Ministry Statements and Speeches 2007

General Assembly Informal on the Secretary-General's Report on the High-level panel on UN System wide coherence

CANZ State delivered by Don Clarke, Director, AIDGLO, New Zealand Agency for International Development, Thursday 21 June 2007

• On behalf of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, I would like to thank the co-chairs for organising this event, and Deputy Secretary General for her very frank and clear presentation.
• Over the years, UN member states have made significant commitments to gender equality, the human rights of women and girls, and the economic and social empowerment of women. These commitments, however, have not been matched by resources, leadership, and effective institutional strategies.
• As madam Deputy Secretary General eloquently outlined, the result has led to a general failure to implement the numerous international commitments to make more rapid progress in meeting the MDGs.
• While many UN organizations are working on gender equality, we agree with Deputy Secretary’s observations that the existing structures are not sufficient to effectively address gender equality and women’s empowerment, especially at country level.
• There is no strong voice for gender equality and women’s empowerment. Neither is there critical mass to advise and support other funds, programmes, agencies, and secretariat bodies in meeting their responsibilities in regard to gender equality.
• To support coherence and leadership within the UN system, there is clearly a need to strengthen the gender equality architecture including through the consolidation of existing entities with a strengthened mandate for system-wide leadership and excellence.
• This new entity would provide renewed leadership in the UN on gender equality and women’s empowerment issues. It could act as the driving force, be the central source of knowledge and lead accountability efforts and advocacy on women’s issues.
• We also see a need to revitalize the commitment and responsibility of the entire UN system -– including the Secretariat, specialized agencies, funds and programmes -- to work towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. The commitment to achieving gender equality is and should remain the responsibility of the entire UN system. It cannot rest with only one entity.
• As we have said in earlier informals, CANZ has supported the Panel’s proposal for a new Under-Secretary-General, which we believe goes hand-in-hand with discussion on strengthening the UN’s gender architecture. However, the High Level Panel's report recommendations on revising the architecture need to be fleshed out with details, with a focus on improving development outcomes at the country level.
• Accordingly, we endorse and support the EU and others who seek to maintain momentum on this critical issue by welcoming concrete ideas and proposals from the Secretariat on possible ways forward.

back to 2007 speech index

top of page