Strengthening United Nations institutional capacities on women and development

Strengthening United Nations programmes on women and development

Implementation

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.

Claim

The Secretary-General of the UN should review the adequacy of all UN institutions, including those with a special focus on the role of women, in meeting development and environment objectives, and make recommendations for strengthening their capacities. Institutions that require special attention in this area include the Division for the Advancement of Women (Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, UN Office at Vienna), the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and the women's programmes of regional commissions. The review should consider how the environment and development programmes of each body of the UN system could be strengthened to implement Agenda 21 and how to incorporate the role of women in programmes and decisions related to sustainable development.