Working paper for Geneva-based NGO committee on freedom of religion or belief and NGO committee on the status of women

Statement on the International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation

Message from Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA

Examples of statements in UN documents that culture, tradition or religion may not be used to justify violations of women’s human rights, or states have an obligation to counter violations against women based on culture, tradition or religion.

UPDATE: UN: Act now for UN reform and gender equality

The Coherence Panel met on 30-31 August 2006 to finalize, among other things, their report for the Secretary General. We have heard that many critical recommendations on the gender architecture of the UN may be included in the report. At this point, it is critical to send a bold message to the panel members about strengthening operational capacity alongside the normative functions.

UPDATE: UN: Act now for UN reform and gender equality

Uzbekistan: CEDAW Shadow Report

Drawn from materials from the last 5 years, this is the Shadow Report on Uzbekistan that was presented to CEDAW earlier in 2006.

UN: Act now for UN reform and gender equality

Despite the good commitments from CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action especially, implementation by governments and in the UN has been far slower than we would like. With the initiatives for reforms in the UN, there is an important opportunity now to ensure that the structural and other obstacles to effective implementation within the UN are addressed.

UN: Act now for UN reform and gender equality

UN: The women's agenda for United Nations reform

AWID's Kathambi Kinoti interviews Charlotte Bunch, Executive Director of the Center for Women's Global Leadership on the current United Nations reform drive, and what it means for women.

UN: ''In UN reform, where are the women?'' By June Zeitlin, WEDO

At this year's CSW, WEDO and the other groups expressed their disappointment and outrage that gender equality and strengthening the women's machineries within the U.N. system are still not being addressed as a central part of the U.N. reform agenda.

UN related