WomenWatch
The UN information gateway on women's issues
This online gateway to women's issues at the UN has a wealth of
information on gender campaigns, events, programmes and
publications. It links to all UN entities that promote gender
equality. Information is available in several UN languages.
The site contains a list of UN bodies with a specialization in
gender issues: www.un.org/womenwatch/un_entities
Women Watch web site: www.un.org/womenwatch
UN-INstraw
Training materials: gender equality and women's empowerment
UN-INSTRAW is the UN institute devoted to research, training and
knowledge management on women's issues. Its online library offers
over 100 publications on issues such as gender and remittances,
governance and migration. The Gender Training Wiki page offers
resources for trainers, academics and development experts.
See UN-INSTRAW online training resources: http://www.un-instraw.org/
UNIFEM
Online resources: economic empowerment UNIFEM, the
lead UN agency for women's issues, has initiatives that focus on
the economic empowerment of women, such as gender responsive
budgeting, financing for gender equality and working with migrant
women.
http://www.unifem.org/
International Labour Organization
Campaign: Gender equality at the heart of decent
work In 2008, the International Labour Organization launched
a global campaign on gender equality in the world of work. Through
twelve themes, the campaign looks at access to rights, employment,
social protection and social dialogue through a gender lens.
Maternity protection, combating child labour and breaking through
gender stereotypes in youth employment are among the topics.
Campaign materials, links to relevant projects and publications
are online, grouped by theme: www.ilo.org/gender/Events/Campaign2008-2009
World Intellectual Property Organization
Online resources: Women and Intellectual Property
The World Intellectual Property Organization devotes part of its
web site to intellectual property issues and activities of interest
to women. These include recognition and protection of women's
contributions to the visual and performing arts, in music and in
literature. WIPO also looks at the percentage of women employed in
property offices and copyright administrations around the world.
Out of a total of 401 national and regional industrial property
offices and copyright administrations, 24% are headed by women.
See WIPO's web page on Women and Intellectual Property at: www.wipo.int/women-and-ip
Food and Agriculture Organization, International Fund for
Agricultural Development and the World Bank
Joint publication: Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook
This joint publication investigates the status of women in the
rural workforce and overcoming challenges they face. While women
are vital agricultural producers and agents of food and nutritional
security, they lack relative access to land and finance; face
constraints in participating in collectives, such as agricultural
cooperatives or water use associations; and tend to lack political
voice. Gender inequalities result in less food being grown, less
income being earned, and higher levels of poverty and food
insecurity. Addressing gender issues in such an important sector
for low-income developing countries is a key to reducing
poverty.
To access the sourcebook online, see: www.worldbank.org,
www.fao.org or http://www.ifad.org/
World Meteorological Organization
Meteo World NEWSLETTER: The role of women in agricultural
development An article on the role of women in agriculture
appears in the October 2008 edition of Meteo World. It stresses the
need for grass-roots, market-based initiatives that contribute to
agricultural sustainability and socio-economic progress.
See:
www.wmo.int/pages/publications/meteoworld/women_en.html
International Trade Centre
Trade Forum online collection: Women in the Economy
ITC's magazine has over 100 articles on women and trade, grouped
under the category "women in the economy". Case studies, success
stories, resources, networking lists and policy examples from
governments, business and NGOs are available to inspire and
encourage women to connect to international markets.
See: http://stage.tradeforum.org/ and click on Women in the
Economy
United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)
and UNIFEM
JOINT PUBLICATION: BRIDGING THE GAP - FINANCING GENDER EQUALITY
Links between gender equality, public policy and development
financing are featured. It examines national budget planning
processes and relevant international commitments, especially the
Monterrey Consensus and the Paris Declaration. It includes advocacy
tools to empower women in development financing.
www.un-ngls.org/site/IMG/pdf/UNIFEM.pdf
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
ONLINE RESOURCES: ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE FOR REFUGEE WOMEN
UNHCR's web site has a part dedicated to women refugees, with
publications, statistics and project information. Its Women Leading
for Livelihoods initiative promotes economic independence of
refugee and displaced women, with language and literacy training,
vocational and skills training, micro-credit and small business
centres and more.
www.unhcr.org/women
World Bank
World Bank Group Action Plan: Gender Equality as Smart
Economics The plan targets women's empowerment in economic
sectors, most importantly, infrastructure-energy, transport, and
water and sanitation; agriculture; private sector development; and
finance.
The Plan is available in six languages at: web.worldbank.org
International Finance Corporation
Gender Entrepreneurship Markets Programme This
programme aims to mainstream gender issues into the IFC's work, and
leverage untapped gender potential in emerging markets. IFC
provides financial products and advisory services to increase
access to finance for women entrepreneurs, reduce gender-based
barriers in the business environment and improve sustainability of
IFC investment projects
www.ifc.org/gender
For your reading list
'Womenomics:
Why Women Mean Business'
Aviva Wittenberg-Cox and Alison Maitland. John Wiley Press,
2008.
'Equality for Women: Where do we stand on Millennium
Development Goal 3?'
Buvinic, Morrison, Ofosu-Amaagh, Sj_blom, editors World Bank,
2008.
'Stuck at the small-scale level'
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, D+C Development and Cooperation
magazine, GTZ, 2007. Online: www.inwent.org/ez/index.en.shtml
'Domains of Influence - Arab Women Business Leaders in a
New Economy'
Jacqueline Hassink, I.B.TAURIS, 2008
End note: Thanks to the United Nations
Editors Group members who generously provided information and
contacts for this article.