More from the GEAR Working Group Strategy Sessions

More from the GEAR Working Group Strategy Sessions

New York City, 29 June 2011 - “Civil society is the mirror through which you see yourself as decision-makers,” said the Chair of the UN Women Executive Board, Ambassador U. Joy Ogwu in New York this afternoon.

“You (civil society) contribute immensely... but also in strategic and security terms, the more people participate in decision-making, the less conflict you have, because people see they have a stake.”

Ambassador Ogwu was speaking to a group from the Global Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign in a meeting at her office in the Nigerian Embassy.

An email alert about the meeting had pulled us hurriedly out of the United Nations North Lawn Building, where the UN Executive Board had just decided on the text of the resolutions from their annual meeting.

The content of the resolutions, where they are expected to endorse the UN Women Strategic Plan 2011-2013, will be read out tomorrow on the final day of the four-day meeting.

While the delegates went off to lunch after a morning of negotiating words, sentences and new paragraphs, we headed out into the scorching New York heat for the chance to meet with their Executive Board Chair.

Ambassador Ogwu, who had given GEAR the space to make a statement on Monday, has been very supportive of civil society participation.

This afternoon, the GEAR Campaign asked her questions about possible civil society presence on the Board, the progress on funding for UN Women and the need for a human rights-based approach for UN Women.

Building on almost two decades of ‘women’s rights are human rights’, the GEAR Campaign firmly believes that the human rights framework is inextricably intertwined with women’s empowerment and development goals.

“This framework changed the discussion from ‘women need’ this or that, to ‘women have a right to’ development,” said GEAR Campaigner and experienced feminist activist Charlotte Bunch, during the discussion with the Ambassador.

While funding remains a major concern for UN Women, which is seeking to resource a very modest budget in relation to other UN entities, Ambassador Ogwu remains optimistic.

The Executive Board Chair said the response has been remarkable, and that civil society has a role in helping keep up the momentum and attention around funding for UN Women.

Coming up tomorrow: Hearing from the Pacific The GEAR Campaign reflects on the work ahead

Tara Chetty for FemLINKPACIFIC

ENDS

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