MILESTONES
IN IMPLEMENTING GENDER MAINSTREAMING Throughout
the United Nations efforts continue to be taken to develop the
capacity to identify and address relevant gender perspectives
in all areas of work, at both policy and programme level. Many
organizations have established institutional arrangements to
support gender mainstreaming, such as gender units and gender
focal point systems and capacity building initiatives are undertaken
across the system. Organizations in the United Nations system
support Governments to develop gender-sensitive policies and
strategies and to take gender perspectives into consideration
in planning, implementing and monitoring development interventions,
in health, education, poverty eradication, agriculture, water
development and all other areas of collaboration. Considerable
support is given to capacity development. Non-governmental organizations
and groups and networks in civil society are also supported
to play critical advocacy roles in relation to gender mainstreaming
and monitor the adherence to all commitments made by Governments.
Efforts are also being taken to involve more men in promoting
gender equality through gender mainstreaming. A strong, continued
commitment to gender mainstreaming is one of the most effective
means for the United Nations to support real change at all levels
- in research, legislation, policy development and in activities
on the ground, and ensure that women as well as men can influence,
participate in and benefit from development efforts.
Organizations in
the United Nations system support Governments to develop gender-sensitive
policies and strategies and to take gender perspectives into
consideration in planning, implementing and monitoring development
interventions, in health, education, poverty eradication, agriculture,
water development and all other areas of collaboration. Considerable
support is given to capacity development. Non-governmental organizations
and groups and networks in civil society are also supported
to play critical advocacy roles in relation to gender mainstreaming
and monitor the adherence to all commitments made by Governments.
Efforts are also being taken to involve more men in promoting
gender equality through gender mainstreaming.
Progress in implementation
of gender mainstreaming can be identified throughout the United
Nations. A number of these "milestones" will be profiled
in this section of the website to give illustrations of the
progress being made.
Economic Commission
for Europe
The annual session
of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
addressed for the first time gender aspects of the economic
trends in the region, which are traditionally discussed during
the first day of the meeting. The fifty-seventh session of the
Commission discussed under the agenda item 2 policy implications
of the situation on labour markets, which is characterized by
high unemployment and job insecurity. The debate focused on
job creation and was based on three issue papers. One of these
papers presented gender aspects of changes in the labour markets
in transition countries. It showed that, until recently, women
absorbed a disproportionally large share of employment cuts
and had less job opportunities related to the development of
the private sector (see attached paper). The participants from
several countries underlined that gender aspects need more attention
at policy levels (press release). They also stressed that recently
established UNECE activities in the area of gender and economy
should be further developed to better assist member countries
to address gender aspects of economic policies, especially in
supporting women's entrepreneurship (see UNECE website: http://www.unece.org/)
The Department
for Disarmament Affairs collaborated with OSAGI in the development
of briefing notes on gender
mainstreaming and disarmament. The department has also integrated
a component on gender perspectives in disarmament in its fellowship
programme and is preparing an action plan on gender mainstreaming.
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