Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

UN Reform

and

Norway’s Development Cooperation

Why should we do it??

• Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment = growth and sustainable development.

• Women’s rights are human rights - the CEDAW Convention

UN gender architecture

• A new and strong gender entity in the UN is vital to achieve women’s rights and gender equality.

UN gender architecture

• A new gender entity needs sufficient, stable and predictable funding.

• Also, overall allocations for gender equality throughout the UN system must be increased.

One UN at country level

• The UN pilots must deliver for women on the ground. Women need a distinct voice at country level

Norway’s new Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Gender

Equality• Gender Equality and

Women’s Rights is one of five main priority areas for Norway’s Development Cooperation.

Thematic priority areas

• Women’s political empowerment

• Women’s economic empowerment

• Sexual and reproductive health and rights

• Violence against women

• Norway follows a two-track strategy - Gender Mainstreaming and – Targeted Interventions

Financing for Women and Development

• Additional new money has been allocated to targeted measures for women and gender equality.

• Norway is ready to put resources into a new UN gender entity.

• We increased our contribution to UNIFEM by a 150% in 2007.

• We expect the UN to deliver for women on the ground.

• Non-delivery will have consequences for our choice of partners.