UN sets up new agency to promote equality for women

United Nations, Jul 3 (PTI) After intense negotiations
stretching four years, the UN General Assembly has approved
setting up of a single entity within the world body to promote
equality for women at its plenary session chaired by India's
Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur.
The establishment of this new composite UN Entity for
Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, which is to be
known as 'UN Women', brings together as many as four
women-related agencies of the world body.
The move, which meets a longstanding demand, came Friday
night after four years of intense and difficult political
negotiations.
"The newest member of the UN family has been born,"
Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, told the Assembly after it
passed the resolution establishing the new UN entity.
"This is truly a watershed day," he declared.
The new body will merge four of the world body's agencies
and offices: UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the
Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the Office of the
Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the UN International
Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women
(UN-INSTRAW).
"By bringing together four parts of the UN system
dedicated to women's issues, Member States have created
a much stronger voice for women and for gender equality at the
global level," said the Secretary General.
"It will now be much more difficult for the world to
ignore the challenges facing women and girls - or to fail to
take the necessary action," he added.
Kaur, who was honoured with the distinction of chairing
the plenary session of the General Assembly that established
'UN women', said India has always been at the forefront of
issues relating to gender equality, mainstreaming and
empowerment.
She recalled that Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first
woman President of the UN General Assembly in 1953.
Noting that India is home to more than half a billion
women, Kaur said India has taken major strides in the area of
political empowerment of women.
Today, more than a million women elected representatives
participate in political decision-making at the grassroots
level, she said.
"A move to provide similar reservation of seats for women
in the Indian Parliament is in advanced stage of the
legislative process, already having received the approval of
the Upper House of our Parliament," the minister said.
"India welcomes the creation of the UN Women as a
significant victory for the cause of women worldwide. It is a
reflection of our collective commitment to the pursuit of
gender equality and the empowerment of women." (More) PTI LKJ
MRD


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