CSW 54- GEAR UP

GEAR CAMPAIGN- Rosie Coutts- Executive Director Soroptimist International

The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) campaign is a network of over 300 women’s, human rights and social justice groups from more than 80 countries that came together in 2007 to urge the UN to create a new gender equality entity. (A UN High Level Panel had already recommended in 2006 that the existing four UN bodies dealing with women’s rights should be consolidated into a single, strong body.) Soroptimist International is a campaign supporter. GEAR representatives are actively lobbying governments in every region of the world.Soroptimist International is one of the groups.

GEAR campaign success!
The campaign achieved the first part of its aims in September 2009 when the UN passed a Resolution strongly supporting the creation of a new composite gender equality entity headed by an Under Secretary-General. The entity would be an operational and global policy secretariat giving gender issues a much needed higher profile and creating a stronger voice for women at the UN.

The Deputy Secretary General has produced a 27 page report on the establishment of the new entity, which is now under discussion by member states of the UN. No state has voiced opposition. Some countries have raised concerns, not least on funding issues.

GEAR’s current campaign aims

Swift establishment of the new UN gender equality entity (by September 2010)

Key elements identified by GEAR for its success:
• The agency should be the driver in the UN system for women’s empowerment and gender equality with strong, country level operational capacity
• Ambitious funding with stable and predictable resources (Funding target of $1 billion - representing 5 times the UNIFEM budget or less than 0.5% of all UN agency expenses in 2008)
• A transparent process for recruiting the best qualified Under Secretary-General for the entity
• Civil society advisory body at global, regional and national level

Issues raised by NGOs at CSW

• Sufficient funding at country level is vital.
• A clear election process for the Under Secretary-General, including a process for replacement.
• No voluntary funding.
• Clear lines of communication between world regions.
• Universal global policy.
• New agency must monitor the implementation of women’s rights.