ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL COORDINATION SEGMENT
Review and appraisal of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes of the UN system, 2-6 July 2004
FINAL RESOLUTION
ECOSOC Agreed Conclusions 1997/2 | UN Website for ECOSOC Coord Segment | Gender Mainstreaming in the work of the UN on peace and security
Governmental & UN Statements | Coordination Segment Panel (6 July am) Overview | Pre-Coordination Segment Panel Overview | Language Negotiations on the Outcome Document

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the six main organs of the United Nations, coordinates the work of the fourteen UN specialized agencies, ten functional commissions and five regional commissions; receives reports from eleven UN funds and programmes; and issues policy recommendations to the UN system and to Member States. Under the UN Charter, ECOSOC is responsible for promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress; identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems; facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

ECOSOC will hold a review and appraisal during its Coordination Segment, 2 and 6 July 2004, on the implementation of its agreed conclusions (1997/2) on mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system. During the Coordination Segment, the Council will also consider the theme, a coordinated and integrated United Nations system approach to promote rural development in developing countries.

Governmental and UN Statements, 2 and 6 July 2004

UN Press Releases: ECOSOC/6122 | ECOSOC/6123 | ECOSOC/6124

Carolyn Hannan, UN Division for the Advancement of Women and Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues*

European Union* | Bangladesh* | Namibia* | India | Republic of Korea* | Azerbaijan | Switzerland | Kenya | Canada (and on behalf of Australia and New Zealand)* | Japan | Indonesia | Norway | UN Population Fund (UNFPA) | Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) | Nigeria* | Malaysia | World Health Organization (WHO) | International Labour Organization (ILO)

*mentioned the importance of UNSC Resolution 1325 in the context of gender mainstreaming

Overview: Coordination Segment panel: Achievements in Gender Mainstreaming in Entities of the United Nations System (UN Headquarters perspective)
PeaceWomen team, 6 July 2004, ECOSOC Chambers, UN Headquarters, am

Moderator: Kang Kyung-Wha (Republic of Korea), Chairperson, Commission on the Status of Women
Panelists: Sissel Ekaas, Director, Gender and Population Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); Yousef Mahmoud, Director, Africa I Division, United Nations Department of Political Affairs (DPA); Zahra Nuru, Senior Adviser, Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States; Axumite Gebre-Egziabher, Director, New York Office, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat); Ayesha Imam, Chief, Culture, Gender and Human Rights Branch, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The panelists focused on the achievements their agencies had made over the past few years in implementing gender mainstreaming policies and the challenges that remain for many UN entities.

Ms. Sissel Ekaas, Director, Gender and Population Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), opened the discussion by providing an overview of the implementation of gender mainstreaming at FAO. In the late 1990‚s, FAO undertook a corporate review to better understand how to evaluate the progress of gender mainstreaming. As a result, FAO developed a medium-term plan of action in 2001, which increased the visibility and accountability of management in implementing gender mainstreaming policies. However, one challenge her organization faced was confusion about what gender mainstreaming meant as opposed to gender balance in staffing. Since the 2001 plan of action, Ms. Ekaas remarked, FAO has made much progress in recognizing gender mainstreaming as a priority. Gender mainstreaming is now addressed at the organization‚s biannual conference and included as one of six principles used to assess projects. Ms. Ekaas also stressed the importance of disseminating information about gender mainstreaming to all staff members through training, handbooks, guides and e-newletters.

Although general awareness of gender issues has improved at all levels of the organization, Ms. Ekaas noted that challenges still remain. She estimated that only twenty percent of programs address gender mainstreaming. Managers still struggle with how to achieve gender mainstreaming in their projects. Because there is a high retirement rate at FAO, another challenge is effectively maintain knowledge about gender mainstreaming. In addition, gender mainstreaming has been limited by budgetary and assessment concerns.
Ms. Ekaas commented that progress can be made through increased management proactivity. Accountability and visibility of these issues could be developed through incentives and sanctions based on gender mainstreaming. She also advocated for strengthened partnerships with other agencies and the installation of a management level gender focal point in order to get access to management buy-in and funds at an earlier point in the process. Ms. Ekaas concluded that advocacy and policy go hand-in-hand. Gender focal
points must strengthen and collect evidence to convince their colleagues of best practices and provide sound and timely advice, rather than acting as the gender police.

Mr. Yousef Mahmoud, Director, Africa I Division, United Nations Department of Political Affairs (DPA), commented the DPA is attempting to implement gender mainstreaming polices in the areas of early warning, conflict prevention, electoral assistance and peace-building. The DPA uses Resolution 1325 and the recommendation of the Secretary General on Women, Peace and Security as key elements in their efforts. The Under-Secretary-General had clearly articulated his expectation that staff will maintain a gender perspective in their work and senior management at headquarters have participated in meetings and workshops on gender issues with staff, NGOs and UN agencies. The DPA has also co-sponsored several expert group meetings with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Division for the Advancement of Women on women‚s involvement in peace and electoral processes. In addition, the DPA has created a gender checklist to help their staff to prepare for and carrying out field assessment missions and ensured that gender perspectives were included in the agenda for their May meeting

Mr. Mahmoud stressed that the DPA has made efforts to advance women's participation in peacemaking processes. For example, in Bougainville and Congo, women were essential to the disarmament process. The DPA's Electoral Assistance Division has focused on increasing women‚s participation in the electoral process. There were efforts to target voter registration messages for women in Afghanistan and Nigeria.

Mr. Mahmoud remarked that challenges remained. He noted that the DPA must ensure that gender perspectives are not considered just a women‚s issue or an ancillary issue to be dealt with when time is available. Gender mainstreaming also faces a financial challenge in that activities targeting women are often financed from extrabudgetary contributions which makes it difficult to integrate regular predictable funding into peace-building activities. Finally, Mr. Mahmoud remarked that there is a need for member
states to provide the Secretariat with suitable female candidates for senior-level positions.

Ms. Zahra Nuru, Senior Adviser, Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, opened her remarks by commenting that the progress in promoting gender equality had been uneven and the gains made have been fragile. Women‚s rights have not been given a priority in countries where need is greater. However, women represent the majority of the poor in developing countries and are directly targeted with rape, forced pregnancies
and assault in today‚s conflicts. She stressed that progress on gender mainstreaming needs to continue on both an international and national level.

According to Ms. Nuru, the United Nations is "getting their act together" in taking action on gender mainstreaming. For example, in her office, 60 per cent of its staff is composed of women. Ms. Nuru stressed that gender mainstreaming was intended to make gender issues an integral part of designing and implementing policies at all levels. Gender equality is essential to the elimination of poverty because the majority of the world's poor are women. Action should be taken to increase women‚s access to education, health services, decision-making positions, and economic power. By 2015, the internationally agreed upon goals ensure that there is a fifty percent improvement goals in women's literacy rates and an increase in access to primary education for all girls.

She also said that the biggest challenge today is that gender equality issues are exacerbated by a lack of resources. In conclusion, Ms. Nuru remarked that the 2005 review would hopefully address lessons to be learned and elaborate on action for the future.

Ms. Axumite Gebre-Egziabher, Director, New York Office, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), UN-Habitat focused on gender issues in the 1996 agenda, which discussed equal access to land, housing and services. The UN-Habitat's gender policy was revised in 2001 and has led to the inclusion of gender mainstreaming as a major indicator of success of their programs.

Ms. Begre-Egziabher said significant progress has been made at UN-Habitat. New rules were created mandating the inclusion of gender mainstreaming in all strategies. She reported that gender perspectives were integrated into water, sanitation and disaster management activities in Afghanistan and Kosovo. A number of policy papers and studies were completed to increase the agency's understanding of gender issues and guidelines were given to all staff members. In addition, in 2004, gender-impact assessment was made as part of the evaluation of all programs to ensure that staff actively included gender in all activities; the project review committee will not approve any project that does not include a gender perspective. Ms. Begre-Egziabher remarked that there was still a need to increase cooperation between agencies and capacity-building in the areas of gender analysis and budgeting skills. She stressed that monitoring and evaluation also needed strengthening because women are often still invisible in development data. Ministerial support at the country level and women‚s networks need to be mobilized for greater impact. Finally, links between urban and rural development should be strengthened.

According to Ms. Ayesha Imam, Chief, Culture, Gender and Human Rights Branch, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNFPA has focused on gender issues in the areas of reproductive rights and health and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The UNFPA is involved in inter-agency network taskforces on gender issues such as women‚s participation in peace processes; however, Ms. Imam suggested that focus should be accelerated. More resources have been directed to gender specific issues such as gender-based violence. The UNFPA has seen an increase in the use of gender analysis, such as in analysis of HIV/AIDS infections. Ms. Imam remarked that expanding partnerships with NGO and civil society organizations has been a crucial element in gender mainstreaming at a country level. Other activities at the UNFPA include training and on-line distance learning courses, policy statements, and gender-guidelines and checklists. The UNFPA ensures gender equality in staffing; there is fifty-fifty gender equality at all levels. In addition, it employs gender advisers and focal points at the country level. Ms. Imam reported that accountability has increased because on the mandatory requirement for interdividsional assessment includes the women's division.

According to Ms. Imam, the biggest remaining challenge is the need to close the gap between promulgating policies and implementing them. She stressed the importance of improving the inclusion of women's perspective in budgeting and gender indicators across all monitoring and appraisal instruments. Staff commitment should be increased at all levels of the agency by reducing the gaps of knowledge and implementing a performance appraisal system at the individual level based on gender issues. She also pointed out that there is an urgent need for sex-disaggregated data.

Finally, Ms. Imam suggested that linking gender mainstreaming to the Millennium Development Goals is essential for their success; ultimately, all the goals are gendered and should have gendered strategies.

The panel then accepted questions from the audience members. A representative from the Netherlands questioned the panel on measures that could be taken to establish accountability in the gender mainstreaming process. Ms. Ekaas stressed the importance of managers holding each other accountable for bringing gender to the forefront and asking colleagues the tough questions regarding gender mainstreaming when faced with programs; it is not enough to leave the issue to the gender focal point. Mr. Mahmoud also commented that accountability only works when it affects the highest levels of management.

A representative from Canada pointed out that less than 15% of the Security Council reports included gender analysis and asked Mr. Mahmoud about institutional efforts to overcome that gap. Mr. Mahmoud commented that there has been some improvement since that report has come out, but that his department is continuing to stress the importance of UNSC Resolution 1325. The yearly commemoration of Resolution 1325 has been vital to this progress, because it increases the awareness of the inclusion of a gender perspective in peacebuilding and peacekeeping. By integrating a gender perspective into its reporting, DPA, in turn, increases the credibility of their reports on behalf of the Secretariat.

Answering a question from a representative from the United Republic of Tanzania regarding country-level assessment, Ms. Nuru remarked that several mechanisms existed in the UN structure to monitor coordination of country assessments; however, each country also needs to look at its own policies and where it falls in line with the UN policies.

In conclusion, Ms. Kang summarized the common challenges faced by the agencies. The first challenge was securing enough resources to support gender mainstreaming policies. Another challenge was measuring progress effectively in the absence of gender indicators and disaggregated data. Effective monitoring, evaluation, training and capacity-building also pose a
challenge. Measures to ensure accountability also need to be addressed. Finally, the panelists all agree that gender mainstreaming should be tied to the Millennium Development goals for the platform to succeed.

Overview: Pre-Coordination Segment Panel
PeaceWomen team

Gender Mainstreaming in the Work of the United Nations System Intergovernmental Bodies
22 June 2004, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York City, USA
Panelists: H.E. Mr. Julian Robert Hunte, President of the General Assembly; H.E. Mr. Dumisani Shadrack Kumalo, Chair of the Commission for Social Development; H.E. Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, (Moderator) Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women; H. E. Ms. Eva Tomi, Vice-Chair of the Commission on Sustainable Development; Ms. Mililani Trask, Vice-Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

In preparation for the Economic and Social Council's (ECOSOC) Coordination Segment in July 2004, the Bureau of the Council hosted a panel discussion entitled, Gender Mainstreaming in the Work of the United Nations System Intergovernmental Bodies, on Tuesday, 22 June 2004. The panel highlighted the importance of not only understanding the need for gender mainstreaming policies, but also ensuring the full implementation of these policies at all levels of the United Nations (UN) system.

The keynote speaker, H.E. Mr. Julian Robert Hunte, President of the General Assembly (GA), Permanent Mission of Saint Lucia, began the discussion by giving an overview of the progress in the UN towards promoting women’s equality and making women’s equality a priority on the social agenda. Mr. Hunte then stressed the importance of gender mainstreaming as a tool for the international community to shape programs for gender equality. He advocated for the UN to take the lead in the development of comprehensive and proactive strategies and pointed out that the blueprint for these strategies already exists. The impediments of social equality, Mr. Hunte explained, were not from lack of initiatives, but from violence perpetuated on women, HIV/AIDS, displacement and war, trafficking and the historical concentration of power in the hands of men. These challenges have been further compounded by globalization. According to Hunte, the UN should proactively work to give women an equal voice, accept women as equal partners in managing conflict, and help women live free of violence. Mr. Hunte suggested some possible changes that could accelerate the process of women’s equality: heightened awareness of gender mainstreaming by every UN body, increased institutional commitment to targeted and systemic interventions, and improved insight into the consistency and speed of policy application at UN bodies. In conclusion, he emphasized that Member States must drive the process together to make gender equality the rule, not the exception.

H.E. Mr. Dumisani Shadrack Kumalo, Chair of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD), Permanent Mission of South Africa, spoke about the need for continued political commitment for gender mainstreaming at the highest levels of the UN. He emphasized that all policies should take gender mainstreaming into account and increase the understanding of the link between gender policies and the different parts of the UN system. To improve the implementation of these policies, Mr. Kumalo encouraged the development of a mechanism assessing accountability, such as a performance appraisal system, to report the status of women throughout the UN system to ECOSOC. In addition, Mr. Kumalo stressed the importance of ECOSOC's role in reviewing and supporting systemic interaction between different UN branches on gender policy. He added that ECOSOC should also recommend that the Security Council fully implement resolution 1325 into all peace building efforts. Gender mainstreaming is the responsibility of all UN staff members, he commented, and they should be held accountable for integrating gender perspectives into all initiatives. In conclusion, Mr. Kumalo suggested that UN staff members should be trained on gender issues to ensure that gender mainstreaming is implemented.

H.E. Ms. Eva Tomi, Vice-Chair of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), Permanent Mission of the Republic of Slovenia, reported on the lessons that can be learned from the CSD’s progress on implementing gender mainstreaming throughout its programs. CSD has treated gender as a cross-cutting issue, in that all sustainable development policies, from reducing poverty to increasing literacy, must take gender into consideration. CSD has also taken a participatory and rights-based approach, including the voices of civil society, in gender mainstreaming. Ms. Tomi indicated that the increased participation of civil society women's groups has opened up opportunities for dialogue among intergovernmental bodies, States, and civil society which can shape women’s involvement in decision-making from local to international levels. CEDAW also offers possibilities for a rights-based approach by illuminating gender mainstreaming and social and economic rights. However, she stated, there is still much work to be done to fully implement gender equality as many countries have not yet implemented gender into development policies.

Ms. Mililani Trask, Vice-Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Native Hawaiian, noted that indigenous women constitute one of the most marginalized and vulnerable groups, as they experience poverty, human rights violations, displacement, conflict, and the exploitation of traditional knowledge. Indigenous women have spoken out on many of these issues and have organized themselves into global, regional, and local groups. Ms. Trask commented that the achievements of gender mainstreaming for the issues and activities of indigenous women have included structural changes such as the establishment of the Permanent Forum, positive responses from UN agencies to recommendations made by the Forum, and positive responses from some States to address indigenous women's issues. Ms. Trask’s main point was that only by integrating indigenous women will it be possible to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Ms. Trask outlined some of the challenges that lie ahead for gender mainstreaming: gender mainstreaming should retain a dual-pronged approach and poverty and a lack of resources have limited indigenous women’s groups and poor States’ implementation of gender mainstreaming.

The panel was concluded with an exchange of views between panelists, Member States, and UN agencies. The EU and Canada asked the panelists about the improvement of cooperation between agencies, the introduction of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and how the CSD review will be translated into meaningful policy recommendations. A member of the Secretariat also urged that most of the UN work is done by intergovernmental organs and therefore gender mainstreaming needs to be advanced with and by Member States.

With time gender mainstreaming has become "much more present within the entire UN system" replied H.E. Ms. Tomic. She warned however that there is a danger for mainstreaming to remain a concept on paper with no further implications. H.E. Mr. Kumalo emphasized that cooperation between agencies needs to be increased and that the UN has to set a clear example and standards for gender mainstreaming internationally. Referring to Canada's question on translating the CSD review into meaningful policy recommendations, Ms. Tomic suggested that the review be integrated into a report from the Secretary-General in order to provide a [stronger] basis for discussion, and further, urged for more systematic civil society participation during the preparation of CSD.

Gender mainstreaming is crucial in the fight against poverty and should be the central issue in any poverty reduction strategy (PRSs), said the representative of the Permanent Mission of the Congo. The Member States, the Congo and Ghana, and UN Habitat further shared their experiences in gender mainstreaming at the local level and drew the attention to the fact that women need to be included in decision-making and policy-drafting processes at the local level to later have a voice at the regional and national levels.

UN intergovernmental bodies can, as the moderator and Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), H.E. Ms. Kyang-wha Kang, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea, summarized, undertake four steps to further the gender mainstreaming implementation: first, to give ECOSOC the leading role in the process; second, for Member States and governments to accept that the responsibility to gender mainstream on the ground lies ultimately with themselves; third, to include gender mainstreaming in all major reviews expected in 2005 (e.g. Beijing and Beijing +5); and finally, for CSW to review their gender mainstreaming implementation, especially with regards to the Millennium Development Goals.


Language Negotiations on the Outcome Document of the Coordination Segment

***Analysis Coming Soon***

The UN Secretariat and Chair/Vice-President of ECOSOC (Azerbaijan) of the Coordination Segment put forth the first draft of the outcome document on 2 June 2004 for the 2-6 July 2004 Coordination Segment. On Wednesday, 30 June 2004, the ECOSOC members held their final informals on the language of the outcome document.

The European Union (EU) had submitted a paragraph for the document that addressed both the Security Council's responsibility to gender mainstream and UNSC Resolution 1325: Recommends to the Security Council that it ensure systematic attention to gender perspectives in its work, including through the promotion of the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325;

This language, after negotiations, now reads in the final document: Takes note of work already undertaken to implement Security Council Resolution 1325 [of 3 October 2000] on women, peace and security and urges continued efforts towards its full implementation;

For more information on the preparations for the Coordination Segment or the Segment itself, contact info@peacewomen.org.