The Gstaad Project launches the Pink Book 2008

As part of its effort to promote social, economic, and cultural diversity in the international community, the Gstaad Project has released the “The Pink Book on the status of women delegates at the United Nations,” known as the Pink Book.

At its second edition, the Pink Book 2008 is a collection of data regarding women diplomats and delegates accredited to the Secretariat and included in the official delegations of the 191 Member States represented in New York — only one, Kiribati, does not maintain a Permanent Mission at Headquarters.

This second edition reflects the most current situation of women at the UN in New York and it’s not a pretty picture. Since its foundation in 1945, the United Nations has been struggling to achieve gender balance. As of today, the Organization is still not the most hospitable place for women and does not seem fully committed to repair this obvious imbalance.

The Pink Book indicates women are still struggling in the Organization in 2008. According to statistics from February 12, 2008, the total number of women delegates accredited to the United Nations Headquarters is 682, or 29.42 percent of the total number of delegates (2317 units). Out of 191 Permanent Representatives based at Headquarters in New York, a mere 17 are women, or 8.9 percent of the total. The situation in the Security Council is not much different. Out of 550 delegates accredited by a member of the Security Council in 2008 — both permanent and non-permanent members —, women account for only the 27.45 percent, or 151 units.

The Pink Book is conceptually a very simple report, based on data contained in the so-called Blue Book, the official directory for diplomats and delegates usually published twice a year by the United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service and widely available to all Missions and UN entities. The Pink Book is not associated to the United Nations or any of its entities.

To read more about the Pink Book, please click here.

For more, see The Gstaad Project

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