Gender Equality and the MDGs Working Group 1

Main Issues Raised 1. Stress the centrality of gender to all MDGs, interrelatedness of all MDGs by highlighting invisibility of the household economy and its costs to women’s time, human lives, communities and national economies, e.g., addressing domestic energy issues creates synergies across sectors. 2. Country ownership is important, and requires effective civil society engagement at all levels 3. Link between country ownership, power, (politics) and empowerment 4. Strike a healthy balance between a human rights and economic approach to the MDGs 5. Multiple initiatives –need for coherence and harmonization of all policy processes 6. Challenges and benefits of GRB – research, advocacy, partnership but limited engagement of economists

Some key points 1. How to integrate gender into national policy and budget processes 2. How to empower different stakeholders, state and non-state, e.g, national women’s machineries, women’s organizations, other sectoral agencies, etc. 3. How to institutionalize gender mainstreaming in different agencies/processes 4. What works, what incentives are needed, and public/private sector partnerships 5. What are the key elements of good practice, e.g, Vietnam NCFAW, organizing early, prioritizing few issues, participatory process and buy-in at highest level

1. Prioritize women ’ s participation in decision making at all levels and all MDG-related sectors 2. Strengthen institutional mechanisms for gender equality (e.g., women ’ s machineries for oversight and accountability) 3. Establish incentives for national and sub-national governments to focus on gender in the MDGs 4. Build capacity of institutions and individuals to address gender equality as a crosscutting issue (menu of best practice examples) 5. Link sex disaggregated data to action and advocacy around MDGs Specific Actions for Follow-Up