OSCE and UN Women sign first-ever Memorandum of Understanding

NEW YORK, 28 September 2018 - The first-ever memorandum of understanding between the OSCE and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) was signed on 27 September by OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and UN Women Deputy Executive Director Yannick Glemarec.

”Gender equality is a prerequisite to achieving comprehensive security, and we need to combine our forces to fight gender inequality in all dimensions of security,” said OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger. “We have always highly valued our co-operation with UN Women.”

The Memorandum of Understanding provides a strong framework for co-operation between the organizations to address key gender equality challenges in the OSCE region, including at the national level between OSCE field operations and UN Women Country Offices.

It aims to improve information sharing and the seeking of synergies, but also to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, good practices and lessons learned, in order to support OSCE participating States in implementing their international commitments to promote gender equality.  

“UN Women and the OSCE are strong allies in the pursuit of a safer and more just world for women globally. We are confident that today’s signature will lead to a fruitful cooperation,” said UN Women Deputy Executive Director Yannick Glemarec.

Eleven joint areas of work are included in the memorandum of understanding, ranging from the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda to ending violence against women and girls, combating trafficking in human beings, especially women and girls, and preventing violent extremism and countering terrorism.

It also includes joint efforts to advocate for achieving gender parity in the UN system and the OSCE, and building capacity for gender mainstreaming in all sectors relevant to politico-military, economic and environmental and human dimensions of security.