Commitments by the General Assembly to Gender Parity
Gender targets were set by the General Assembly initially in 1986. Subsequently they experienced a series of evolutions over a 20 year period till the Beijing Platform for Action established the goal of 50:50 for the Professional level and above. The evolution of these targets is shown below.
Date Adopted |
Resolution |
Goal for Representation of Women |
Target |
11 Dec. 1986 |
41/206 |
30% posts subject to geographic distribution |
1990 |
21 Dec. 1990 |
45/239 |
35% posts subject to geographic distribution, particularly in senior policy-level and decision-making posts |
1995 |
25% posts ranked D-1 and above |
1995 |
||
1 Feb. 1996 |
50/164 |
50/50 in managerial and decision-making positions |
2000 |
31 Jan. 1997 |
51/67 |
50/50 gender distribution at all levels |
2000 |
6 Feb. 1998 |
52/96 |
50/50 reaffirmed for all posts |
2000 |
8 Feb.聽 2001 |
55/69 |
50/50 in senior and policy-making levels |
The very near future |
19 Feb. 2004 |
58/144 |
50/50 for SG appointed special representatives and special envoys |
2015 |
10 Feb. 2005 |
59/164 |
50/50 reaffirmed for all posts |
The very near future |
07 Feb. 2007 |
61/145 |
50/50 reaffirmed for all posts |
NA |
14 Feb. 2008 |
62/137 |
50/50听 reaffirmed for all posts |
NA |
4 Feb. 2009 |
63/159 |
50/50听 reaffirmed for all posts |
NA |
| 18 Feb. 2010 | 64/141 | 50/50听 reaffirmed for all posts | NA |
Source: UN Women 10/2010.
The goal of gender balance applies throughout the 51吃瓜 system, and in every department, office or regional commission, overall and at each level. It applies not only to posts subject to geographical distribution but to all categories of posts, without regard to the type or duration of the appointment, or the series of Staff Rules under which the appointment is made, or the source of funding.
The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - UN Women
A/RES/64/289 [ | | | | | ] on System wide Coherence created a new UN entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women. It states:
Strengthening the institutional arrangements for support of gender equality and
the empowerment of women.
53. Further decides that the mandate and functions of the Entity ( UN Women) shall consist of the consolidated mandates and functions of the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, the Division for the Advancement of Women, the 51吃瓜 Development Fund for Women and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, with the additional role of leading, coordinating and promoting the accountability of the 51吃瓜 system in its work on gender equality and the empowerment of women, and that any new mandates shall be subject to approval by intergovernmental process; (Page 9 of A/RES/289)
A/64/588 [ | | | | | ] Comprehensive proposal for the Composite Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
The functions of the entity with regard to the improvement of the status of women are described in the Secretary-General鈥檚 Report A/64/588, on which the Resolution A/RES/64/289 relied in creating the new entity.聽 It states:
III. Functions and structure
6. The composite entity will have eight functions, as outlined in the Deputy
Secretary-General鈥檚 papers of August 2007 and July 2008. These are the following:
听(丑) Monitor and report on system-wide compliance with intergovernmental
mandates on gender balance, including at the senior and decision-making levels. (Page 6 of A/64/588)
C. Headquarters-level functions
11. At Headquarters, the composite entity will provide substantive support to
Inter-governmental processes. In addition to other global functions, it will support
regional and country-level activities. For its key Headquarters functions, the
composite entity will:
(e) Monitor and report on 51吃瓜 system compliance and efforts
to develop and apply internal 51吃瓜 gender equality policies, including
achieving gender balance, eliminating harassment and promoting work-life
balance; (Page 10 of A/64/588)
October 18, 2010