|
Member states have taken a major step towards addressing the
fragmentation of the UN work on women's issues, when the General
Assembly voted to approve a new gender architecture.
As a result, four currently separate offices will be merged: the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI); the Division for the Advancement of Women in the Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DAW/DESA); the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM); and the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).
Currently, intensive work is under way to develop a proposal for an entity that will be comparable to other major UN funds and programs. The agency will be equipped to tackle women’s issues head-on through effective programs. In 2010, Secretary-General Ban is expected to appoint an under-secretary-general to head the new entity and lead the UN’s efforts in this field.
|
