The Fourth Pillar: Women Press for Real Changes in the UN

In this paper advocates for women's rights in Asia react to the initial report of the Coherence Panel appointed by General Secretary Kofi Annan to advise on what changes should be implemented to reform the United Nations (UN). The authors raise a few issues that need to be discussed within the UN reform debate: the need to ensure that women's issues are considered central in the debate and not ghettoised into the realm of 'development', one of the three 'pillars' identified by the panel as key (development, humanitarian assistance and the environment); the importance of treating gender as a cross-cutting dimension and not 'one sector among many'; the need to create an effective independent UN agency for women to champion the integration of the gender dimension throughout the UN's work; the necessity to make sure that such an agency is adequately staffed and funded, is able to act as an equal partner and reflects the ways its constituency (i.e. women's movement organisations) works. The paper points out that gender mainstreaming within the UN has not been substantial or consistent: the creation of a strong women's rights agency would support such mainstreaming efforts and ensure they are successful. Other recommendations include: the need to reform the UN mandate and capabilities as well and the importance of putting into place a comprehensive and broad consultation process on the role and status of the new women's rights agency.