A focus on gender equality as the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals meets

As the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals holds its eight session in New York from 3-7 February, UN Women is co-organizing a number of side events on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The overall issues to be discussed by the 30-member OWG, established during the Rio+20 Conference, include: oceans and seas, forests, biodiversity, conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding and the promotion of durable peace, and rule of law and governance and promoting equality. Several side events and several official proceedings on 5-6 February will also focus on promoting social equity, including gender equality and women’s empowerment.

For a list of all OWG events, click here. Read coverage of various side events here. Below is the list of gender-related side events, webcasts and speeches:

Monday 3 February

Luncheon on Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights
Organized by UN Women with UN-NGLS, for Member States and civil society organizations
1:15 - 2:45 p.m. – Delegates Dining Room (by invitation only)
UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri will give closing remarks.

Tuesday 4 February

Breakfast meeting on Gender equality and adolescent girls’ health
Organized by UN Women, PMNCH, UNF, UNFPA and IFMSA
8:15 - 9:30 a.m., Delegates’ Dining Room [Read concept note]
Speakers will include: Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, UNFPA; H.E. Ambassador Asoke K Mukerji, India; H.E. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Brazil (tbc); Chongo Mwila, Advocacy, research and communications officer, YWCA Zambia; Jeni Klugman, Director of Gender and Development, World Bank Group; UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri will give closing remarks.

What is holding women and girls back from realizing their rights? Addressing structural inequalities to assure sustainable development
Organized by UNFPA with UN Women and UNDP
1:15 - 2:45 p.m., CR 7/NLB [See flyer]
Speakers will include: Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, UNFPA; UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; Gita Sen, ICPD High-level Taskforce; and Aili Mari Tripp, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Moderator: Olav Kjorven, UNDP

High-Level side event on addressing inequalities in the SDGs: A human rights imperative for effective poverty eradication
Organized by OHCHR in partnership with UNICEF and UN Women. Sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Finland and Brazil
1:15 - 2:30 p.m., Trusteeship Council Chamber
Speakers will include: H.E. Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; H.E. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations (TBC); Ms. Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Prof. Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, Professor of International Affairs, The New School. Moderator: Craig Mokhiber, OHCHR. Moez Doraid, UN Women, will speak from the floor. 

Wednesday 5 February

Measuring gender equality in the post-2015 development agenda
Expert Work Breakfast organized by the Mission of France
Speakers will include: Nicole Ameline, Chair of the CEDAW Committee; Saraswathi Menon, UN Women; Jeni Klugman, World Bank Group, Director, Gender and Development; Stefan Schweinfest, DESA/Statistics Division, Acting Director

*As part of the main session, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, gave a keynote speech on"Promoting equality, including social equity, and gender equality and women’s empowerment" at 10 a.m. in the Trusteeship Council

Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment for sustainable development
Side event organized by the Permanent Missions of Sweden, Turkey, Nigeria and Switzerland in cooperation with UN Women
1:15 - 2:45 p.m., ECOSOC Chamber [See invitation]
Speakers will include: H.E. Mr. Y. Halit Çevik, Permanent Representative of Turkey; H.E. Mrs. U. Joy Ogwu, Permanent Representative of Nigeria; UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; Jeni Klugman, Gender and Development Director, World Bank; Anna Brandt, Ambassador and Coordinator for Post-2015 Development Agenda, Sweden; Prof. Gita Sen, DAWN; and Ambassador Michael Gerber, Special Representative for Global Sustainable Development, Switzerland. Moderator: Pamela Falk, President, UN Correspondents Association, CBS News and Radio.

Watch an archived webcast of this event here:

Thursday 6 February

Conflict Prevention, Post-conflict Peacebuilding and the Promotion of Durable Peace, Rule of Law and Governance
Side event organized by PBSO, UNDP, UNICEF, ODC and UN Women
1:15 - 2:45 p.m., Trusteeship Council [See invitation]
Speakers will include:  H.E. Kingsley Mamabolo, PR of South Africa; H.E. Marjon V. Kamara, PR of Liberia; H.E. Ken Kanda, PR of Ghana; H.E. Vesna Batistic Kos, Assistant Minister, Directorate General for Multilateral and Global Issues, Croatia; H.E. Rasmus Helveg Pertersen, Minister for Development Cooperation, Denmark; Professor Anthony Harriott, University of the West Indies, Jamaica. Facilitator: Dr. Clare Lockhart, CEO, Institute for State Effectiveness

Gender Equality and Women’s Right – Key for success of Sustainable Development Goals post-2015
Side event organized by the Women’s Major Group
1:15 - 3 p.m., Bahai’I, 866 UN Plaza [See invitation]
Speakers will include: Welcome by Women’s Major Group; PR of Argentina (tbc); PR of Mexico (tbc); Reflections by Saras Menon, UN Women; Anita Nayar/Katherin Tobyn, UN-NGLS

Panel Discussion on Education: a Key Driver for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Development hosted at the International Institute for Education.
6:30 p.m. 809 United Nations Plaza [See invitation]
Speakers will include: H.E. Mr. Rubén Escalante Hasbún, Ambassador?Deputy Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the UN; Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director; Ms. Lori Heninger, International Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Director. Moderation by Mr. Alan Tuckett, International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) President.

In September 2014, the OWG is expected to submit a report to the UN General Assembly with its recommendations regarding Sustainable Development Goals in the post-2015 agenda.