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UNIFEM launched flagship Progress of the World’s Women report in Thailand. Report urges governments to do a better job of answering to women for commitments made

Date: 21 January 2009

Bangkok — The Under-Secretary-General of the UN and the Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, launched UNIFEM flagship Progress of the World’s Women report in Thailand.

Progress of the World’s Women 2008/2009: Who Answers to Women? Gender and Accountability is about moving from commitments to results including achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Accountability is the tool for achieving this.

“Across the world, women are changing the way we think about accountability and democratic governance…Women are now asking not only that power holders answer to women, but that they answer for gender equality,” Ms. Heyzer told an audience of 100 representatives of government and international organisations, development practitioners and academics.  

In his statement for the launch, Minister of Social Development and Human Security Vithoon Nambutr said:  “We commend UNIFEM’s effort in compiling Progress of the World’s Women 2008/9. The report offers plenty of substance and examples, while identifying challenges for state governments. Thailand’s policy on women empowerment is advancing along the framework outlined in this report. We also appreciate the role and commitment of UNIFEM in advancing the status of women in Thailand and around the world.”

Ms.Gwi-Yeop Son, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative for Thailand, also witnessed the launch. Mr Chanyut Khosirinond, Advisor to the Minister of Social Development and Human Security, received the report on behalf of the Thai government. 

UNIFEM launched Progress at its headquarters in September 2008, ahead of a high-level meeting of world leaders on the Millennium Development Goals. “If any man asks why I support better accountability to women, here’s my response: because a government that answers to women will answer to you too,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the global launch of the report in New York.

Alongside Progress, the ceremony introduced “Making the MDGs Work for All: Gender-Responsive, Rights-Based Approaches to the MDGs.”  Produced by UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Regional Office, this publication serves as a tool for development practitioners to implement the MDGs from a gender equality and women’s empowerment perspective.

“Both publications are very important resources that enable us to develop and implement gender-responsive concept of accountability,” says Jean D’Cunha, UNIFEM Regional Programme Director. After Thailand, UNIFEM will launch Progress shortly in Timor-Leste, the Philippines and Indonesia.

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