UNITED NATIONS — In an historic move, the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously today to create a new entity to accelerate progress in meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide. The establishment of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women — to be known as UN Women (www.unwomen.org/ )— is a result of years of negotiations between UN Member States and advocacy by the global women’s movement. It is part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact.
“I am grateful to Member States for having taken this major step forward for the world’s women and girls,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement welcoming the decision. “UN Women will significantly boost UN efforts to promote gender equality, expand opportunity, and tackle discrimination around the globe.”
UN Women merges and will build on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system which focus exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment:
- Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW, established in 1946)
- International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women(INSTRAW, established in 1976)
- Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women(OSAGI, established in 1997)
- United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM, established in 1976)
At the country level, UNFPA will also seek to gain from and use UN Women's knowledge base to strengthen and inform the Fund's capacities in the context of the gender dimensions of sexual and reproductive health and population programmes.
