U.N. General Assembly Ratifies Creation Of New Agency For Women's Issues

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 17 Sep 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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After three years of negotiations, the United Nations General Assembly on Monday voted unanimously to authorize the creation of a new, more powerful agency for women's issues, Reuters reports. The new agency will consolidate four existing U.N. agencies that deal with women's issues and be led by an under-secretary general. The resolution calls for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to develop a comprehensive proposal that identifies the new agency's mission statement, organizational arrangements, funding and executive board.

British International Development Minister Gareth Thomas called creation of the agency "a landmark moment for gender equality and women's rights across the world." He said the new agency "will have a far more powerful voice to help fight for the rights of women, including in many countries where they are still treated as second class citizens," adding, "But for this new agency to make a difference, it has to be formed quickly, deliver results and have a strong leader." Swedish Development Minister Gunilla Carlsson, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the move would strengthen women's rights, an area where she said the U.N. has "long been too weak."

However, officials from the advocacy group Oxfam said that the failure to specify a mandate for the new agency at this time was "deplorable" and blamed "some member states" for the decision not to set the new agency's agenda. Daniela Rosche, head of Oxfam's gender campaign, said that the creation of a new agency is "potentially exciting" but would "mean absolutely nothing if member states fail to give it a clear mission" (Worsnip, Reuters, 9/14).

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