New York (December 19, 2013) The Women’s Major Group (WMG) continued efforts to ensure gender equality is not only a priority for the Sustainable Development Goals, but also part of the process at the sixth session of the Open Working Group at the UN. About 20 members from the Women’s Major Group participated and gave presentations and interventions. The sessions focused on means of implementation (science and technology, knowledge-sharing and capacity building), global partnership for achieving sustainable development, needs of countries in special situations, African Countries, LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, human rights, the right to development and global governance.
Nebila Abdulmelik with FEMNET from the WMG addressed the chairs on issues such as land grabbing and gender-based violence that hinder women’s full capacity in African countries and is not reflected in the economic growth and development of these countries. She urged the chairs that “measures put in place must be people centered and rights based” in order to remedy inequalities and affect change.
Women interventions in the morning sessions were greatly appreciated, however a better effort needs to be made to incorporate women into the official panels organized by UNDESA. The Women’s Major group is looking forward to the seventh session of the Open Working Group early in the New Year.
WMG members presenting priorities from African Countries met with co-chair Kamau of #OWG6. Image courtesy of @Women_Rio20.
