UN Women Executive Board Annual Session 2019
Many Member-States spoke preliminarily on the work that the UN Women have done in the past year based on the mid-year report and on their own country’s work in the empowerment of women and girls.
- Largest donor to UN Women.
- They wish to see operation of UN Women under a new budget and constructive dialogue in its creation.
- Important for UN Women to work closely with civil society, government and local representatives.
- Should make its voice and presence known to the people for whom it is doing work.
- Status of women in Saudi Arabia has risen very highly and quickly. They now allow women to drive and fly as well as have one working for the government in D.C.
- They have been lifting restrictions on women in the workplace and educational field, as well as building the rights of women in the court system, and those of the rights of the guardian have advanced tremendously.
- UN Women need a robust and innovative resource mobilization strategy.
- Addressing sexual harassment demonstrates leadership on this issue.
United Kingdom (speaking for itself, Japan, Belgium, the Netherlands, etc.):
- UN Women are 6th place on the Aid and Transparency Initiative which shows good work, but there is a need for greater transparency on the resource level.
- Encourage UN Women to use the core chapter to connect with other UN Women and work collaboratively with other agencies.
- There are issues in Mongolia: rates of gender-based violence are consistently high, such as 31% of women being subject to physical or sexual abuse.
- UN Women have done great work in reforming policy, legal and practical measure to include women.
- For the first time in our history, we have a cabinet that is 50% women ministers.
- This exec board has to look at how UN women are linked to the broader picture and never make any decisions that are not in consensus with the general assembly.
- We have been preventing and addressing sexual harassment.
- UN Women should implement gender constructive policies.
- Financial and political support to UN Women will achieve constructive gender policies.
- UN Women must perform at its highest level now despite having made significant improvements since 2014.
- Urge to continue improving and focus on typology of countries in terms of their scale and presence.
- Conquering gender equality should not be bound by the lines that separate countries.
- Should focus on elimination of feminization of poverty.
- Should partner with regional and sub-regional organizations in issues concerning peace, security and conflict prevention.
- Despite achievements made, there is concern over slow progress being made to conquer sexual harassment and violence.
- Looks for these things in future work of the UN women:
o Implementation of the strategy plan should be more outcome oriented
o Despite highest revenue, needs to be more diversity in its funding sources
o Continue efforts to improve accountability and efficiency
- Shares Japan’s outlook on diversifying sources of funding and implementing the strategic plan.
- Challenge and concern that Kenya has noted is that the economy side of UN Women did not meet its goals – if this does not meet its goals, then 75% of the Sustainable Development Goals will not be achieved.
- Enhanced transparency and aid transparency is welcomed.
- Gaps: emphasize that data insufficiency blocks SDG data.
- Efficiency, sustainability and accountability is an area that needs improvement.
- Families in a changing world could be afforded more attention.