1. Ensure that women have equal access to and full participation in power structures and decision-making.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:

You have the right to take part in the government of your country, to vote and to have equal access to public service in your country. UDHR 21; ICCPR 25; CEDAW 7a; ICERD 5c; CPRW 1,2; HRC GC

You have the right to participate in the formulation and implementation of government policy, to hold public office and perform public functions at all levels of government. CEDAW 7b; CPRW 3

You have the right to participate in NGOs and associations concerned with the public and political life of your country. CEDAW 7c

You have the right to represent your government and participate in international organizations. CEDAW 8; CEDAW GR 8

States should make more use of temporary measures such as positive action, preferential treatment or quota systems to advance women's integration into all areas of public and political life. CEDAW GR 5; CEDAW GR 23:15

ACTIONS:

• Establish the goal of gender balance in political parties, government, the judiciary and international forums, including setting specific targets.
  
  
• Include women in elective and non-elective public positions in the same proportion and at the same levels as men, and include women leaders, executives and managers in strategic decision-making positions.
  
  
• Work towards equality in the private sector.
  
  
• Support gender balance in the composition of delegations to the United Nations and other international forums and in their international secretariats.
  
  
• Monitor women's access to senior levels of decision-making.
  
  
• Recognize that shared work and parental responsibilities promote women's increased participation in public life.
  
  

2. Increase women's ability to participate in decision-making and leadership.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:

Countries must take measures to ensure that barriers to women's equal participation are overcome, including those resulting from illiteracy, language, poverty and impediments to women's freedom of movement. CEDAW 23:45

Education shall be directed towards the full development of the human being and an increasing respect for human rights. UDHR 26:2; ICESCR 13:1; CRC 29:1b; CDE 5:1a

You have a continuing right to education throughout your life. CEDAW 10e, f

Any stereotyped concept of the roles of women and men must be eliminated through education. CEDAW 10c

Your country must take measures to enable you to have community services such as child care and family services and facilities to enable your participation in public life. CEDAW 11:2c

ACTIONS:

• Build a mass of women leaders, executives and managers in strategic decision-making positions.
  
  POWER & DECISION-MAKING: ACHIEVEMENTS
  
  
• Growing acceptance of the importance to society of the full participation of women in decision-making and power at all levels and in all fora.
  
  
• In some countries, women have achieved high positions.
  
  
• Increasing number of countries have applied affirmative action policies (quota systems and targets).
  
  
• Training programmes developed for women’s leadership.
  
  
• Measures introduced to reconcile the family and professional responsibilities of women and men.
  
  
• National mechanisms and machineries for the advancement of women have been established or upgraded and strengthened.
  
  POWER & DECISION-MAKING: OBSTACLES
  
  
• Despite general acceptance of the need for a gender balance in decision-making bodies, this has not happened in practice.
  

• The gross under-representation of women in decision-making bodies in all areas––including politics, conflict prevention and resolution, the economy, the environment and the media––hinders the inclusion of a gender perspective in these critical spheres of influence.
  
  
• Traditionally assigned gender roles limit women’s choices in education and careers and compel them to assume the burden for household responsibilities.
  
  
• Lack of human and financial resources for training and advocacy for political careers.
  
  
• Lack of accountability of elected officials for promoting gender equality and women’s participation in public life
  
  
• Lack of social awareness of the importance of balanced participation of women and men in decision-making.
  
  
• Unwillingness on the part of men to share power.
  
  
• Insufficient dialogue and co-operation with women’s NGOs.
  
  
• Lack of organizational and political structures which would enable women
  to participate in political decision-making.