UN Women Geneva Liaison Office

Gender equality is one of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and is reflected in an integrated manner throughout the Agenda. Established in 2010, UN Women is mandated to support member states in realising gender equality. It is the lead UN agency for mainstreaming gender equality. After the consolidation of its presence in the field and with the adoption of the 2030Agenda, it is the right moment to expand UN Women’s presence in Geneva, the operational hub of the UN.

Expand and deepen UN Women’s strategic engagement with intergovernmental processes and a broad range of stakeholders in supporting them to effectively contribute to the full realisation of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and their human rights by 2030.

The target groups are the UN and other specialised agencies present in Geneva, its permanent missions, stakeholders from private sector and civil society organisations as well as philanthropic organisations, foundations and academic institutions.

A strengthened normative framework for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in the sectors covered by the Geneva-based UN such as health, migration, humanitarian action, disaster risk reduction, peace and security

Increased integration of gender perspectives in the operational work of Geneva-based including a more effective and efficient United Nations system coordination.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• Establishment of UN Women Liaison Office
• Recruitment of Head of Office
• Elaboration of a targeted engagement strategy
• Establishment of relationships with relevant Geneva-based partners.

Additional specific outputs to be developed through the targeted engagement strategy and to be formulated by the Liaison Office.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

There is no previous phase funded by SDC. However, UN Women has successfully presented the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) confidential reports to the CEDAW Committee (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women) in Geneva. This has, among others, contributed to the demand by other UN Agencies for UN Women to have a full-fledged presence in Geneva.

Increased coordination and synergies with Geneva-based stakeholders for gender equality and the empowerment of women is one key objective of the presence of UN Women Liaison Office. 

UN Women will build on the commitments made under the Geneva Gender Champions Initiative (2015) that include permanent missions, international organisations, private sector and civil society.

Phase 1 01.09.2016 - 30.04.2022   (Completed)