July 2013: In a position paper outlining its recommendations for the post-2015 development agenda, UN Women has called for addressing the structural causes of gender inequality through a stand-alone goal and gender mainstreaming throughout the post-2015 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper provides the evidence for and expands on the arguments presented in a shorter version issued in May 2013.

In ‘A Transformative Stand-Alone Goal on Achieving Gender Equality, Women’s Rights, and Women’s Empowerment: Imperatives and Key Components,’ UN Women assesses progress for women through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and international legal treaties, and proposes a new framework for action.

The proposed stand-alone goal would address three key areas: freedom from violence against women and girls; gender equality in the distribution of capabilities; and gender equality in decision-making power in public and private institutions. UN Women also suggests that gender equality targets be present in other post-2015 priorities. The paper proposes a set of indicators under each target to measure progress.

To gather broader views on the subject of a stand-alone goal for gender equality, UN Women convened an online discussion on the World We Want 2015 website throughout July. A summary is forthcoming. [Publication: A Transformative Stand-Alone Goal on Achieving Gender Equality, Women’s Rights, and Women’s Empowerment: Imperatives and Key Components] [UN Women Press Release] [World We Want Online Discussion] [IISD RS Story on Short Paper]