16 Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) launched the Campaign for Stronger Gender Equality Architecture Reform, GEAR, at the United Nations. 

The GEAR campaign will call on United Nations member states to create a stronger United Nations force for women – one with greater status, an expanded field presence, and a high level of funding.

Sponsors of the campaign include:

• International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
• Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)
• Development Alternatives for a New Era (DAWN)
• Association of Women’s Rights and Development (AWID) 
• Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL)

The launch coincides with the 52nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women which this year is dedicated to financing for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

As many governments have failed to implement commitments to women’s rights made in the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, and many other UN world conferences, the GEAR campaign seeks a new UN entity dedicated to creating effective mechanisms to promote gender equality.

Without greater efforts to empower women, the Millennium Development Goals will not be met.

The GEAR campaign seeks an independent, women-specific agency with adequate stature, resources, operational capacity in the field, and a high level leadership to drive this agenda, including financing for gender equality.

A leading women’s agency is necessary, along with effective mainstreaming efforts throughout the system. 

Currently, the UN has several small under-resourced agencies focused exclusively on women’s issues; other larger agencies sometimes do important work on gender equality, but it is a small part of their mandate, and often receives low priority. 

“The important work UNFPA does on sexual and reproductive health and rights should be preserved,” said Carmen Barroso, Regional Director of IPPF's Western Hemisphere Region.

Dr Barroso stressed that the new agency should enhance and complement the good work that has already been done by other agencies and should not replace them.   

Strengthening the UN’s gender equality machinery is a crucial part of financing for gender equality and for development more generally. 

It will better enable the UN and governments to deliver on promises made to advance gender equality and women’s human rights, which are essential components of development at the global and country levels.