Reports and monitoring

UN Women regularly conducts research and collects data to measure progress in the status of women in the UN system. This enables us to identify challenges and monitor the effectiveness of actions being taken. Findings are used to update inter-agency bodies and UN entities, and help shape the support that we provide to them in achieving gender parity. Key activities to gather information include the following.

Improvement in the status of women in the United Nations system

Every two years, UN Women assists in preparing the UN Secretary-General’s Report on the Improvement of the Status of Women. This provides up-to-date information on the proportion of female appointments, promotions and separations for every UN entity and the system as a whole. The data are used to identify trends by staff level, location (headquarters and non-headquarters) and contract type (permanent, fixed term and temporary). The report also examines policies and practices among entities, and analyses key impediments to progress.

The report and its recommendations are presented to the General Assembly’s Third Committee and the Commission on the Status of Women. They inform debates and resolutions that continue shaping the ways the United Nations works to advance the status of women.