Human Rights of Women
Promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in international development after the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals is the aim of a two-day meeting which opened in Vienna on Thursday.
Experts and senior representatives from governments, women's organizations and other sectors will develop policy recommendations in light of emerging sustainable development challenges.
Women's participation in the decision making process at the national and local government level is far from adequate, says Wu Hongbo, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
"I think it is the consensus of the international community that the gender equality and empowerment of women and women's rights are the prerequisites future sustainable development. If we want to achieve 'The Future We Want,' as set out in the Rio+20 conference, we have to protect and advance women's rights." (26 secs)
Organizers of the Vienna Policy Dialogue say the quantity and financing for gender equality must improve as only a small share of official development assistance (ODA), directly benefits women in developing countries.
Input from the meeting will feed into preparations for the 2014 Development Cooperation Forum to review trends and progress in international development cooperation.
Community Empowerment Programme in Senegal