Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Launches General Recommendation 40 on the Equal and Inclusive Representation of Women in Decision-Making Systems

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this morning launched its general recommendation no. 40 on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems.

In opening remarks, Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, congratulated everyone involved in the general recommendation. The outdated patriarchal system was at the root of many problems faced today. The power to suppress and silence, to wage war and wreak havoc, was too often wielded by angry egotistical short-sighted men. Women remained starkly underrepresented in decision-making systems. General recommendation 40 put forward immediate, concrete recommendations across the board to make gender parity a reality by 2030. Gender parity could not be partial; it needed to be 50/50.

Presenting the general recommendation, Nicole Ameline, Committee Expert, said general recommendation 40 offered an operational, concrete roadmap accessible to all States and would be accompanied by tools, mechanisms and new solutions. The Committee was counting on States, especially parliaments, civil society and the United Nations system, to build together this necessary transition, without delay.

Tania María Abdo Rocholl, Chair of the Human Rights Committee; Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, United Nations Women; and Martin Chungong, Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union, also gave statements. Countries and civil society then took to the floor to reiterate their support for general recommendation 40.

Speaking in the discussion were France, China, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Ireland, Luxembourg, Burkina Faso, Spain, Chile, Italy, Slovenia, Bolivia, Russian Federation, Egypt, Mexico, Norway, Belgium, Benin, Azerbaijan, Cabo Verde, Nepal, Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, South Africa, Algeria, Mauritius, Venezuela, Gambia and Colombia.

Also speaking were: GQUAL Campaign, Women@the table, International Disability Alliance and FUNDACIÓN LEGĀTUM.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-ninth session is being held from 7 October to 25 October. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’swebpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet in public at 5.pm. on Friday, 25 October to close its eighty-ninth session.

Introductory Statements

ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ,Committee Chairperson, said today would go down in history. Today there would be roadmap to begin securing the principle of parity as a universal principle to manage and lead the world.

VOLKER TÜRK,United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, congratulated everyone involved in the general recommendation. The conflict, deepening inequality, and the destruction of the planet begged the question of how to build a more peaceful tomorrow when today was violent and full of turmoil. The outdated patriarchal system was at the root of many problems faced today. The power to suppress and silence, to wage war and wreak havoc, was too often wielded by angry egotistical short-sighted men. Women remained starkly underrepresented in decision-making systems. This was a grave paradox and so this important general comment needed to be a milestone.

While there had been some progress in gender parity, it came at a very slow pace. Gender parity was a human right. The rights of women in all their diversity were non-negotiable. Gender parity was transformative and unlocked capacities to innovate and be creative. Women were agents of peace. Their full participation in society helped to prevent conflict. It was beyond time for women to take their rightful place at all the important tables. Gender equality needed to be built into the algorithms which ruled today’s digital lives. General recommendation 40 put forward immediate, concrete recommendations across the board to make gender parity a reality by 2030. Gender parity could not be partial; it needed to be 50/50. Achieving true gender parity meant the deeply entrenched patriarchal structures needed to be dismantled. This could involve Constitutional amendments, legal reforms, national action plans, and temporary special measures. Regimes which amounted to gender apartheid needed to be denounced.

NICOLE AMELINE,Committee Expert, said general recommendation 40 was designed by the Committee within the framework of its mandate, and was part of the urgency of our time, characterised by disruptive developments that were changing systems, and which needed to lead to a radical revision of decision-making systems. Only a systemic, comprehensive and inclusive approach based on 50/50 parity as a principle of governance could ensure the respect of this fundamental right and the progress of societies. At a time when the escalation of conflicts, crises and tensions were severely impacting women's rights, when the digital transition was reinventing organizational systems, when the climate transition was affecting living conditions, the only response to these challenges was in collective intelligence and parity that associated women at all levels and in an inclusive way in the decision-making system.

Only a global movement could ensure the necessary paradigm shift. General recommendation 40 offered an operational, concrete roadmap accessible to all States and would be accompanied by tools, mechanisms and new solutions. The Committee was counting on States, especially parliaments, civil society and the United Nations system to build together this necessary transition, without delay. Ms. Ameline thanked all those who had been involved in the launch.

TANIA MARÍA ABDO ROCHOLL,Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee, underscored the importance of a cross-cutting approach when it came to the general recommendation. General recommendation 40 was a specific call to action to ensure equal access and power in decision-making. The recommendation was a gift that the Committee had given to all women in the world.

NYARADZAYI GUMBONZVANDA,Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, United Nations Women, congratulated the Committee for the recommendation. United Nations Women had supported the drafting process during the five regional consultation meetings. General recommendation 40 was a visionary parity roadmap envisaging steps that States needed to take to reach parity at all levels. This should inspire everyone to push forward and commit to making gender equality a reality.

MARTIN CHUNGONG,Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union, said the launch of general recommendation 40 was a milestone which marked the beginning of a new chapter for women’s leadership. The adoption of the new recommendation came at a time of political polarisation and multiple crises. Women’s representation in parliaments had steadily improved, reaching 27 per cent, but there was still much work to do. Violence against women in politics was an abhorrent phenomenon. As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence reshaped decision-making, it was important that women had a place at the table.

Discussion

In the discussion, speakers among other things said today was a truly historic day and congratulated the Committee for the adoption of the general recommendation. The recommendation came at a time when the world was facing challenges which called for equal representation of women and men. Speakers reiterated their support to the recommendation. Parity and a participatory approach were vital in decision-making. Many speakers reaffirmed their commitment to equality in all its forms and to parity in parliaments, including increasing funding to women-led organizations.

In the face of the many global challenges that the world was confronting today, it was clear that current governance systems needed to be revised to ensure that women's voices were at the forefront of decision-making processes at every level. Many speakers emphasised that they fully shared the Committee's recommendation on the importance of ensuring the equal participation of women and girls in decision-making on emerging issues, such as new digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as on climate action. Ensuring all women and girls’ full, equal and meaningful participation in decision-making processes was necessary to develop climate policies that were inclusive, fair and sustainable. Women needed to be equal users of technology and equal architects of the networks which shaped the future. To achieve and sustain a well-functioning democracy, women’s political participation was a prerequisite.

While the world had come a long way in the last century, progress remained slow. At the outset, decision-making spheres were unfortunately influenced by traditional rules built around the patriarchal system, as well as by the almost instinctive precedence of men over women. The major challenges in terms of equality and inclusion in decision-making faced by many countries remained that of the fight against harmful traditional practices and the neutrality of the legal framework.

Despite being powerful agents of change, women were underrepresented in decision-making at all levels, especially those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.

States were urged to take bold, concrete steps to close gender gaps, both nationally and within the United Nations system. This included advocating for initiatives like appointing the first-ever female Secretary-General of the United Nations, and ensuring gender parity in leadership positions, such as the Presidency of the General Assembly. These were vital steps to create an inclusive global governance framework that delivered for all.

One speaker noted that 50/50 parity was counterproductive. What was done in such countries where women were more than 50 per cent in parliament? If countries were just working with figures, they would not achieve the necessary results. The general recommendation was the view of experts and did not impose additional obligations on States.

Another speaker said the adoption of the general recommendation was on the eve of the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. This provided an important opportunity to reflect on the progress made and the significant challenges which remained when addressing gender equality. Special temporary measures were still needed to achieve equality in economic sectors and in decision making.

Speakers underscored that ensuring equal and inclusive representation of women was not only essential for progress but also a moral imperative and an international obligation. The systemic exclusion of women from decision-making processes robbed the world of the potential of half its population. General recommendation 40 provided critical guidance for States to address this imbalance and ensured equal representation in both the public and private sectors.

Concluding Remarks

ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ,Committee Chairperson, thanked everyone who had contributed to the launch of general recommendation 40. She encouraged everyone to spread the word and assist the Committee and States in its implementation. Ms. Peláez Narváez thanked Committee Expert Nicole Ameline for her contributions and important legacy.

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