[Geneva, 31 October 2009] At the NGO Roundtable meeting on the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) 15th anniversary review of the Beijing Platform for Action women gathered to develop recommendations that reflected the needs and experiences of women in the region. One of the panels of the meeting that took place on 30-31 October focused on the new United Nations gender equality entity.

Participants of the panel included June Zeitlin, GEAR Campaign consultant; Margot Baruch, Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL); Cécile Gréboval, European Women’s Lobby (EWL); Susi Snyder, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF); and Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, World YWCA.The NGOs present produced a statement that was attached to the conclusions of the NGO forum. The new UN gender equality entity was also mentioned in the official outcome document of the review meeting.

Susi Snyder began the panel with an overview of the GEAR Campaign and shared anecdotes of women’s history in the United Nations. Ms. Snyder further explained that we are calling for not just the same siloed programs in one agency, but rather for the sum of the new entity to be larger than its parts. Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda reiterated how coherence around gender equality and women’s empowerment programming at the UN and stronger policy engagement are two areas that needed to be strengthened. The UN must have a stronger voice on women’s issues that supports countries to enhance and advance the lives of women and girls everywhere.

June Zeitlin declared that the success of the new entity depends on whether or not it will deliver effectively for women at the country level. The new entity must have visionary leadership and transformative programming that will move beyond the status quo. The consolidation of the new gender entity is, “not about just moving boxes around in an organizational chart, but rather having a vision to and capacity to deliver real progress for women on the ground.” Margot Baruch, who manages GEAR Campaign communications, highlighted how the Campaign continues to frame vital discussions and conceptual thinking of how activists can participate in UN reform process to ensure that governments are accountable to women everywhere.

The European focal point for the GEAR Campaign, Cécile Gréboval, presented advocacy that NGO’s in the region have accomplished. The GEAR Campaign in Europe is constantly working to influence the European member states. Gréboval asked that NGO participants in the ECE meeting actively seek out their government representatives and visibly illustrate the need for civil society systematic input as well as an ambitiously funded entity.

[Read the GEAR Statement at the UNECE Beijing +15 review meeting]