The Role of National Mechanisms in Promoting Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

Abstract

In order to contribute to the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, especially in relation to the critical area of concern on the institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women, during the forty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2005, the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) organized an expert group meeting on “The role of national mechanisms in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women: achievements, gaps and challenges”. The meeting was hosted by the Government of Italy, in Rome, from 29 November to 2 December 2004. The United Nations regional commissions collaborated with the Division in the organization of the meeting. 2. The expert group meeting built on the outcomes of intergovernmental processes such as the United Nations World Conferences on Women and sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women since 1995. It discussed the changing contexts as well as the achievements of different types of institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women, in formulation, implementation and monitoring of national strategies for gender equality and empowerment of women, and in facilitating gender mainstreaming in all national policy areas. It further identified good practices and continuing challenges faced by national mechanisms. Based on the inputs of experts, the expert group meeting adopted recommendations for strengthening and enhancing the roles of mechanisms for promoting gender equality and empowerment of women. The report which follows is the outcome of this meeting.