UCLG´s Standing Committee on Gender Equality and the whole of the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments join all partners, and in particular elected women and their associations, in the celebration of 2013 International Women´s Day.
UCLG calls local and regional governments worldwide to condemn violence against women and girls and calls its members to promote the Paris Local and Regional Governments’ Global Agenda for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life.
”A peaceful sustainable world cannot be conceived with tolerance of violence against women and girls. It is our responsibility to stop this creating policy and changing mentalities” Anne Hidalgo, Vice-Mayor of Paris and Chair of the UCLG Standing Committee on Gender Equality
Women continue to be under-represented in the decision-making bodies in all aspects of politic, economic and social life but their full participation is critical to answer the challenges that humanity is facing.
Local and regional governments should commit to:
I. Fostering increased participation of women in local decision-making, in order to guarantee equal representation and to achieve a successful development agenda Post-2015;
II. Situate equality between women and men on the top of the agenda of local public policy making and promote adequate service provision that will contribute to improve the condition of women and to unlashing their power;
III. Contribute to a safe world in particular for women, who are traditionally the most vulnerable to all types of violence.
Global solidarity strengthening international cooperation between central, local, regional governments and civil society, in order to help eliminating barriers to women’s participation in local decision-making, will be key to a sustainable future.
UCLG would like to pay special tribute and celebrate the work done by the local elected women networks of METROPOLIS, CEMR, UCLGA-REFELA, and FLACMA-REDLAMUGOL. It further salutes the work done by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Huairou Commission. All of these institutions are fostering female leadership and equality.
UCLG looks forward to collaborating with UN Women, UN-Habitat and all other development partners towards a more equal world in 2013.
Visit UCLG Women and our Twitter @uclg_women to follow our work