11 November 2014
World Survey Urges Simultaneously Addressing Gender Equality, Sustainable Development
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The challenges of gender equality and sustainable development must be addressed together to realize the human rights of women and girls and support transitions to sustainable development, according to the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 2014, ‘Gender Equality and Sustainable Development.'

UNWOMENNovember 2014: The challenges of gender equality and sustainable development must be addressed together in order to realize the human rights of women and girls and support transitions to sustainable development, according to the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 2014, ‘Gender Equality and Sustainable Development.’ The survey is a report of the UN Secretary-General, mandated by the UN General Assembly and published every five years by UN Women.

“To be effective, policy actions for sustainability must redress the disproportionate impact on women and girls of economic, social and environmental shocks and stresses,” explains the survey in outlining the importance of linking gender equality with sustainable development. It emphasizes the potential of women’s knowledge, agency and collective action for enhancing ecosystem conservation and sustainable resource use, improving resource productivity and creating more sustainable, low-carbon energy, food, health and water systems.

The survey uses three criteria to assess the likelihood of policy actions’ achieving gender equality and sustainable development, based on whether policies: support women’s capabilities and enjoyment of rights; reduce women’s unpaid care work; and embrace women’s equal and meaningful participation as actors and leaders. The report examines gender equality and sustainable development with regard to: employment generation, growth patterns and public good provisioning; food production, distribution and consumption, including issues related to resource access and control; population; and water, sanitation and energy.

To achieve sustainable development, the report stresses the importance of recognizing synergies and trade-offs between gender equality and sustainability. It highlights inclusive deliberation processes and monitoring of trade-offs as crucial in negotiating the policy dilemmas to achieve gender equality and sustainable development.

The report recommends, inter alia: fully implementing commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment, as contained in the Beijing Platform for Action; including an explicit commitment to gender equality and the realization of women’s and girls’ capabilities and human rights in all sustainable development policies and frameworks at all levels; and scaling up innovations for gender-responsive public goods, such as modern energy services, provision of water supplies and appropriate sanitation facilities, including through public investment. On the post-2015 development agenda, it recommends that efforts to achieve gender equality and sustainable development are grounded in principles of human rights, equity and justice.

The report includes specific recommendations on key topics addressed in the survey as well as on financing and data and statistics. [UN Women Press Release] [Publication: Gender Equality and Sustainable Development]

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