WUNRN
Huairou Commission
UN-HABITAT LAUNCHES FIRST ADVISORY
GROUP ON GENDER ISSUES
TSeptember 14, 2012 - The AGGI was
mandated in a resolution passed during the twenty-third session of the
UN-Habitat Governing Council in April 2011, with the objective of strengthening
the agency's attention to gender. It is the first advisory group on gender
of its kind within the entire United Nations system, and engages a range of
stakeholders in advising the Agency on women's empowerment and gender equality
in human settlements, including grassroots women.
On a larger
scale, the AGGI serves as a reminder that gender equality and women's
empowerment are critical in achieving positive results in urban development. It
stands as an example for institutionalization of gender and social diversity
in the decision-making processes of global development work.
The Huairou
Commission has been UN-Habitat's lead partner in the process for establishing
the Advisory Group on Gender Issues. We collaborated to organize two
preparatory working group meetings; one in
We are proud to
have had many women from the many members of the Huairou Commission network
nominated and ultimately five selected to be on the Advisory Group, including
our founder and Chair, Jan Peterson. Additionally, Ana Falú, of
the National University of Cordoba in Argentina, Carmen Griffiths
of GROOTS Jamaica, Esther Mwaura-Muira of GROOTS Kenya, and Sri
Sofjan, CEO of Penang Women's Development Corporation in Malaysia,
are network members who will carry the values of Huairou Commission - women's
empowerment and inclusion - into their advisory responsibilities. A full list
of appointed members can be seen here.
Pictured here during the AGGI Inaugural
meeting in Naples: Ramzia Aleryani, Diane Dumashie, Ana Falu, Aminata Dramane
Traore (AGGI Chair), Teresa Boccia, Carmen Griffiths, Jan Peterson, and Nilcea
Freire. Also present, but not pictured were Ester Borras, Esther Mwaura-Muira,
Lakshmi Puri, Honorable M.A. Masunda, Siraj Sait, Sri Husnaini Sofjan, and
Thomas Ball.
During the first
meeting in
We wish to
commend UN-Habitat for setting an example for gender inclusion in
decision-making on a global level, and congratulate all 17 appointed members of
the AGGI, and wish them luck in their work towards increasing gender equality
and women's empowerment in the realm of human settlements work and beyond!