IANWGE: Chairperson

Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality, IANWGE

Women and Peace and Security - Implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000)

CHAIRPERSON

The Chairperson of the IANWGE is designated by the United Nations Secretary-General to chair the Network on behalf of the United Nations.

In December 1995, in the aftermath of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 4 to 15 September 1995), the United Nations Secretary-General confirmed his commitment to assuming "responsibility for coordination of policy within the United Nations for the implementation of the Platform for Action and for the mainstreaming of a system-wide gender perspective in all activities of the United Nations system", as requested in paragraph 30 of General Assembly resolution 50/203, in accordance with the Platform for Action.

As indicated in his report to the Assembly on the follow-up to the Conference (document A/50/744), the Secretary-General was committed to ensuring that the gender perspective was integrated into all aspects of the work of the Organization, and therefore worked with his colleagues, the executive heads of the United Nations specialized agencies and the United Nations programmes and funds, to ensure a coordinated system-wide response, integrating the follow-up of this Conference with that of other global conferences.

In response to the Conference's recommendation that a senior official in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General should act as his "adviser on gender issues" and "help ensure system-wide implementation of the Platform for Action, in close cooperation with the Division for the Advancement of Women", the Secretary-General designated a Senior Adviser to act in this capacity.

One of the functions of the post was to ensure that the gender perspective was effectively integrated into policies and programmes in all areas of the work of the system, and was fully taken into account in furthering the Organization's linkages with civil society. System-wide coordination aspects of these functions were pursued through the IANWGE, which this appointee would chair.

In 1996, the first Chairperson of the IANWGE was Ms. Rosario Green, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat and Senior Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Gender Issues.

In 1997, Angela E.V. King, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women was designated Chairperson of the IANWGE.

In 2004, Ms. Rachel N. Mayanja, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women was designated Chairperson of the IANWGE.

Rachel Mayanja, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women.
Chairperson

Ms. Rachel Mayanja, the Secretary-General’s new Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, is a long-serving career international civil servant with vast experience in normative, policy and operational work of the United Nations including peace-building, peace-keeping and inter-agency collaboration.

Ms. Rachel Mayanja

Ms. Mayanja’s career with the UN started in the Women’s Division shortly after the first World Conference in Mexico in the midst of sensitization of the world to women’s right to equality, development and peace.

As Secretary to the drafting committee of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, she was actively involved in the establishment of this landmark legal instrument. Ms. Mayanja also participated in the second World Conference in Copenhagen.

Ms. Mayanja actively participated in peace-building and peacekeeping missions and therefore possesses an understanding of the suffering created by conflicts and the challenges facing the UN in such situations. This first hand knowledge is essential in her role as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, especially in the area of women, peace and security.

Ms. Mayanja’s experience with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) demonstrates her commitment to parity between men and women in the employment by the UN. The challenges faced by FAO are shared by other agencies as well as the Secretariat.

Ms. Mayanja’s leadership and management style, founded in consensus-building, will be required in the years ahead following the review and appraisal of Beijing + 10 and the outcome of Beijing + 5.

Ms Mayanja, a national of Uganda, obtained law degree from Makarere University, as well as Master’s Degree in Law from the Harvard University Law School. She has three children.