International: 2010 UN Commission on Status of Women - Outcomes

It has been 15 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action were adopted, concluding one of the most influential global meetings ever held – the Fourth World Conference on Women. During its two-week session from 1-12 March, the CSW focused on assessing what has been achieved since the Beijing Conference, on sharing experiences and good practices and outlining priority actions. In addition, nearly 100 side events were organized by UN agencies, NGOs, the private sector and governments.

The following four areas of priority importance to women were discussed by the Commission:

• Maternal mortality
• Violence against women
• Role of women in decision-making
• New gender entity

Violence against women is a pandemic behind closed doors – it is calculated that up to 70 per cent of women experience violence in their lifetime. It not only inflicts personal suffering, but “undermines development, generates instability, and makes peace in society much harder to achieve,” as noted by the Secretary-General at a panel discussion at this month’s Commission.

Margot Wallström, his newly appointed Special Representative on sexual violence in conflict, departs for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April. On her return, she will report to the Security Council.

In the meantime, action on the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign has moved to the regional and national levels, with particular emphasis on the first of the campaign’s five goals – the adoption and implementation of national laws on violence against women.

Through the adoption of seven resolutions at the conclusion of its 54th session, the Commission on the Status of Women:

• Urged Governments – with the support of civil society and the private sector – to take all steps to empower women and girls to protect themselves against HIV infection;
• Called upon all parties to armed conflict to release women and children taken hostage, and reaffirmed that hostage-taking is an illegal act aimed at destroying human rights;
• Urged continued special attention to the promotion and protection of the human rights of Palestinian women and girls;
• Called upon Member States to take all necessary measures – including enacting and enforcing legislation – to address and eliminate harmful traditional practices, especially female genital mutilation;
• Urged States to develop and implement specific policies and programmes to promote economic empowerment, including through enhancing women’s access to full and productive employment and accelerating women’s full participation in economic decision-making;
• Urged global and national leaders to generate the political will, resources, commitment, cooperation and technical assistance urgently required to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, and improve maternal and newborn health;
• Welcomed the General Assembly resolution on establishing a new UN entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women.