UN’s Efforts towards Gender Equal World

The founding United Nations charter (1945) included a provision for equality between men and women (chapter III, article 8). Subsequently, from 1945 to 1975 various female officials within the United Nations and leaders of women’s movements on the global stage attempted to turn these principles into action.

• The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution (resolution 3010) that 1975 should be International Women’s Year.
• In December 1975, the UN General Assembly passed a further resolution (resolution 31/136) that 1976-1985 should be the “Decade of Women”.
• The first world conference on women was held in Mexico City in 1975. It resulted in the Declaration of Mexico on the Equality of Women and Their Contribution to Development and Peace.
• The second world conference on women was held in Copenhagen in 1980. The conference agreed that the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was an important milestone. The Copenhagen conference also acknowledged the gap between rights being secured for women and women’s ability to exercise those rights. It was also agreed that it was action on the three areas of: equal access to education; employment opportunities; and adequate health care services are essential to achieve the goals set out in Mexico.