Commonwealth Secretariat
  1. Gender Home
  2. Vision & mandate
    1. Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015
    2. Secretary General's Reports
    3. 1995 Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender and Development
    4. Update 2000-2005
  3. What we do
    1. Poverty Eradication
    2. Gender and Human Rights
    3. Gender Mainstreaming
    4. Gender, democracy, peace and conflict
    5. Gender and HIV/AIDS
    6. Knowledge-Based network (KBN)
  4. WAMMs
    1. 8WAMM
    2. 7WAMM
    3. 6WAMM
  5. Documents
    1. Reports
    2. Papers
    3. Newsletters
    4. Meeting documents, New York, 23-24 February, 2008
  6. News Archive
  7. Publications
    1. Gender Mainstreaming Series on Gender Issues
    2. Gender Management Systems Series
    3. Gender Mainstreaming Series on Development Issues
  8. Gender Links

Working with NWMs

Working with women's MachineriesWorking With National Women's Machineries (NWMs)

Implementing gender and creating a gender-sensitive environment is not only the responsibility of the Women's Bureaux or NWMs but also the responsibility of all within Governments and the Secretariat.

Gender Advocacy and Policy-making at National Level

The National Women's Machinery is recognised by Governments as the focal unit that promotes gender equality. It is the 'engine' through which the process of gender mainstreaming is implemented, monitored and evaluated. The NWM is also the lead agency for co-ordinating the Gender Management System (GMS).

One of the strategic objectives of the 1995 Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender and Development (POA) is to encourage Governments to place NWMs at the highest possible level and supported by adequate financial resources to pursue their goals. The main responsibilities of NWMs are advocacy and policy-making in collaboration with line Ministries and other stakeholders (NGOs, private sector, civil society and development agencies).

The Commonwealth & NWMs - A Dynamic and Effective Partnership

The Gender Section seeks to strengthen the capacity of NWMs. As many NWMs face financial and political constraints, the Gender Section can play a pivotal role in motivating and providing advisory support. Moreover, providing policy advice to NWMs and information briefs will remain one of the Section's major priorities.

The Gender Section is developing a Knowledge Based network to serve NWMs more effectively. Encouraging and promoting a more strategic and effective collaboration with the private and civil society partners and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as other development agencies is also a key activity for NWMs and the Gender Section.