ESCAP meet vows to speed up action on gender equality

Leaders of 40 countries in the Asia-Pacific countries in Bangkok Thursday vowed to accelerate action on achieving gender equality and women's empowerment across the region.
The vow was contained in a Ministerial declaration on conclusion of an international conference on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Making a strong and united regional voice on the concluding day, the leaders made the commitment to reinforcing their efforts to  eliminate  gender  discrimination and inequality, as a matter  of  human  rights  and for development and prosperity of the region.
Through  Thursday's adoption of the 'Asia-Pacific Ministerial Declaration  on  Advancing  Gender  Equality  and Women's Empowerment', governments from across  the  region pledged  to strengthen  institutions,  enhance accountability, increase resources, forge stronger partnership and support regional  cooperation in order to  advance  gender  equality and women's empowerment.
According to a United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) press release issued after conclusion of the conference, governments will also pursue strong, inclusive and mutually accountable partnerships for full and effective implementation of the Ministerial Declaration, alongside the global agenda for gender equality, namely the Beijing Platform for Action.
Significantly, governments will also explore dedicated funding mechanisms and programmes to advance gender equality and women's empowerment, from local to the national levels, it added.
Over 700 Ministers,  policy-makers and civil society representatives from across  the  region  came  together at the 'Asian and Pacific Conference on Gender  Equality and Women's Empowerment: Beijing +20 Review', organised by the  United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
During the conference, they reviewed progress, remaining challenges and priorities in advancing gender equality.
Eliminating  violence  against  women  and  girls,  empowering  women economically,  increasing  women's  political participation and leadership, addressing  emerging  environmental challenges  andadvancing  peace and security for women and girls, were just some of the issues addressed.
The  conference  delegates applauded gains in advancing the status of women and  girls  in  Asia  and  the  Pacific, from progress  in education and employment,  to  gains in health, political representation and rights but came to the conclusion from the high level discussions that challenges remain, with accelerated action needed for all  women  and  girls  to  be  able  to  fully  and  freely exercise their fundamental  human  rights,  exercising  choice  and  taking  advantage  of opportunities.
"We  stand  together  today  as  guarantors of the rights and opportunities which  vest  in  every woman and every girl - as equal, valuable and valued partners  in shaping the future prosperity and destiny of our region," said United  Nations  Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar in her closing remarks.
"This  action-oriented  document will help us consolidate our achievements, identify  the  gaps  and  priorities which remain, and tackle these through stronger  institutions  and  partnerships,  with greater financing  and accountability, for gender equality and women's empowerment in Asia and the Pacific."
In closing remarks, Roberta Clarke, Regional Director of UN Women Asia and the Pacific and Representative in Thailand emphasised on connecting the Beijing review therefore to the other ongoing development discourses on post 2015 and the sustainable  development  goals  which  culminate  in September  2015.  
The  Asia-Pacific Conference was held in advance of the historic and global commemoration  of  the  20th  anniversary  of  the  Beijing Declaration and Platform  for  Action,  which will take place next year in New York. During
its  59th  session,  the  Commission on the Status of Women will review the progress  and remaining challenges in realising gender equality and women's empowerment across the globe.
The  59th  session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at the United  Nations  Headquarters  in  New  York  from  March 9 to March 20, 2015.

smunima@yahoo.com