognition that gender mainstreaming remains a major strategy for gender
equality, alongside activities targeted to specifically address gaps in gender
equality, as well as the clear ambition, through the Plan of Action, to enhance
capacity for gender analysis and implementation of gender mainstreaming.
The Plan of Action will also make a significant substantive
contribution through, among other things, the recognition of the importance of ensuring
women’s full representation, participation and leadership roles, and of
documenting the impacts of women’s participation and contributions; highlighting
violence against women as a human rights issue and a significant development
constraint; developing a rights-based approach, a strengthened legislative
framework and ensuring the ratification and full implementation of CEDAW; increasing attention to sexual and
reproductive rights and health, particularly in the context of HIV/AIDS; establishing
dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders and developing alliances with new “non-traditional”
partners; and engaging men and boys to take more active responsibility for
promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women.
The identification of four priority areas and
clearly defined strategies for moving forward in these areas also makes a
valuable contribution. The Plan of Action links to all Critical Areas of
Concern in the Platform for Action and the priority areas identified in the
outcome of the review and appraisal in 2000, and provides important
recommendations for gender equality in all areas covered by the Millennium
Development Goals.
The Plan of Action identifies critical actions in
relation to institutional arrangements in support of gender equality and
empowerment of women. The need for improved monitoring and accountability
mechanisms is recognized. Important recommendations are made on enhancing the
roles of national machineries, particularly in terms of developing
strong partnerships with line ministries, private sector, parliaments and local
government. The important catalytic roles of the Secretariat to support full
implementation of the Plan of Action are also clearly identified - to provide
advice and support; develop methodologies and tools; focus on capacity-building;
develop strategic alliances with new partners; document and disseminate lessons
learned and good practice; promote dialogue and networking; and give priority
to monitoring and accountability. This can provide guidance on the role of
national mechanisms for gender equality, as well as for gender equality mechanisms
within international and regional organizations.
Opportunities for linking the implementation of the
Plan of Action to important global processes
I would like to point out some important
opportunities for bringing the core messages of the Commonwealth Plan of Action
for Gender Equality to the fore in global discussions over the coming 18
months.
In the area of peace and security,
a review of implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 will be
undertaken in October 2004. Member States have been requested to provide
information on efforts made at national level as inputs for the report of the
Secretary-General. Commonwealth Member States may wish to disseminate the commitments
on peace and security in the Plan of Action in this context. Contributions
could also be made in follow-up to the agreed conclusions, adopted by the
Commission on the Status of Women at its most recent session in 2004, on
women’s participation in peace processes, and the incorporation of gender
perspectives into peace accords.
In relation to human rights and law, 25 years of
CEDAW will be celebrated this year. Efforts are being made to have a formal
commemoration in the General Assembly. This will provide an opportunity to
highlight the importance of the convention and its optional protocol for the
promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. In the Commonwealth
context, it provides an opportunity to advocate for ratification by all Member
countries; full compliance with reporting requirements; and increased attention
to implementation of the concluding comments of the CEDAW committee. In
addition, a Secretary-General’s study on all forms of violence against women
has been called for by the General Assembly. The findings will be presented to
the General Assembly in 2005. This provides a critical opportunity to
disseminate the commitments in the Plan of Action; to highlight innovative
efforts at national level; and to work for enhanced global commitment to end
violence against women through the adoption of a strong resolution in the
General Assembly.
In terms of economic empowerment, further efforts
are required at national as well as global level to include attention to gender
perspectives in the follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for
Development, which covers macro-economic policies, domestic resource
allocations (including social security, credit, savings), trade, debt, foreign
investment, and ODA. An important opportunity was provided in the recognition
in the conference outcome of the need to bring attention to gender perspectives
in national and local budget processes. The Commonwealth has been at the
forefront of developments in this area and it will hopefully continue to play a
critical role in the follow-up on financing for development, in the context of
this Plan of Action.
The Plan of Action recognizes that effective
prevention of HIV/AIDS requires a multi-disciplinary approach with a strong
focus on the empowerment of women, giving significant attention to poverty
eradication, human rights, access to education, health – in particular sexual
and reproductive rights and health, and employment, and all other areas critical
for the promotion of gender equality. UNAIDS recently established a Global
Coalition on Women and AIDS to strengthen attention to women and girls, highlighting
the fact that more women than men are now infected with HIV/AIDS, that women
are especially vulnerable as a result of persistent gender inequalities, that
women carry the major responsibility for caregiving;
and drawing attention to the negative socio-economic impacts of the epidemic on
all aspects of the lives of women and girls. An important element in the work
of the coalition is also highlighted in the Commonwealth Plan of Action – that
is, the need to develop stronger partnerships with men and boys and to secure
their engagement and action in preventing HIV/AIDS. Commonwealth countries
could establish strategic links with this Global Coalition in implementation of
the Plan of Action.
An important review of the implementation of the
ECOSOC agreed conclusions on gender mainstreaming from 1997 will take place in
the United Nations Economic and Social Council at the end of June 2004. The
review has highlighted major achievements but also identified a number of
critical constraints. These include the lack of systematic use of gender
analysis; failure to incorporate gender perspectives into sector policies and
strategies; lack of explicit management support; failure to follow-up and fully
utilize the potential of training; the marginalization of gender specialists;
and lack of accountability mechanisms to ensure compliance. The review process
provides an opportunity to renew commitment to gender mainstreaming as an
important strategy for gender equality; to highlight the gaps and challenges
remaining; and to clarify strategic actions required for its full
implementation. The commitments made in the Commonwealth Plan of Action for
Gender Equality on gender mainstreaming could make an important contribution to
this process.
Preparation for the ten-year review and appraisal of
the
Finally, I would like to provide some information on
the process of preparation for the ten-year review and appraisal of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action. In the Political Declaration adopted in
2000, Member States agreed to “assess regularly further implementation of the
Beijing Platform for Action with a view to bringing together all parties
involved in 2005 to assess progress and consider new initiatives, as
appropriate, ten years after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action”. As
well as being the 10th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on
Women in
The review and appraisal will take place in the
context of the 49th session of the Commission on the Status of Women
in
A questionnaire to Member States on implementation
at national level provides an important basis for the Secretary-General’s
report to be presented to the Commission. The questionnaire is focused on a
review of major achievements, gaps and challenges, as well as priority areas
for further action to ensure full implementation. The deadline for responses to
the questionnaire was
The Division for the Advancement of Women, as
secretariat for the Commission on the Status of Women, will hold two Expert
Group Meetings prior to the Commission, on the role of national mechanisms for
gender equality (including national machineries, parliamentary caucuses and
gender equality commissions), as well as on the linkages between the Platform
for Action and the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals.
On-line discussions will be organized on the
Critical Areas of Concern from the Platform for Action and other emerging
issues. This will allow the United Nations to reach out to individuals, groups
and networks who would not be able to attend the session of the Commission next
year and have no other way to participate and contribute. One important goal is
to provide young women and men with a forum for raising their goals and
priorities on the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women.
Regional review and appraisal processes are also
being organized by the United Nations regional commissions. Regional reports
will be prepared on the basis of the responses to the questionnaires submitted by
Member States. Regional, and in some cases sub-regional, meetings are being
organized. The Division for the Advancement of Women is setting up a webpage
which will provide information on both the global and regional processes.
A five-year review of implementation of the
Millennium Declaration will be undertaken in the General Assembly in 2005.
Details of the process have not yet been finalized, but it will be important to
ensure that gender perspectives are fully incorporated into this process. The
Commission on the Status of Women agreed in 2004 to ensure that the review and
appraisal process will feed into the review of the Millennium Declaration.
It is hoped that there will be high-level participation
during the review and appraisal in the Commission on the Status of Women. This would
bring a strong message of renewed and enhanced commitment to the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action. I therefore take this opportunity to
encourage the participation of Ministers, Deputy-Ministers, Principal
Secretaries and other high level officials. The first week of the Commission will
offer interesting opportunities for high-level participation – at the
high-level opening; the high-level roundtable on innovations in national
mechanisms for gender equality; the General Debate where Member States will make
national statements on achievements, gaps and challenges and renewed
commitments (which may be held in the General Assembly); the interactive events
mentioned earlier; and in the celebration of International Women’s Day with a
commemoration of 30 years of United Nations efforts for gender equality. (This
will be held in the first week of the Commission, and not on 8 March, in order
to allow for Ministers and other senior officials to return to their countries
for the national-level commemoration of International Women’s Day).
Conclusion
In conclusion, I want to again commend the
Commonwealth on the adoption of the Plan of Action on Gender Equality. The renewed
and expanded commitment to the goals of the Beijing Declaration and the
Platform for Action that the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality involves
brings an important positive message on reaffirmed commitment at a critical
stage of the preparations for the review and appraisal.
The Plan of Action highlights the importance of partnerships.
The United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and
Advancement of Women, and the Division for the Advancement of Women, look
forward to continuing collaboration with the Commonwealth and its Secretariat
in the coming decade, and supporting in any way possible the full
implementation of this important Plan of Action.
Thank You.