August 2006
Pressure Pays Off:
Women Have Their Say on UN Reform
UNEP
Puts Gender Equality Front and Center
Update:
UNSG Selection
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Editor:
Joan Ross Frankson
Layout Editor:
Anique
Halliday
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After months of pressure from women's rights groups, the Secretary General’s High Level Panel
on Coherence allowed them to have their say
in a consultation in Geneva, Switzerland. On July 2, the Panel
met with representatives of more than 50 international civil society
groups, including WEDO, to address the cross-cutting themes of gender
equality, human rights and sustainable development/ environment.
WEDO and other women’s rights advocates addressed the inadequacies of the current gender equality architecture and
the need for a highly-positioned, well-resourced independent agency
with a field staff. Though it is difficult to
gauge
the
Panel’s decision because of the closed nature of its process,
it
is likely that it will recommend changes to the gender equality
architecture. The question is how bold and transformative
will
these recommendations be?
[READ MORE]
In
an exciting new initiative, WEDO has partnered with World Conservation
Union (IUCN) to help the UN Environment Programme
(UNEP) incorporate
gender equality and a gender perspective into its programs,
policies, and practices. The gender-mainstreaming project was launched
on
June 30 with a day-long workshop led by WEDO and IUCN at UNEP
Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. A series of gender
workshops and training sessions will follow at the regional and global
UNEP offices over the next six months. The workshop resulted in a
draft Gender Plan of Action that will guide UNEP's future gender
mainstreaming efforts.
[READ MORE]
Update: UNSG Selection
By Anique Halliday
On June 24, the Security Council began the process for
selecting a new UN Secretary-General (SG), holding a straw
ballot to gauge the relative popularity of the four male
candidates recommended by Member States: Ban Ki Moon (Republic of
Korea), Shashi Tharoor (India), Surakiart Sathirathai (Thailand),
Jayantha Dhanapala (Sri Lanka). The straw ballot neither
determines the outcome of the process nor does it limit the possiblity
for additional candidates to be nominated.
Historically, the selection of the UNSG has occurred largely behind
closed doors. Appointed by the General Assembly under the
recommendation of the Security Council, the SG is subject to veto by
the five permanent members. There is
currently no concrete process, timeline or formal candidate criteria.
Generally, names are submitted to the Security Council, which
then meets to discuss candidates.
According to the UNSGSelection.org Latest Developments, the Security
Council is proceeding cautiously, "leaving open the possibility of
successive refinements of the process." Additionally, the
Security Council will make only limited information available and will
likely continue to operate in a "very discreet and sensitive way."
NGOs and civil society organizations worldwide are calling for a more
transparent, accountable and inclusive process for selecting a
Secretary General, including:
1. Formal candidate qualifications;
2. Official timetable and systematic reporting;
3. Procedures for assessment of candidates;
4. Gender and geographic diversity considerations.
Stay updated on the UNSG selection process by visiting, UNSGSelection.org.
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