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Publications

Women2000 and Beyond

Women2000 and Beyond is a publication series that takes up, in a concise and easily accessible manner, issues which have not been given adequate attention in global policy-making processes or addresses the gender perspectives of issues currently at the centre of global attention. It has been recognized by the Commission on the Status of Women as an important channel for discussing emerging issues in the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (decision 41/101). Each issue of the series focuses on one particular topic, providing relevant information to enrich public understanding and discussion.

The series began in 1992 under the title Women2000 to promote the goals of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. In 2002, the title for the series was changed to Women2000 and Beyond.

The issues of this publication series are listed below for download.

 
Women 2000 and Beyond: The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality
Women2000 and Beyond: The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality

Gender equality is not a women’s issue; it concerns men and boys as well as women and girls. Garnering sufficient support for the profound social changes required by the gender equality agenda cannot be achieved by women alone. It also requires the active involvement of men, all the more so as they often control the resources needed for this work. Moreover, the maintenance of an unequal gender order is likely to have negative consequences on men, for exemple the suppression of emotions to stay "in control" or the absence of nurturing relations with children. Recognition of these costs is an important rationale for men’s involvement in gender equality work.

This publication discusses entry points and opportunities for engaging men in work on gender equality, focusing on issues of violence, health, fatherhood, the workplace and the need to engage youth. Strategies for and lessons learned from male engagement in these areas are presented, covering both modifying men's personal attitudes and behaviours; and mobilizing men to take action on the political, economic and social structures that maintain gender inequalities.

Year of publication: December 2008
Download PDF Version: English (598 Kb), French (658 Kb), Spanish (983 Kb)


Women2000 and Beyond: Rural women in a changing world: Opportunities and challenges
Women2000 and Beyond: Rural women in a changing world: Opportunities and challenges

Women play a critical role in the rural economies of both developed and developing countries. In most parts of the developing world, they participate in crop production and livestock care, provide food, water and fuel for their families, and engage in off-farm activities to diversify the family income. In addition, they carry out vital functions in caring for children, older persons and the sick.

This issue of Women 2000 and Beyond explores the situation of rural women and the full diversity of their experiences in the context of the changing rural economy, including their position within households, community and economic structures; the gender division of labour; their access to and control over resources; and their participation in decision-making. It focuses specifically on the situation of rural women in developing countries. This publication aims to highlight women’s contributions to the social, economic and political aspects of rural development and raise critical issues for improving the situation of rural women.

This issue was launched on the first observance of the International Day of Rural Women, on 15 October 2008.

Year of publication: October 2008
Download PDF Version: English (1,240 Kb), French (730 Kb), Spanish (918 Kb)


Women2000 and Beyond: Women, gender equality and sport
Women2000 and Beyond: Women, gender equality and sport

In addition to improvements in health, sport provides women and girls with an opportunity for participation in the social and cultural life of their communities and promotes enjoyment of freedom of expression, interpersonal networks, and increased self-esteem. It also expands opportunities for education and for the development of a range of essential life skills. The participation of women and girls in sport challenges gender stereotypes and discrimination, and can therefore be a vehicle to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

This issue of Women 2000 and Beyond explores the relationship between sport and gender equality. It reviews the United Nations human rights and sport for development and peace framework as well as global and regional policy/normative frameworks on women, gender equality and sports. It examines the ways in which sport serves as a vehicle for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and then focuses on addressing gender inequalities in sport. The last part of this publication draws conclusions and offers recommendations.

Year of publication: December 2007
Download PDF Version: English (610 Kb), French (645 Kb), Spanish (638 Kb)


Women2000 and Beyond: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women through ICT

Women2000 and Beyond: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women through ICT

“The so-called digital divide is actually several gaps in one. There is a technological divide—great gaps in infrastructure. There is a content divide. A lot of web-based information is simply not relevant to the real needs of people. And nearly 70 per cent of the world’s websites are in English, at times crowding out local voices and views. There is a gender divide, with women and girls enjoying less access to information technology than men and boys. This can be true of rich and poor countries alike."- United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan's statement to the World Summit on the Information Society, Geneva, 10 December 2003

This issue of Women2000 and Beyond focuses on the gender digital divide. It reviews the gender dimensions of ICT and how the United Nations has addressed the issues of gender equality and ICT. It explores potentials for empowering women through ICT and strategies to address the gender digital divide including at the national level.

Year of publication: September 2005
Download PDF Version: English (460 Kb),
French (740 Kb), Spanish (519 Kb)


 
Women2000 and Beyond: Women and Water
Women2000 and Beyond: Women and Water

This issue of Women2000 and Beyond on women and water discusses gender perspectives of a growing water crisis and the evolution of the international policy on water. It stresses the importance of integrating gender perspectives in water resource management and water project design. It analyzes challenges to implementing a gender approach to water projects and looks at water resource management in the context of complex livelihoods. Gender-specific impacts of environmental degradation and water pollution are analyzed. A list of useful resources on gender and water is also included. The issue draws conclusions and provides policy recommendations.

Year of publication: February 2005
Download PDF Version: English (641 Kb), French (340 Kb), Spanish (340 Kb)


 
Women2000 and Beyond: Making Risky Environments Safer: Women Building Sustainable and Disaster-Resilient Environments
Women2000 and Beyond: Making Risky Environments Safer: Women Building Sustainable and Disaster-Resilient Environments

This issue of Women2000 and Beyond addresses gender issues in disaster reduction and sustainable development. It provides a gender analysis of the increasing risks and the impacts of disasters, and discusses the notions of risk and physical and social vulnerability from a gender perspective. Early warning and risk reducing approaches that enhance women’s disaster resilience are discussed. Other issues raised include gender roles that put women in hazardous positions and gender-specific impacts of degraded environments and natural disasters. The issue draws important links between women’s empowerment and sustainable development and disaster reduction.

Year of publication: April 2004
Download PDF Version: English (580 Kb), French (330 Kb), Spanish (185 Kb)




Women2000 and Beyond: Women, nationality and citizenship
Women2000 and Beyond: Women, nationality and citizenship

This issue of Women2000 and Beyond highlights discrimination against women by examining laws that differentiate between women and men in the acquisition and retention of nationality, including the nationality of their children. It examines how international law is used to address discrimination cases in nationality laws; surveys national and international cases considered by judicial authorities and discusses how human rights standards on freedom of movement, freedom of information, family rights and other rights have been increasingly applied in relation to discrimination in nationality laws. Approaches adopted by States to avoid gender-based discrimination are analyzed, and actions to ensure compliance with human rights standards in the context of nationality are recommended for States and non-governmental organizations.

Year of publication: June 2003
Download PDF Version: English (540 Kb), French (1013 Kb), Spanish (520 Kb)


   
Women2000: Gender Dimensions of Ageing
Women2000: Gender Dimensions of Ageing

This issue of Women2000 on the gender dimensions of ageing highlights the inequalities faced by older women as a result of their gender-based roles in society, as well as the important role older women play at the family and community levels and possible measures to strengthen their positive contribution. The issue addresses policy implications for women in an ageing world, and explores changing family structures, widowhood, care giving, social protection and health, women’s work, and retirement, among other issues. A brief description of the steps taken by the international community in the last two decades to address the situation of older women is also included.

Year of publication: March 2002
Download PDF Version
: English (390 Kb), French (400 Kb), Spanish (205 Kb)


 
Women2000: Widowhood: invisible women, secluded or excluded
Women2000: Widowhood: invisible women, secluded or excluded

This issue of Women2000 provides an overview of the situation of widows across the globe, and their particular vulnerability to marginalization and invisibility across different regions of the world. It focuses on those regions where the need for action to eliminate discrimination against widows is most urgent, and examines issues such as poverty, armed conflict, lack of education and training, health, violence, and economic marginalization from the perspective of widowhood. It provides suggestions on how to protect women and raise awareness about the situation of widows.

Year of publication: December 2001
Download PDF Version
: English (973 Kb)


   
Women2000: Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict: United Nations Response
Women2000: Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict: United Nations Response

Many of the steps taken to address sexual violence against women during armed conflict have occurred within the framework of the United Nations. This issue of Women2000 looks at developments from the early 1990s, when the international community began to recognize the human rights violations committed against women in situations of armed conflict, and the manner in which the issue has been approached by the United Nations and NGOs worldwide. It also addresses factors affecting the response to sexual violence during armed conflict, and offers recommendations for moving forward.

Year of publication: April 1998
Download PDF Version: English (96 Kb)


   
Women2000: Women and decision-making
Women2000: Women and decision-making

The importance of women’s participation in decision-making at all levels has been stressed at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing as a matter of their human rights. This issue of Women2000 explores the question of women's role in decision-making, examining the gender dimensions of leadership; the role of women in the public and private sectors, organized labor, religious bodies, law enforcement, military and peacemaking. The need to increase women’s participation in decision-making is addressed, as are alternatives to traditional paths to power, including the role of women in NGOs and women’s entrepreneurship and banking.

Year of publication: October 1997
Download PDF Version: English (78 Kb)


   
 

Other Women2000 issues:

Women in development (1992)
Women in public life (1992)
Women in extreme poverty (1994)
The role of women in United Nations peacekeeping (1995)
Women and the Information Revolution (1996)
Progress on women and the United Nations System of Organizations (1998)
Integrating a gender perspective in UN human rights work (1998) - (French | Spanish)


For more books on women and gender, click here to proceed to the United Nations Publications catalogue website >>