News Review Special Edition

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International Developments, April 1 - May 10, 2003

UN Department of Disarmament Affairs Launches 'Gender Action Plan'

Speaking at UN Headquarters in New York on April 15, Under-Secretary-General Jayantha Dhanapala unveiled a 'Gender Action Plan' designed to "promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in the work" of the Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA). As Dhanapala explained, quoting the 1997 definition of the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the term 'gender mainstreaming' describes "the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and all levels. It is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality." Dhanapala then argued that, with the adoption of the Action Plan, the "Department for Disarmament Affairs has taken a giant step towards addressing the ideals" embodied in the concept. DDA is the first UN Department to draw up such a Plan. Its main intent, in the Under-Secretary-General's words, is to "strengthen, consolidate, inform and guide the department's work on disarmament into the future." Dhanapala continued:

"The emphasis, we hope, will be on the word 'Action'. We also hope that our 'other' partners, the member states and non-governmental organizations, will similarly recognize the need to join DDA in implementing this Plan. The overall goal...is to facilitate progress on disarmament. A primary assumption behind the action plan is that disarmament - both generally and in specific initiatives - can be strengthened through the integration of gender insights in disarmament debates, decision-making and actions, and through more equitable participation by women in decision-making. This Plan identifies practical steps to be taken relating to both the substantive areas of work, such as small arms and weapons of mass destruction, and to common methods of work, such as public outreach and organizing conferences and workshops. It sets out the next phase in DDA's ongoing effort to explore the overlap, relevance and potential synergy between attempts to promote disarmament and efforts to promote gender equality. It focuses on how and why gender perspectives are relevant in the mandate and activities of the Department and identifies steps that can be taken within the current work structure to better incorporate gender issues. ... Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot but reiterate my conviction already expressed in the Introduction of the Action Plan: 'When women move forward, and when disarmament moves forward, the world moves forward.' Let us continue this journey together."

Note: the full, 34-page 'Department for Disarmament Affairs Gender Mainstreaming Action Plan' is available on the UN website at - http://disarmament.un.org/gender/gmap.pdf.

Report: Introduction of DDA's gender action plan, keynote address by Jayantha Dhanapala, April 15, UN website, http://disarmament.un.org.

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