This post, by Emily
Esplen, Policy Analyst on
Gender Equality and Women’s Rights at the OECD, is based on a speech prepared for
the Secretary General of the OECD for a joint workshop of the DAC Network on Gender Equality and the UN Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality on the MDGs and post-2015. This blog is a part of the Wikiprogress series on Post-2015.
There is no chance of making poverty history without
significant and rapid improvements to the lives of women and girls. Millennium
Development Goal 3 (MDG 3) recognised that gender equality is important both as
a goal in its own right and as a prerequisite to the success of all other
development goals. That gender equality and women’s empowerment is one of only eight global goals has proven to be
a powerful stimulus for action.
We must do everything we can to achieve the MDGs by the end
of 2015. This means meeting existing aid commitments and investing in the right
strategies to accelerate progress for women and girls in the time that remains.
Finishing the job we started with the MDGs will also require an ambitious and
inspiring post-2015 framework that builds on and expands the priority given to advancing gender
equality in the MDGs.
Agreeing an ambitious agenda
This was the focus of much lively debate at a workshop in
early November in Paris, which drew together gender equality advocates from the
United Nations, governments and civil society. Participants echoed the strong
consensus emerging from across the globe that addressing the "unfinished
business" of gender equality and women’s empowerment means putting women and girls front and centre in the post-2015 framework.
This will require a strong stand-alone gender equality goal and the comprehensive integration of gender-specific targets and indicators across the new framework.
Now is time to go beyond business as usual and step up
our efforts to empower girls and women. Participants
were unequivocal that a new framework will need to address the structural
factors that underpin the widespread persistence of gender inequality. This
calls for a transformational agenda that is anchored in and aligned with
existing international human rights standards. Priority must be given to addressing
the disadvantage experienced by the most marginalised women and girls.
Fighting for the targets and indicators that will really make a difference
When the time is right, we need to be ready with the targets
and indicators that will really make a difference to the lives of women and
girls. Already clear areas of consensus are emerging about what is needed. We
know that quality secondary education has huge pay-offs for women’s empowerment.
We know that putting an end to early marriage would transform girls’ lives –
enabling them to stay in school, fulfil their potential and make choices about
their futures. We know that expanding women’s economic opportunities is a key
driver of development with multiplier effects for societies, economies and
women themselves. We know that women’s capacity to influence the decisions that
shape their lives is a basic human right and a prerequisite for responsible and
equitable governance. We know that ending violence against women is essential for women’s full
participation in economic, social and political life. Each of these must
be priorities in the post-2015 framework.
Backing up political rhetoric with action
Building a framework with teeth will require adequate and
sustained financing, and strong accountability mechanisms. Political
promises must be backed up with the resources required to do the job. We need
to gather and use high quality data to monitor our progress and build evidence
about what works. We also need to track governments’ expenditure and the
proportion of aid focused on achieving gender equality, and hold ourselves to
account for the promises we make.
Towards a universal agenda
At the OECD,
we know that there is no country in the world where gender equality has been
achieved. That’s why we need to keep a strong focus on gender equality beyond
2015. It is also a potent reminder that gender equality is a universal concern that applies to all
countries, including OECD countries.
The OECD aspires
to play the role of “best supporting actor” in support of these global
processes – recognising that real progress is only possible if countries
themselves own the agenda and are in the lead. Bringing gender equality and women’s rights to the centre of government attention
is a challenge for the months ahead.
Arriving at
global consensus will not be easy. With gender equality and women’s rights we can never afford to be
complacent – it is not a done deal. And the post-2015 agenda is a
high-stakes game. But success is within
our grasp if we build a broad base of support and work together with our allies in the global south to position gender
equality as a “must have”.
