PROPOSED CENTRALISED WOMEN'S AGENCY AT UN NEEDS SUPPORT

Details: Created: 20 December 2006

Women's organisations around the world are being asked for country-level support to the proposed women's agency in the United Nations (UN).

The International Women's Tribune Centre (IWTC) is leading this call for support and is urging women's groups to write to their respective foreign affairs ministries or departments. The letter should urge the heads of the ministries to inform their missions in the UN Headquarters in New York about the importance of supporting stronger gender architecture within the UN system.

Back in November 9, 2006, the UN High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence included in its recommendations the creation of a stronger agency for women as well as the creation of a new high-level Under Secretary General position on gender, who would serve as the head of the new women's agency. This new agency would consolidate three already established units of the UN, namely, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), and the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues (OSAGI). The new agency is expected to have substantially increased budget and additional staff for its work at global and country levels.

Prior to this, it has been noted that gender mainstreaming within the UN has not been achieved.
Hence, various women's organisations recommended the establishment of an independent, women-specific agency with adequate stature, resources, operational capacity, and a mandate to drive gender equality.

Source:
“Briefing Note on Women's Rights and the 'Coherence Panel' in the UN Reform Process” from Center for Women's Global Leadership, posted on May 8, 2006, <http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/globalcenter/policy/unadvocacy/UN%20Reform%20Briefing%20Note%20final.doc>.

BnIFacade Isis International Women’s House (Bahay ni Isis).

Bahay ni Isis provides a safe haven for guests visiting Manila, with lodgings, meeting rooms and facilities for workshops and other events. It is a comfortable women-friendly space and a gathering place for many non-governmental organisations engaged in issues affecting women around the globe. Welcome!

The Isis Feminist Activist School aims to strengthen the communication capacity of women from the Global South so that they can effectively articulate and take on leadership roles in organisations, communities, networks and/or social movements.

we!, the Isis International e-newsletter, provides news and information on women’s activism, campaigns and events around the globe as well as analyses and commentary on current issues affecting women.

WiA carries in-depth articles on issues facing women globally from a feminist perspective. This social movement publication links women’s issues to larger social issues and features women writers from around the world.

Research Report, Women and Peacebuilding, Philippines

Recognising Women’s Participation in Sustainable and Lasting Peace. Isis International realised it is essential to initially find out to what extent or if any at all do peace advocates include or consider women and gender in their peace work with from ICCO foundation, Isis carried out a study on women peacemakers in the Philippines.

Click here to see some of these historical treasures.

Relive the historical milestones of the women’s movement with this Isis collection of posters.