We must break new ground to build the world we want: SI Statement on Post-2015 Agenda

Soroptimist International has added its voice to the global debate over developing a Post-2015 development agenda, releasing a Position Statement and series of key asks today.

A worldwide discussion led by the United Nations is underway to shape a new development agenda to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) when they expire in 2015. The first formal proposal was presented in a report prepared by the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons (HLP) and published on May 30.

Soroptimist International shares the concerns of many women’s organisations that the HLP falls short of calling for bold transformation; the new statement says that “what we actually have is a story about what we’d like to do, followed by a very retrogressive and stagnant approach to actually doing it”. SI believes that the post-2015 agenda must act as a catalyst to change the way in which we approach development and it must include those affected by those decisions in the decision-making process.

The key asks set out in the statement are:

Whatever goals and targets are eventually agreed, the data collected on each and every one MUST be disaggregated by sex.
While we welcome a standalone target which focusses on eliminating violence against women, we want to ensure that this is measured in a progressive and reliable way.
There must be additional attention paid to community-wide transformations or else society will remain status quo. A woman with vocational skills is no better off if she is barred from using those skills in stable employment.
Men and boys must be an integral part of empowerment programmes as we work to address the underlying social and economic determinants of the vulnerabilities of women and girls

approach sex or gender based quotas with careful planning and ensure that women, from an early age, are fully equipped with all of the knowledge and skills necessary to take on leadership roles
alongside encouraging women to enter into traditionally ‘male’ dominated fields, we also must work to encourage men to enter into traditionally ‘female’ dominated fields to truly overcome and change occupational segregation.
look at creating work environments which are conducive to both men and women having families.
Take extreme caution to avoid implying that gender equality is about women taking on male roles, which may reinforce the idea that traditionally female dominated fields are of lesser importance.

We must guarantee that discussions around the financing and resourcing for the Post-2015 agenda take a gender-responsive approach and include gender audits. This is non-negotiable to ensure that goals and targets for gender equality are not just lip service.