Women from 50 countries scored the United Nations (UN) for disregarding gender parity in its restructuring processes and for failing to achieve equal representation between men and women in positions within the UN.

We are disappointed and frankly outraged that gender equality and strengthening the womens machineries, within the UN system are barely noted, and are not addressed as a central part of the reform agenda, said 240 delegates from international womens organisations in an open letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The women, gathered at the 50th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), said that for over six decades, womens organisations have been strong supporters of the United Nations and have actively shaped the UNs work on peace, human rights, environmental issues, and gender equality.

Having successfully urged greater commitments on gender equality at the 2005 World Summit, they had expected to see these commitments implemented in the UN reform.  But despite the rhetoric, it still hasn't made it on to the big agenda of UN reform, critiqued Charlotte Bunch, executive director of the Centre for Womens Global Leadership (CWGL). CWGL is a signatory to the letter, along with the UN Committee on the Status of Women, Womens Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), and Womens International League for Peace and Freedo.

The women cited womens minimal membership to the new High-Level Panel on UN system-wide coherence in areas of development, humanitarian assistance, and the environment (it has only three women out of 15 members). They urged the UN to add more women to the panel and to explicitly consider gender equality issues under each theme. They also asked that the UN hold consultations with civil society groups working on womens rights to ensure that the UN considers the reforms impact on women.

They likewise decried womens lack of representation saying: "We are deeply concerned that the position of women in high-level UN posts has stagnated."  They said, we must ask how it can be that more than ten years after the commitment to gender parity at the Beijing Conference, the UN is still offering only token representation of women on critical committees, high level expert panels, and in senior positions within the organisation.

What do current UN statistics on the Secretariat and the UN System say? Rachel Mayanja, UN assistant secretary-general and special adviser on gender issues and advancement of women, reported that as of December 2005, the percentage of women in the professional and higher categories at the UN has remained at 2004 level, about 37.2%.

In addition, women have lost some ground at senior levels. Women represent 26% of staff at the director level (D-1) and above, a decrease of 2.9% since 2004. Mayanja also reported that among the 31 individual departments or offices in the Secretariat with 20 or more professional staff, only five have met or exceeded the gender balance target and ten have reached 40 to 49%.

"The lesson is clear. More concerted action is needed even to maintain the current representation of women, particularly at the D-1 and above level. Recruitment and retention must be targeted by level," Mayanja added. She appealed to member states to "recommend qualified women for senior level positions to help [the UN Secretariat] achieve the mandated goal.

The women attending the CSW also deemed as unacceptable the lack of women in a recently released list of candidates for the position of executive director of UN Environment Programme (UNEP). At the very least, the UN should set an example of gender balance, they said.

They likewise expressed disappointment at Mark Malloch Browns recent appointment as deputy secretary general. The position is the second highest-ranking job at the UN, and the women had expected another woman to succeed Louise Frechette.

We already knew that only lip service was being given to gender parity, WEDOs June Zeitlin said, in reaction to Mallochs appointment. The UN is going in the wrong direction. We need new and innovative leadership and the way to get that is by ensuring we reach 50/50 women and men in all decision-making positions, she argued.

"The pattern of publicly adopted commitments and statements followed by lack of implementation sets a disheartening precedent, said the letter which retards the work and reputation of the United Nations and impedes the urgently-needed progress of gender equality.

Charlotte Bunch reiterated the strong sentiments in the letter by saying, The UN must make it a priority to strengthen the bodies that work for womens rights. What is being called the UN gender architecture is more like a shack. Women need a bigger global house if equality is ever to become a reality.

Source:
Center for Womens Global Leadership, et al. (2006, March 6). An open letter on women & UN reform to the Secretary-General and member states from NGOs present at the 50th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Retrieved on March 10, 2006 from
<www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/globalcenter/policy/csw06/un%20reform%20open%20letter.pdf>.

Deen, T.  (2006, March 7). International women's day: UN blasted on gender parity. Retrieved on March 10, 2006 from Terraviva Europe <www.ipsterraviva.net/Europe/article.aspx?id=3066>. 

United Nations pays lip service to gender equality say women's advocates at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. (2006, March 6). Retrieved on March 10, 2006 from <www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/globalcenter/policy/csw06/index.html>.