Rio+20 Conference

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, brought Heads of State and Government to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 20 to 22 June 2012. It appraised progress and gaps in implementation of agreements reached at the landmark 1992 UN Conference on the Environment and Development, and beyond. Two primary themes discussed were: a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and the institutional framework for sustainable development.

The final outcome document, The Future We Want, recognized the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment for sustainable development and our common future, and reaffirmed commitments to ensure women’s equal rights, access and opportunities for participation and leadership in the economy, society and political decision-making. It underscored women’s vital role in achieving sustainable development, including as leaders, and drew links between gender equality and issues such as energy, health, education and disaster risk reduction.

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