2 July 2010

U.N. Women established

This new UN entity will accelerate progress in meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide.

On 2 July 2010 the UN General Assembly made an historic decision when it voted unanimously to establish U.N. Women (see A/64/L.56, paragraphs 49-90).

This entity, about which the March 2010 Session of the ILO Governing Body was briefed (see GB.307/4/Rev., paras. 33-34), will boost efforts to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women. An integral part of the work of the entity – to be operational by 2011 – will be to support gender mainstreaming across the UN system.

The establishment of U.N. Women was welcomed in a Ministerial Declaration adopted by the Economic and Social Council (see ECOSOC/6435) which concluded its High-Level Segment on the same day.