The UN is mandated by Member States to fully implement the gender mainstreaming strategy at all levels. UN repositioning and the drive to strengthen coordination and coherence within the UN system has bolstered the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy at the regional and country levels.

The new Cooperation Framework Guidance (UNSDG, 2019) calls on UNCTs to put gender equality at the heart of programming, which will drive the active and meaningful participation of both women and men, and empower women and girls, in line with the minimum requirements in the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard.

Legislative Basis

Numerous UN intergovernmental mandates for gender mainstreaming define how the UN system should implement and accelerate efforts in this regard, highlighting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as crucial to development, and therefore calling on the UN system at country level to accelerate gender mainstreaming.

Mandates and commitments

Gender mainstreaming mandates and commitments for the UN development system at country level

2021: ECOSOC - Mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system (E/RES/2021/7) calls on the UN system to work collaboratively to accelerate the full and effective mainstreaming of a gender perspective in the UN system at the global, regional and country levels.

2020:  General Assembly Resolution on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review of Operational Activities for Development of the United Nations System (A/RES/75/233) calls on the UN system to accelerate gender mainstreaming, including through the full implementation of the UNCT-SWAP and mainstreaming gender into the preparation of the Cooperation Framework.

2020: ECOSOC - Political Declaration on the Occasion of the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women (E/CN.6/2020/L.1) calls on the UN system to support accelerated implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, including through systematic gender mainstreaming.

2006: United Nations system-wide policy on gender equality and the empowerment of women: focusing on results and impact (CEB/2006/2) calls for accelerating gender mainstreaming in all policies and programs in the UN system.

1995:  Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 
Sets out a blueprint for gender equality and women’s empowerment and calls on UN entities to dedicate adequate resources and support follow-up to implement the Beijing Platform for Action.
 

Resources

UN Women supports the creation of guidance, analysis and technical tools to aid coordinated approaches to gender equality and gender mainstreaming at the country level. These are developed in collaboration with UN entities at the global level and with UN Women Regional Offices.

Manuals and Guidance

2021

Technical Note on Gender Mainstreaming into the UNCT Response to COVID-19

This Technical Note aims to guide UNCTs on how to mainstream gender equality considerations into planning and programming work as part of their ongoing COVID-19 response and recovery effort.

Manuals and Guidance

2017

Resource book for mainstreaming gender in UN common programming at the country level

This resource book supports prioritizing and mainstreaming gender equality issues in UN common programming processes. Guidance and tips for UN staff, focusing on how to mainstream gender in the UNDAF (now the Cooperation Framework).

Manuals and Guidance Standards and procedures

2018

Resource guide for gender theme groups

The Resource Guide for Gender Theme Groups is a key resource for further enhancing coordinated action on gender equality and the empowerment of women by UN staff operating in the field.

Manuals and Guidance Standards and procedures

2021

Gender Theme Groups: Standards and Procedures

This document provides guidance to RCs, UNCTs, individual UN entities and UN staff, GTG chairs and members on standards related to the role, functions and working methods of GTGs.