WUNRN
For months, the U.N.'s new superagency for women has been tapping advocates and academics around the globe for advice about how to shape the group's first strategic plan, due out in June.
UNITED NATIONS (WOMENSENEWS)--The new U.N. superagency for women is
preparing for a June vote by its country executive board on its strategic plan.
Preparations
for this kick-off positioning statement have been long and global.
Under the
guidance of Executive Director Michele Bachelet, the former president of
One
session--representing
In her own
information-gathering efforts, Bachelet has traveled to
Regional
directors have surveyed 3,700 partner organizations. Among them, 31 percent
were government representatives; 47 percent were civil-society and academic
groups; and 22 percent were U.N. system members, including staffers from the
four groups being combined under UN Women.
In a
meeting for the Andean region, Bachelet made sure that indigenous women's views
were sought out and prioritized, said Lucia Salamea-Palacios, UN Women's
representative for
"These
women didn't see themselves in the initial structure of UN Women, but Bachelet
is stressing that they need to be involved," Salamea-Palacios said in a
phone interview.
Many
participants saw a key role for UN Women in ensuring that gender equality is
factored into national governments' policies and programs, said
Salamea-Palacios. They also want UN Women to provide a "knowledge
hub" for gender-equality efforts.
The
strategic plan is likely to increase staff placements in high-priority
countries, such as