Challenges and Achievements in the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for Women and Girls from a European Union Perspective

Upon request by the FEMM Committee, this study provides background information for the delegation of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality of the European Parliament (FEMM) to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)’s 58th Session. The key priority theme for the Session will be 'Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls'. Taking into account that the outcome of this meeting will be relevant for the formulation of the post 2015 international framework for development, the study outlines the state of play of preparatory discussions. It reveals that women’s rights and gender equality are largely recognised as, on the one hand, a goal of development policy in itself, and, on the other hand, as an important tool for sustainable development. Bearing this in mind, most stakeholders advocate for a two-track approach: having gender equality as a stand-alone goal and a gender mainstreaming approach for all areas of the post 2015 framework

Website: UN: Commission on the Status of Women http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/

Website: European Parliament: Women's Rights and Gender Equality Meeting documents (FEMM) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/femm/home.html

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