The OSCE recognizes that the full and equal exercise by both women and men of their human rights is essential to achieving peace, prosperity and stability.
The year 2014 marks ten years since the OSCE’s Ministerial Council adopted the Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality, a landmark document calling on the OSCE to analyse the different impact its policies, programmes and projects have on women and men, and to examine how to effectively support the OSCE’s participating States in meeting their commitments on gender equality.
While there have been achievements, there are challenges, old and new, to fully realizing gender equality across the OSCE region. To take stock of the progress, the OSCE is organizing a Gender Equality Review Conference to mark the anniversary.
The aim is to examine gaps in the implementation of the Action Plan over the past ten years and propose solutions for the future. The focus will be on establishing more systematic implementation and activities in promoting equal opportunities for men and women, particularly in the area of peace and security; women's economic empowerment; promoting women’s political and public participation, and tackling domestic violence. Participants will also explore opportunities for institutional development to promote gender mainstreaming in all the branches of the OSCE.
The Conference will bring together national stakeholders from government, civil society and academia. Representatives from the OSCE’s participating States will also discuss progress their implementation of gender equality commitments across the three areas of the OSCE’s work – the politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions – and highlight innovative ways to enhance implementation in the future.
Follow the Conference on social media as the OSCE marks ten years of the Action Plan on promoting gender equality by using the hashtag #GAP10
For further information contact Jana Palaversa at the OSCE Gender Section: jana.palaversa@osce.org
To register for the conference send a completed registration form to Elke Lidarik at OSCE Conference Services: elke.lidarik@osce.org
