Commonwealth Programme of Action for Gender Equality

1. This document consists of four sections. Section 1 introduces the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015 (PoA), its background and its place in the Commonwealth’s overall framework and agenda for development, democracy and human rights. Section 2 outlines the achievements of the 1995 Plan of Action on Gender and Development and its 2000 Update [1] , identifies lessons learned and challenges to be addressed in the next decade, and highlights the Commonwealth’s areas of comparative advantage which will underpin its work programme. Section 3 analyses the four critical areas for Commonwealth action covered by the PoA, and makes recommendations for strategic actions by member governments and the Secretariat in relation to these areas. Section 4 outlines how governments and the Secretariat will implement the recommendations in collaboration with partners and how accountability will be ensured through monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

2. The PoA reflects the Commonwealth’s principles and values and incorporates its responses to the differential impacts of global changes and challenges on women and men, girls and boys. It supports and works towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the objectives of gender equality expressed in the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) and 2000 Beijing+5 Political Declaration and Outcome Document.

3. The PoA views poverty reduction, the protection and promotion of human rights, the strengthening of democracy and gender equality as intrinsically inter-related. In fact, the MDGs cannot be fully attained while women/girls and men/boys do not enjoy equal rights, treatment and access to resources in a climate of freedom from discrimination. The PoA therefore takes a rights-based approach to all the critical areas it addresses, and is grounded in the framework of international and regional human rights conventions and other instruments.

4. The four critical areas that the Commonwealth focuses on in this PoA are:

5. Within these critical areas the PoA aims to build on and deepen the Commonwealth gender mainstreaming approach introduced in the 1995 PoA and its 2000 Update, particularly when addressing persistent challenges such as gender-based violence and the achievement of women’s full participation in leadership and decision-making.

6. Democracy is a fundamental value of the Commonwealth. Women’s participation in democracy, and in peace processes, is crucial for the achievement of sustainable development. A target of no less than 30 per cent of women in the political, public and private sectors by 2005 was recommended by Fifth Meeting of Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Women’s Affairs (5WAMM) in 1996 and endorsed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Edinburgh in 1997. In 2000, the Sixth Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Women’s Affairs (6WAMM) recommended that the Commonwealth take action, in collaboration with other international organisations and civil society, to include women at the highest levels of peace-building, peacekeeping, conflict prevention, mediation and resolution, and post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction activities.

7. While there have been some achievements, the challenge remains to:

• demonstrate the impact of women’s contribution to democracy, peace and conflict in member countries;
• promote accountability for international legal frameworks that governments have ratified;
• domesticate international standards in national constitutions and legislations as tools for promoting de-facto equality;
• encourage political parties to adopt the 30 per cent target for women candidates;
• and mainstream gender equality at all stages of the peace process.

There is a need to develop peace education curricula and promote a culture of peace, geared particularly towards young people.

8. International human rights instruments impose a duty on states parties to guarantee equality of rights between women and men. However, women’s and girls’ human rights continue to be widely violated, and they face different forms of discrimination and disadvantage at different stages in the life cycle. Because customary laws, practices and traditions often affect people more than statutory laws on a day-to-day basis, it is critical to work in partnership with traditional, cultural, and religious institutions and leaders, particularly to address harmful traditional practices and promote harmonisation of statutory and customary laws, where appropriate. Women’s rights regarding access to and ownership of land and property must also be promoted and protected.

9. Gender-based violence remains widespread and has clear links with many other factors, such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, property and land rights, race/ethnicity, age and sexual orientation. An integrated response is essential to address it. The rapid growth of trafficking in persons is causing increasing global concern. Anti-trafficking legislation must embrace a human rights approach and protect the rights of those most vulnerable to abuse.

10. Special attention needs to be paid to the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly women, who continue to be marginalised and disadvantaged in comparison to other groups in society.

11. Poverty is not only based on lack of income but is also linked to lack of access to political, economic, social, natural and cultural resources. Gender inequality causes and exacerbates the impact of poverty on women. In order to achieve poverty reduction, enhancing women’s capabilities is of critical importance. Gender equality needs to be mainstreamed into programmes and processes related to poverty reduction such as the MDGs, PRSPs and SWAps. Women’s health, including women’s and girl’s sexual and reproductive rights and maternal mortality, are also priority issues.

12. While globalisation and trade liberalisation offer new opportunities for economic growth and poverty reduction, they also pose critical challenges related to loss of livelihoods and employment, particularly for women. Multilateral trade processes need to be engendered, with women participating meaningfully in the negotiations towards just and fair trading agreements and systems.

13. In order to effectively address the feminisation of both labour and poverty, the Commonwealth will broaden its approach to gender and economic empowerment. This includes the creation of an enabling environment for women by establishing frameworks for core labour standards, social protection, the identification and development of appropriate skills and promoting women’s organisations and networking. Improved access to productive resources, markets, skills and extension services is also needed for women, especially in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

14. The next phase of developing work with gender-responsive budgets will focus on the revenue side of budgets, and on processes to mainstream and monitor gender budget analysis to ensure that these efforts are institutionalised.

15. Poverty and gender inequalities are driving factors in the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS. Women and girls are more susceptible to contracting HIV not only for biological reasons but also because they lack the power to negotiate safe sex or refuse unwanted sex. Their inferior political and legal status perpetuates poverty, discrimination and lack of opportunity in social, economic and cultural spheres of activity. Women’s empowerment is a strategy for reducing their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and alleviating the impact of the disease.

16. The specific needs of HIV/AIDS infected and affected women, including care-givers and those at risk of infection through gender-based violence and poverty, need to be addressed. Gender equality should be mainstreamed into multisectoral, national, regional and international policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS. The Commonwealth Youth Ambassadors for Positive Living Initiative should also be supported and promoted as a means of preventing the spread of the disease among young people, particularly girls and young women.

17. Lack of availability of and access to female-controlled prevention methods are a critical factor in the increasing infection rate among women and girls. Greater attention needs to be paid to research and investment in microbicides, improving the female condom and exploring other forms of female-controlled prevention.

18. The PoA recognises that men and boys are essential partners in achieving gender equality. There are emerging gaps affecting men and it is critical that the Commonwealth engage actively with institutions and partners that work with men on gender equality issues. The PoA also promotes the inclusion of young persons in all programmes designed to achieve gender equality.

19. The Secretariat will provide increased support to governments in the implementation of the PoA, provide policy advice and technical assistance on the application of gender mainstreaming especially gender analysis and planning, and related issues identified by governments. For each critical area the PoA identifies strategies and mechanisms by which Commonwealth governments and the Secretariat will advance gender equality.

20. As well as strengthening the capacity of national women’s machineries (NWMs) to mainstream gender equality, the Secretariat and other Commonwealth associations will work with other keyconstituencies including ministries, local governments, parliamentarians, the judiciary, universities, public service training institutions and civil society organisations (CSOs), acting as advocate, broker and catalyst in the promotion of gender equality and mainstreaming.

21. The PoA is firmly grounded in partnership as the most effective way of working towards gender equality in the context of the Commonwealth’s areas of comparative advantage and the principle of common values in diversity. The Commonwealth will strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones, especially with organisations that have expertise in the four critical areas.

22. The Commonwealth sees the four critical areas as inter-related and aims to integrate its implementation through various strategies such as generating and sharing knowledge and information, capacity building and monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

23. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting will be carried out in a variety of ways, including the Secretary-General’s biennial report to CHOGM, periodic meetings of Ministers Responsible for Women’s/Gender Affairs; as well as ongoing monitoring and evaluation activities by the Secretariat, including gender audits.