Summary report of the e-discussion on gender equality, global thematic consultation on addressing inequalities, October-November 2012

Hosted by the World We Want, this global e-discussion on gender equality was co-convened by UN Women and UNICEF in partnership with civil society as part of the global thematic consultation on addressing inequalities in the post-2015 development agenda. At the time this summary was written, hundreds of people had contributed to the gender equality e-discussion. This document highlights the most important issues and key messages from the conversation from 3 October to 2 November 2012. It reports that action is required in the following six priority areas:

1. Combat all forms of gender-based violence;
2. Ensure women’s sexual and reproductive rights and access to quality healthcare;
3. Enact and enforce laws that promote gender equality and eliminate laws, policies and practices that are harmful to women and girls;
4. Prioritise access to quality education and skills development for all women and girls, especially those from socially excluded groups;
5. Ensure women’s full participation in society, including in the economic, legal, social and political life of their communities; and
6. Enact economic and social policies that contribute to achieving gender equality and align with human rights principles.

Among the recommendations and conclusions are the following:
- Gender equality cannot be limited to the aforementioned six priority areas;
- An overhaul of the structures that produce and perpetuate gender inequality is needed;
- Transformational change must be grounded in equality and non-discrimination principles, and recognise that gender equality can only be achieved if both women and men are involved and their rights fully realised;
- There should be a transparent, inclusive and participatory process, facilitating the genuine participation of women and men, with mechanisms at local, national and global levels for setting priorities, monitoring progress and holding governments accountable; and
- Gender equality should be fully integrated throughout the post-2015 development framework - with targets and indicators that capture outcomes by sex and by the intersection of gender with other forms of inequality.
- There should be a specific goal that focuses on addressing the most widespread and fundamental forms of gender-based inequalities.


Available in Englush, French and Spanish.

Additional information:
Read more about the Global Thematic Consultation on Addressing Inequalities in the Post-2015 Development Agenda at: http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/275878