EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2011–2012 IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice

This volume of Progress of the World’s Women starts with a Pervasive discrimination against women creates major hurdles Progress of the World’s Women outlines paradox: the past century has seen a transformation in women’s to achieving rights and hinders progress on all of the Millennium legal rights, with countries in every region expanding the scope of Development Goals (MDGs) – the benchmarks that the ten recommendations to make justice women’s legal entitlements. Nevertheless for most of the world’s international community has set to eradicate extreme poverty – systems work for women. They are proven women, the laws that exist on paper do not translate to equality from improving , to achieving universal education and justice. and halting the spread of HIV and AIDS. and achievable and, if implemented,

In 1911, just two countries in the world allowed women to vote. Although equality between women and men is guaranteed in they hold enormous potential to increase A century later, that right is virtually universal and women are the Constitutions of 139 countries and territories, inadequate women’s access to justice and advance exercising greater influence in decision-making than ever before. laws and implementation gaps make these guarantees hollow Alongside women’s greater political influence, there has been a promises, having little impact on the day-to-day lives of . growing recognition of women’s rights, not only political and civil, women. In many contexts, in rich and poor countries alike, the but also economic, social and cultural rights. Today, 186 countries infrastructure of justice – the police, the courts and the judiciary worldwide have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All – is failing women, which manifests itself in poor services and Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), signalling their hostile attitudes from the very people whose duty it is to meet commitment to meeting the of women and girls, women’s rights. breaking down the barriers to gender equality and justice. Progress of the World’s Women shows that well-functioning And yet, while examples of countries making immense strides legal and justice systems can be a vital mechanism for women in promoting gender equality abound, all too often women are to achieve their rights. They can shape society by providing denied control over their bodies, denied a voice in decision- accountability, by stopping the abuse of power and by creating making and denied protection from violence. Some 600 million new norms. The courts have been a critical site of accountability women, more than half the world’s working women, are in for individual women to claim rights and to set legal precedents vulnerable employment, trapped in insecure jobs, often outside that have benefitted millions of others. the purview of labour legislation. Despite major progress on legal frameworks, millions of women report experiencing violence This report highlights the ways in which governments and civil in their lifetimes, usually at the hands of an intimate partner. society are working together to reform laws and create new Meanwhile, the systematic targeting of women for brutal sexual models for justice service delivery that meet women’s needs. It violence is a hallmark of modern conflicts. demonstrates how they have risen to the challenge of ensuring that women can access justice in the most challenging of situations, including in the context of legal pluralism and during and after conflict.

ii | Progress of the World’s Women These organizations have spearheaded law For example, in Ecuador, where the right of In Indonesia, PEKKA, a local non-governmental Support women’s reform efforts and strategic litigation cases that indigenous people to determine their own justice organization (NGO), has trained community- have transformed the landscape for women’s systems is enshrined in the Constitution, women based paralegals to support women to use the legal organizations rights nationally, regionally and internationally in two indigenous Kichwa communities have religious courts to legally register marriage and (see Box 1). developed Reglamentos de Buena Convivencia divorce, which enables them to access public Women’s legal organizations are at the (Regulations for Good Living), which bring services and benefits. PEKKA has also lobbied forefront of making justice systems They have also been leaders in successful together customary norms and human rights the Government to increase the number of circuit work for women. Where government- interventions in legally plural environments, principles to address violence within the family courts and waive fees to make courts more showing that it is possible to engage with plural and women’s access to justice. accessible to women. funded legal aid is limited, women’s legal systems while simultaneously supporting organizations step in to provide the local cultures, traditions and practices. advice and support that women need to pursue a legal case, to put a stop to violence, to seek a divorce or to claim Box 1: Balancing the Scales: Landmark cases that have changed women’s lives land that is rightfully theirs. These cases have increased women’s access to justice in countries all over the world. Some have advanced the legal understanding of women’s human rights under international law; some have enforced or clarified laws already on the books; some have challenged laws that should be repealed; and some have created new laws. All have led to positive changes in women’s lives.

Meera Dhungana on behalf of FWLD v HMG Unity Dow v Attorney General of the Republic of Botswana In Nepal, the law exempted men from being prosecuted for the rape of Despite being a citizen born and raised in Botswana, the law stated that their wives. In 2002, in a case taken by the Forum for Women, Law and because Unity Dow had married a foreigner, their two children required Development, the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to amend the rape residence permits and were denied their rights as citizens. This landmark law. To date, 52 countries worldwide have explicitly criminalized marital 1992 case confirmed that the guarantee of equality in the Constitution rape in their penal codes. applied to women’s citizenship rights. Judgment of the Constitutional Court of Colombia Velez and others v Novartis Pharmaceuticals In 2006, Women’s Link Worldwide took a case on behalf of Martha Solay In the largest gender discrimination class action ever to go to trial in the to challenge the law prohibiting doctors from performing an abortion to United States of America, 12 female employees of the pharmaceutical save her life. The Court held that the ban violated women’s fundamental company Novartis alleged they were discriminated against on pay and rights and affirmed that abortion must be accessible in certain cases. promotions. The jury found unanimously in their favour and Novartis agreed to pay US$175 million to settle the matter, including $22.5 million for improvements to policies and programmes to promote equality in the workplace.

Executive Summary | 1 There has been progress in every region, But despite significant advances, discriminatory While CEDAW has been ratified by almost Implement gender- so that in 2011: laws, gaps in legal frameworks and failures of all Member States, it is also implementation mean that women continue to be one of the treaties with the largest number of sensitive law reform countries guarantee paid denied their rights. reservations. The most common reservations are 173 maternity leave on article 16, which guarantees women’s rights Gender-sensitive law reform is the within marriage and the family (see Figure 2). constitutions guarantee countries do not explicitly foundation for women’s access 139 gender equality 127 criminalize rape within marriage Removing these reservations is a critical step to to justice. Without a solid legal putting in place a legal framework that supports countries outlaw domestic countries severely restrict women’s rights. foundation, attempts to make courts 125 violence (see Figure 1) 61 women’s rights to abortion more accessible to women, police countries have percent of women work in Laws must be drafted to drive implementation, less hostile to their complaints 117 equal pay laws 53 vulnerable employment including clear mandates, procedures, funding and accountability mechanisms. For example, in and other necessary reforms to the countries guarantee women’s countries have a lower legal age 45 countries, laws on include administration of justice are likely 115 equal property rights 50 of marriage for women than for men guarantees of free legal aid for women. In Nepal, to founder. 10-30 percent is the average pay tax exemptions on land transfers have helped gap between women and men to ensure implementation of laws on equal CEDAW provides the internationally agreed inheritance rights, which has led to a threefold gold standard for legal reform to achieve increase in women’s property ownership. In gender equality. Action is needed to repeal Figure 1: Laws on Sweden, non-transferable ‘daddy months’ have laws that explicitly discriminate against increased the uptake of paternity leave, helping women; to extend the rule of law to the Two thirds of countries have laws in place against domestic violence, but to address the gender pay gap. private domain, including to protect women many countries still do not explicitly criminalize rape within marriage. from domestic violence; and to address the actual impact of laws on women’s lives. Domestic violence Legislation Domestic violence Sexual harassment Marital rape Legislation No legislation No legislation No information No information

Source: Annex 4, Progress of the World’s Women 2011–2012

2 | Progress of the World’s Women Figure 2: Reservations to CEDAW A 2009 study of European countries found that, They aim to address the medical and social Support one-stop on average, 14 percent of reported rapes ended needs of sexual assault survivors, reduce 30 countries have entered reservations in in a conviction, with rates falling as low as 5 secondary victimization, improve conviction rates relation to equal rights in marriage or the family. shops to reduce percent in some countries (see Figure 3). and reduce delays in cases. attrition in the Number of countries One way to reduce attrition is to invest in one-stop TCCs are staffed by specialized medical with reservations justice chain shops, which bring together vital services under personnel, social workers and police, who are one roof to collect forensic evidence, and provide on call 24 hours a day. Conviction rates for rape legal advice, health care and other support for cases dealt with by the Soweto TCC in Gauteng Equal rights The justice chain, the series of steps women. The Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) in Province have reached up to 89 percent, in marriage that a woman must take to seek South Africa are one successful example of this compared to a national average of 7 percent. 30 or the family redress, is characterized by high approach. The Thuthuzela model is now being replicated in levels of attrition, whereby cases are other countries, including Chile and Ethiopia. Compatibility These Centres are located in public hospitals and dropped as they progress through the with religious provide emergency medical care, counselling laws or system. As a result, only a fraction and court preparation in an integrated and 22 traditional codes of cases end in a conviction or a survivor-friendly manner. just outcome.

Equality of 20 nationality Figure 3: Rape case attrition in a sample of European countries

100 Only a fraction of reported rape Austria cases result in conviction. Belgium 80 Other England & Wales 19 concerns 60 Sweden 100 Austria

Belgium 40 80 Elimination of 17 discrimination England & Wales Percent of reported cases 20 60 Sweden

0 40 Equal rights to 8 Victim Suspect Suspect Suspect Referred Trial Conviction choose residence interviewed identified interviewed charged for trial at court

Percent of reported cases 20 Equality in Source: Lovett and Kelly 2009. 7 employment 0 Victim Suspect Suspect Suspect Referred Trial Conviction interviewed identified interviewed chargedSource: Annex 5, Progressfor trial of the World’sat Women court 2011–2012 Executive Summary | 3

28 The gains from employing women in the police Furthermore, recruitment of women police Put women on the are not automatic: investment is essential. The officers and resourcing of gender desks must be Invest in women’s experience from Latin America and elsewhere is part of a broader strategy to train and incentivize front line of law that women’s police stations and gender desks all police to adequately respond to women’s access to justice enforcement must be adequately resourced, and staff should needs. be expertly trained, properly rewarded and Making justice systems work for recognized for their work. women – whether through catalysing Under-reporting of crimes against legal reform, or supporting legal aid, women is a serious problem in all one-stop shops and training for judges regions. Across 57 countries, crime – requires investment. Recognizing surveys show that on average 10 Figure 4: Women in the police and reporting of sexual assault the importance of strengthening the percent of women say they have rule of law, governments spend a experienced sexual assault, but of There is a clear positive correlation between women’s significant amount on justice aid. these only 11 percent reported it. representation in the police and reporting of sexual assault. However, targeted funding for gender This compares to a similar incidence 40 equality remains low. of robbery, on average 8 percent, 35 but a reporting rate of 38 percent. In 2009, donors on the Development 30 Assistance Committee of the Organisation Employing women on the front line of 25 for Economic Co-operation and justice service delivery can help to increase Development (OECD-DAC) allocated $4.2 women’s access to justice. Data show that 20 billion to justice, with the United States there is a positive correlation between the 15 and the European Union (EU) together presence of women police officers and accounting for 70 percent of this total. reporting of sexual assault (see Figure 4). 10 Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico, the occupied In post-conflict Liberia, the deployment of reporting sexual assault (%) Women 5 Palestinian territory and Pakistan were the an all-women Indian police brigade has led largest recipients of this aid. Of this total, 0 to increased reporting and has also boosted $206 million (5 percent) was allocated to 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 recruitment of women into the force. programmes in which gender equality was Proportion of women in the police (%) Despite these benefits, women’s average a primary aim. A further $633 million (15 representation in the police does not exceed Source: UN Women analysis based on police representation data from UNODC 2009 and reporting of sexual assault calculated from ICVS percent) was allocated to programmes in 13 percent in any region. (latest available). which gender equality was a secondary aim. The EU allocated no funds to justice programmes in which gender equality was a primary aim in 2009.

4 | 4 Progress | Progress of the of theWorld’s World’s Women Women Sweden, Canada, , and Germany Train judges and were the largest donors to programmes in which Box 2: Vishaka and the power of gender-sensitive judicial gender equality was a primary aim, supporting decision-making activities including training for judges; legal aid monitor decisions for survivors of violence; women’s participation in peacebuilding and reconciliation; reintegration Balanced, well-informed and In 1996, the Indian NGO, Sakshi conducted interviews with judges, lawyers and female of victims of trafficking; and awareness-raising unbiased judicial decision-making litigants to explore the impact of judicial perceptions and decision-making on women who campaigns to reduce early marriage. Guatemala, come to court. More than two thirds of judges said that women who wore provocative is an essential part of ensuring that Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the attire were inviting rape. Congo, Afghanistan and Colombia received the women who go to court get justice. most gender justice aid in 2009. However, even where laws are in Sakshi developed a programme to change As one of the presiding judges in the case, place to guarantee women’s rights, internalized myths and gender stereotypes, Justice Verma was undeterred by the Over the decade 2000 to 2010, the World Bank which has since expanded to 16 countries in absence of existing sexual harassment laws, they are not always properly or fairly allocated $874 billion to 6,382 grants and loans, the Asia-Pacific region. India’s former Chief recognizing that the right to gender equality of which $126 billion (14 percent) was allocated applied by judges. Justice, Jagdish Sharan Verma, was among and to a safe working environment was to public administration, law and justice. Over the first participants in the programme. guaranteed by both the Constitution and this time, 21 projects included components on Organizations such as the International Shortly after, Justice Verma had the India’s international obligations under CEDAW. gender equality and the rule of law, supporting Association of Women Judges and Sakshi, opportunity to put into practice what he had The Court used the case to produce the first activities such as improving women-friendly an Indian NGO, provide judges, both learned. When Bhanwari Devi was gang-raped comprehensive legally enforceable guidelines court infrastructure; recruitment and capacity women and men, with specialized training by local men, while doing her job as a social on sexual harassment in both public and building of paralegals; and policy advocacy for and space to discuss the challenges they worker in a village in Rajasthan, she not only private employment. legal reforms. The total allocated to the gender face, which can help to build understanding initiated criminal proceedings, but also sought The Vishaka decision has inspired a similar equality components of these projects amounted of, and commitment to, gender equality. a broader remedy for other working women. case in Bangladesh and law reform in Pakistan, to just $7.3 million. The impact of this work is demonstrated so that today almost 500 million women of through dozens of groundbreaking Supported by five women’s organizations, working age in these three countries alone In December 2010, the World Bank concluded cases decided by judges who have including one called Vishaka, and by Naina have the legal protection needed to carry out the process of replenishing the International participated in these trainings (see Box 2). Kapur, founder of Sakshi and lead instructing their work free from harassment and abuse. Development Association (IDA) fund, with 51 counsel, Bhanwari took the case to the Indian donors pledging $49.3 billion to support the Systematic tracking of judicial decision- Supreme Court. Here they won watershed poorest countries between 2011 and 2014. making is needed at the national level to recognition of sexual harassment in the In this round, four areas of special focus were provide accountability to women seeking workplace. agreed, of which gender equality was one. This justice and to enable civil society and presents an important opportunity to ensure governments to monitor the performance of that women’s access to justice receives a larger the courts on women’s rights. share of the World Bank’s funding in the future.

Executive Summary | 5 Increase women’s Sexual violence as a tactic of Very significant advances in international law Furthermore, measures are needed to make warfare has been used systematically in the past two decades have, for the first time, courts as well as other justice forums, such as made it possible to prosecute sexual violence truth commissions, more accessible to women. and deliberately for centuries. It is access to courts and crimes (see Box 3). To increase the number The only way to guarantee this is to ensure truth commissions used against civilian populations as a of convictions, it is vital that international that women play a central part in defining the deliberate vector of HIV, for the purpose courts prioritize gender-based crimes in their scope, remit and design of all post-conflict during and of forced impregnation, to drive the prosecution strategies. justice mechanisms. forcible displacement of populations after conflict and to terrorize whole communities.

Box 3: Two decades of groundbreaking progress in international law

In the past, the impact of conflict on women has barely been acknowledged in international law. As a result, women’s experiences have been largely denied and written out of history. However, in the past two decades, significant advances have been made in the recognition and prosecution of sexual violence crimes committed during conflicts.

In the 1929 Geneva Convention, sexual 1993 1998 2000 2002 2008–2010 violence was treated as a matter of moral The International Criminal In Prosecutor v Akayesu at United Nations Security The Rome Statute, which United Nations Security defamation, rather than a violent crime. Tribunal for the former the International Criminal Council resolution 1325 established the International Council resolution 1820 The Charters of the Nuremburg and Tokyo Yugoslavia was established. Tribunal for Rwanda, it was recognized the role of Criminal Court, codified called for effective steps Tribunals, established to prosecute war crimes The Statute recognized found that rape constitutes women in peacebuilding, as international crimes a to prevent and respond to in the aftermath of the Second World War, did that rape is a crime against genocide and a crime emphasizing the need for broad range of sexual and acts of sexual violence as a not include rape. humanity and a series against humanity for the first their full participation in all gender-based crimes. Of the central part of maintaining of landmark cases have time. To date, there have efforts to promote peace and 23 indictments issued by international peace and The 1949 stated that confirmed that sexual been 11 convictions for security. the Court, 12 contain sexual security. ‘women shall be especially protected against violence is a serious war sexual violence in this Court. violence charges. any attack on their honour’, but rape was not crime. To date, there have Security Council listed as a ‘grave breach’ of the Conventions. been 29 convictions for In Prosecutor v Brima et al., resolutions 1888, 1889 sexual violence in this Court. the Special Court for Sierra and 1960 provide Leone found that forced concrete building blocks marriage was an inhumane for the implementation of act constituting a crime resolutions 1325 and 1820. against humanity.

6 | Progress of the World’s Women Measures that make a difference include Implement Reparations are the most victim- While the international community has dedicated financial assistance, childcare and transport to focused justice mechanism and can substantial funding to international courts and help women to overcome the practical obstacles other transitional justice mechanisms, this has be an essential vehicle for women’s to their participation; psychosocial counselling, gender-responsive not been matched by an equal commitment health care and other long-term support; and reparations recovery. In the Central African to assist States to fulfil their obligations for providing closed session hearings to enable Republic, in common with many reparative justice. women to testify about sexual violence. programmes post-conflict contexts, women say To benefit women, reparations programmes that reparations are needed to help In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mobile must take account of all forms of sexual and them recover losses and alleviate courts are bringing justice to women, responding Figure 5: gender-based violence, and include individual, rapidly to investigate and prosecute perpetrators. Women’s and men’s perceptions of why poverty, but they are also important community and symbolic measures, as well as In 2010, nine mobile courts adjudicated 186 reparations are important in the Central to recognize women’s suffering access to services and land restitution. cases. Of these, 115 were rape cases that African Republic (see Figure 5). resulted in 95 convictions, with prison sentences In Sierra Leone, the Government’s National ranging from 3 to 20 years. Commission for Social Action, supported by the Women are more likely to demand apologies and United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against punishment of those responsible for violations, than men. In February 2011, one such court prosecuted the Women and the United Nations Peacebuilding first crimes against humanity case in a mobile Fund, is implementing a reparations programme court, sentencing nine soldiers for their part in 60 targeting 650 women survivors of sexual the mass rape of more than 40 women and girls, violence, designed to promote their long-term which took place in Fizi just a few weeks before. 50 empowerment.

To date, 300 women have been provided with 40 micro-grants, support to set up small businesses and skills training in 14 districts of the country. 30 In March 2011, at a ceremony in Freetown, the first 90 women graduated from training courses

Percent of responses 20 including literacy, driving, computer skills, soap- making and hairdressing. 10

0 To help To provide To To help To bring To help To help Other recover recognition alleviate mentally peace physically to forgive losses of suffering poverty to forget

Source: Based on data from Vinck and Pham 2010a and 2010b.

Executive Summary | 7 Use quotas to In countries where women’s From Nepal to Costa Rica, Rwanda to Spain, The Beijing Platform for Action called for representationRwanda in parliament increases where quotas have been used to boost the gender balance in governmental bodies, while Constitution (2003): Women must be in at least 30 percent ofnumber posts in ofdecision-making women legislators, at all levels. progressive Electoral Law laws (2006) grantsCEDAW mandates the use of temporary special substantially,women 30 percent new oflaws seats that in local advance councils. boost the number of on land rights, violence against women, health measures, including quotas, to amplify women’s women legislators women’sThe Succession rights oftenLaw (1999) follow. establishes gender equality in inheritancecare and and employment property ownership. have been Constitution passed. (2003) Where enshrines voicesthe in political decision-making. Of the 28 principle of gender equality and non-discrimination. The Nationalwomen Land have Policy (2004)organized, and Land sometimes Law (2005) provideacross equality countries in that have reached or exceeded 30 statutory and customary land ownership. Law on prevention and punishment of gender-based violence (2008); marital rape is criminalized (2009). 51 percent of parliamentarians are women;party half linesof Supreme to ensure Court judges women’s are women, interests including arethe Presidentpercent women’s representation in national of the Court (2010). represented, change has followed. parliaments, at least 23 have used quotas.

Figure 6: Women’s representation and legal reform in Rwanda Six of the countries that have exceeded the 30 50 percent mark have recently come out of conflict, Progressive laws on women’s rights have demonstrating that progress has more to do with followed a rapid increase in the number of political will than level of development. One such women parliamentarians. 40 country, Rwanda, has the highest level of women’s representation in the world (see Figure 6). 30 • The Succession Law (1999) 50 Rwanda’s 2003 Constitution commits to established gender equality in 40 20 ‘ensuring that women are granted at least 30 inheritance and property ownership. percent of posts in decision-making organs’ 30 • The Constitution (2003) enshrines 20 Share of women in parliament (%) 10 and in the elections of the same year, women the principle of gender equality and exceeded this minimum target. Rwanda’s women 10 non-discrimination, specifying that 0 parliamentarians have worked in a cross-party 0 women must be in at least 30 percent 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 97 of posts in decision-making at all levels. caucus and collaborated with the Women’s Year Ministry and civil society organizations to push • The National Land Policy (2004) and through reforms, including on inheritance, land Land Law (2005) provides equality in rights and violence against women. The women statutory and customary land ownership. parliamentarians also collaborated with their • The Law on Prevention and male colleagues to go on a nationwide tour Punishment of Gender-Based Violence 51% to monitor implementation of land and inheritance was passed (2008) and marital rape laws and to help change attitudes on women’s was criminalized (2009). rights. • 51 percent of parliamentarians and half of Supreme Court judges Source: IPU 2010a and 2011a are women, including the President of the Court (2011).

8 | Progress of the World’s Women Put gender equality The MDGs are interdependent and each Achieving these Goals is also an essential Women and girls, especially those living in one depends on making progress on precondition for women’s access to justice. rural areas, have been the least likely to share Without education, awareness of rights and in progress, with millions continuing to live women’s rights. Scaling up investment and at the heart of decision-making power, women are often in poverty and exclusion. For example, poor the Millennium action on the gender equality dimensions unable to claim their rights, obtain legal aid or women in rural areas are much less likely to of all the Goals has the dual advantage go to court. have access to skilled attendance at the birth of Development Goals of addressing widespread inequality and their children, which is essential for preventing While advances have been made, including maternal mortality and morbidity, compared accelerating progress overall. on reducing poverty and child mortality, and to rich women in urban areas (see Figure 7). increasing access to education, data show that Figure 7: Skilled attendance at delivery, urban rich and rural poor women overall progress masks inequalities based on With only four years left until 2015, the target gender, income and location. date for achieving the MDGs, ending gender- Rural poor women are much less likely than urban rich women to receive assistance based injustices that create barriers to women’s from a skilled heath professional during childbirth. and girls’ opportunities must be the centrepiece of further action.

100 Some practical approaches to putting women’s rights at the heart of the MDGs include: abolishing user fees for health care, which has 80 been shown to increase women’s and girls’

y access to services, including for reproductive a health; using stipends and cash transfers to 60 encourage girls to go to school, delay marriage and continue their education for the critical secondary years; putting women on the front line 40 of service delivery to make public services more accessible; and amplifying women’s voices in

Percent of women having Urban rich

skilled attendant during deliver Rural poor 20 decision-making, from the household up to local Country average and national levels, to ensure that policies reflect the realities of women’s lives. 0 y Mali Haiti Peru India Chad Niger urke Egypt Benin Nepal Kenya Ghana T Jordan Guinea Nigeria Malawi Zambia Uganda anzania Senegal Namibia Armenia Pakistan Morocco T Viet Nam Colombia Indonesia Cambodia Nicaragua Cameroon Zimbabwe Philippines Bangladesh Madagascar Côte d’Ivoire Mozambique Burkina Faso Dominican Republic

Source: Seck and Azcona 2010. Based on calculations United Republic of commissioned by UN Women from Harttgen and Klasen 2010. Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Executive Summary | 9 UN Women is the United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their rights worldwide. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

UN Women supports United Nations Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design 2011–2012 laws, policies, programmes and services needed to IN PURSUIT OF implement these standards. It stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focusing on five priority areas: increasing women’s leadership and JUSTICE participation; ending violence against women; engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes; enhancing women’s economic empowerment; and making gender equality central to national development planning and budgeting. UN Women also coordinates 220 East 42nd Street New York, New York 10017, USA and promotes the ’s work in Tel: 212-906-6400 304 East 45th Street, 15th Floor advancing gender equality. Fax: 212-906-6705 New York, New York 10017 USA

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