Putting our money where our mouth is

The stage is set. Come 11 June and Kampala will host what is likely to be one of the biggest meetings on gender equality anywhere in the world this year.

However, sheer size alone does not make the 8^th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (8WAMM) significant, its focus does. When representatives from our 53 Commonwealth member countries, partner agencies and the private sector convene to debate women’s rights and gender equality, our message will be put forth loud and clear – it’s time we put our money where our mouth is.

To me, 8WAMM’s theme of “Financing gender equality for development and democracy” couldn’t be more timely. It reflects the growing awareness that women’s rights and gender equality are being overlooked as countries carry on relentlessly in their quest for development.

There is compelling evidence pointing to a dramatic dip in funding to NGOs championing women’s issues over the last decade. This has diminished their ability to advocate for gender equality and call governments to account when they fail to meet their obligations.

But there is a silver lining behind that dark cloud. At the end of 2006, the United Nations High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence recommended that the UN establish a new, independent agency to deal with women’s issues. We feel that landmark decision demonstrates that the tide is finally turning and the international community has recognised that there can be no development or aid effectiveness without gender equality.

Over the last couple of years, several multilateral development organisations, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, have asked whether gender mainstreaming has inadvertently resulted in gender equality and women’s rights becoming invisible and slipping off the policy agenda. Often, when an establishment gets rid of its gender unit in the name of mainstreaming, it unwittingly gets rid of that all-important watchdog that ensures the walk is walked.

The answer, they concurred, was to shift to a more explicit focus on realising women’s rights.

Ministers at 8WAMM will do just that. They will scrutinise how gender equality is being financed - or not, as the case may be.

The aim is to continue turning commitments such as those made in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Commonwealth’s own Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005–2015 into real change and, thereby, better lives for women.

At the same time, the relatively new aid delivery mechanisms such as Budget Support and Poverty Reduction Strategies Papers will be closely examined to see whether the move from development projects to channelling aid through these new modalities has marginalised the views and priorities of women.

Ministers will also consider the effectiveness of the bodies set up at the national level to advance gender equality and women’s rights. National Women’s Machineries now take quite different forms across the Commonwealth - from women’s ministries, independent national commissions and ombudspersons to high-level units attached to the offices of presidents or prime ministers.

It’s a challenging, dynamic age we live in - 2007 is the half-way mark to meeting the Millennium Development Goals. In this context, 8WAMM presents governments and development agencies across the Commonwealth an opportunity to take stock of the progress they have made so far and identify areas in which efforts need to be accelerated.

The fact that these critical issues will be discussed not only by women’s affairs ministers, but also at the preceding 8WAMM Partners’ Forum by representatives of civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and young people is typical of the Commonwealth’s all-inclusive spirit.

This way, we ensure every sector working in gender equality is given a voice – a voice which will be amplified and heard loud and clear by Commonwealth Heads of Government who will meet in Kampala less than five months after 8WAMM.

Indeed, the stage is set.