Mr. Co-Chair,
My Government strongly supports the recommendations in the High Level Panel report on System Wide Coherence, including the strengthening of the Gender architecture.
We also commend the support the Secretary General has given to create a single strong UN Gender entity.
We have noted the strong support and leadership by the GA President, and the positive informal debate on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women that took place in March of this year and the GA debate on SWC that took place in April.
Together, all of this gives a solid platform and a good framework within which the intergovernmental process on UN reform could move forward. The time has come for the process to pick up speed and to take advantage of the momentum created.
We are therefore pleased that the GA President has appointed you as co-chairs to guide the intergovernmental process on her behalf. We congratulate you on your important assignment, and look forward to working with you in a constructive and meaningful way.
As reflected in the SG report on HLP SWC and in the GA debate on 16 April, to proceed in different tracks enjoys broad support. It would be a wise decision to have different tracks for different topics. This would most likely be the only practical way to move the process forward.
Existing processes and tracks should be used to the fullest extent possible, for example:
-Environment under the ongoing track
-Financing, development and issues related to the “One UN” at country level are directly linked to the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR), and should be considered here.
There is strong support for having a separate track on gender equality and empowerment of women. This is a topic where we can show progress and achieve results early.
A two-phased approach should be considered:
Phase I (fast track): A GA resolution requesting the SG to report to the 62nd GA on the proposed structure of a consolidated UN gender equality and women’s empowerment entity.
Phase II: Based on the SG’s report, a resolution establishing the function, mandate and the full financial implications of the entity will be considered at the General Assembly at its main Sixty-Second session.
While Phase I of the gender and empowerment of women might be a fast track, the issues of finance and development will take some more time, as the TCPR will be negotiated during the GA62. It would be unfortunate if these issues are linked and that progress and results on gender and empowerment of women are slowed down by the other issues.
Therefore, to achieve results it would be important to ensure that different tracks can progress at their own pace and on their own merits. We would therefore propose that the Co-chairs appoint facilitators for the new tracks, including that on gender.
We will advise against a resolution to be adopted that in general terms outlines the way forward and that includes all the various tracks. This may easily end up in a long procedural debate that may prevent us from moving ahead on topics that already are quite mature and have broad support.
Progress will be monitored by taking stock of the different processes on a regular basis. This could be done by the Co-Chairs reporting to the member states and/or by organising a meeting in the GA at an appropriate time.
Thank you