14 December 2012: The Vienna Policy Dialogue, held in preparation for the 2014 Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and discussions on the post-2015 development agenda, highlighted applicable lessons from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) experience.

The meeting on “Advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women: the role of development cooperation” took place in Austria, on 13-14 December 2012, bringing together representatives of national and local governments, civil society, parliaments, women’s organizations, and the private sector. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), UN Women and the Government of Austria jointly organized the meeting to develop policy guidance and recommendations for international development cooperation.

Speaking at the close of the meeting, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo highlighted lessons from the MDGs and recommended: adoption of a “twin track approach” to building on the achievements of the MDGs while discussing the post-2015 development agenda; addressing the underlying economic, social and cultural drivers of gender inequality; and ensuring a framework for mutual accountability of actors.

Wu said women have not benefited equally with men from progress towards the MDGs, and called on participants to ensure that gender equality and the empowerment of women are at the center of a the post-2015 development agenda. He gave the example of gender-responsive budgeting and planning processes, which he said could help advance a gender-responsive global partnership for development.

An overview note from ECOSOC identified international discussions relevant to the DCF, including the 2010 MDG Summit, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.

The Vienna meeting is the first in a series of consultations preparing for the 2014 DCF, a multi-stakeholder platform on international development cooperation. [UN Press Release] [Dialogue Program] [Overview Note]