[New York, 9 November 2009] The detailed proposal on the new UN gender equality entity that the UN Secretary General was mandated to produce by the resolution of the 14 September is under preparation and should be finalized by mid-December.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General has appointed Sally Fegan-Wyles from Ireland to coordinate the preparation of the proposal. She is working together with the four existing women's rights entities and other UN agencies and programmes such as UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF, consulting member states, regional groups and civil society in the process. Although Fegan-Wyles is not an expert in gender equality, she has a strong knowledge of the UN system, and the GEAR Campaign believes that this will help her to propose an effective structure. The Campaign is also actively giving input for the proposal. Representatives of the Campaign have already met with the coordinator, and a meeting with the Deputy Secretary-General is scheduled for 12th November.

After the proposal is finalized and approved by the Secretary-General, it will be sent for the Member States, and they will consider it in a special session of the General Assembly in early February.