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Gender equality

Women around the world still face inequality in political, social and cultural spheres. The UK takes an active role internationally in protecting and promoting women's rights through the UN and other international institutions.

The UK actively participates in international inter-governmental mechanisms for the advancement of gender equality and women's rights. Our work is guided by the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Platform for Action adopted at Fourth World Conference on Women convened by the United Nations in Beijing in 1995.

CEDAW represents the most comprehensive piece of global legislation aimed at ending discrimination against women. Often described as an international bill of rights for women, it defines discrimination and sets the international standard for action to end it. In its conception, the convention was seen as a blueprint for bringing an end to gender inequality and discrimination against women.

Although progress has been made across all continents, unequal pay and unequal access to health care, education, employment, inheritance and property continue to bar many women from the full enjoyment of their human rights, and act as barriers to women’s equal political and economic participation.

We continue to play an active role working through the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, which meets annually to discuss promoting women's rights, including those identified in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

The theme of the CSW in 2012 was ‘The role and empowerment of rural women”. The UK was disappointed that UN Member States were not able to reach consensus and adopt Agreed Conclusions at this year’s CSW session. We will be working to secure a better outcome at next year’s Commission.

We are a strong supporter of UN Women (the new UN agency on gender equality and empowerment of women).  We will work closely with UN Women, through our membership of the Executive Board, over the next 5 years to improve the international community’s response to women’s rights.

Tackling Violence Against Women

Tackling violence against women is central to our work to promote gender equality and empower women.  Violence affects the lives of millions of women and girls worldwide.  It undermines efforts to achieve global security and development.  The Government is committed to tackling this problem internationally, building on the work we are already doing bilaterally with partner countries, and in concert with the UN, to identify opportunities to increase our impact.

The appointment on 25 November 2010 of the Home Office Minister, Lynne Featherstone as the government’s Overseas Champion to tackle violence against women is a clear statement of the UK's determination to tackle this issue. The Champion aims to provide policy coherence and coordination across Whitehall, ensuring that violence against women and girls is fully integrated into our international work.

On 25 November 2010 the Government launched a strategy entitled Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls.  For the first time the UK national strategy includes international work. The action plan to deliver the strategy was first launched on 8 March 2011. On 8 March 2012, the Government published a revised version of this action plan, including an update on progress on delivering the commitments contained in the plan.

As a further demonstration of this Government’s commitment to this issue, and to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister issued a joint-statement announcing that the UK is working toward signing the Council of Europe Convention on Combating and Preventing Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence.

Forced marriage unit

The Forced Marriage Unit is part of Consular Directorate and provides help and support for people forced into marriage.

For more information on what the FCO is doing on women’s rights and gender equality, contact the equalities team by writing to:

MSU.PublicIn@fco.gsi.gov.uk

See also

• Forced marriage unit