Unanimous vote to create UN Women
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously voted to create a new entity called UN Women, merging four previously distinct parts of the UN system.
UN Women is part of the UN’s agenda of reform, bringing together resources and goals for greater results. The new entity will build on the work of the previous organisations, replacing and combining the:
- Division for the Advancement of Women (established in 1946)
- International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (established in 1976)
- United Nations Development Fund for Women (established in 1976)
- Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (established in 1997)
As the organisation states in its press release, “UN Women will have two key roles: It will support inter-governmental bodies such as the Commission on the Status of Women in their formulation of policies, global standards and norms, and it will help Member States to implement these standards, standing ready to provide suitable technical and financial support to those countries that request it, as well as forging effective partnerships with civil society.
“It will also help the UN system to be accountable for its own commitments on gender equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.”
Due to be operational by January 2011, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has asked for suggestions for an Under-Secretary-General to take charge of UN Women.
More information can be found from the UN Women’s website.
I’m really looking forward to this proving to be a far more effective arm of the UN! Here’s to meeting those Millenium Development Goals.