The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Putting gender at the core of our work – a commitment
The Paris Gender Equality Forum – the largest event on gender since the Beijing Conference on Women in 1995, kicked off today. UNOPS has committed to action – and change.
“We are proud of our pledge to ensure projects deliver equal benefits for women, men, girls, boys and everyone, and are dedicated to delivering on this commitment,” said UNOPS Executive Director Grete Faremo.
As part of its commitment to the Forum, UNOPS focuses on the burden that poorly planned and gender-blind infrastructure can place on women and girls. It can limit their access to critical resources such as clean water, proper health and sanitation services, and digital communications technology infrastructure – such as access to the internet or the use of mobile phones. And it leaves women and girls particularly exposed – economically, socially and health-wise – to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic or natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and flooding.
UNOPS reaffirms its commitment to advancing gender equality through all its work.
Gender equality is a fundamental human right, key to our efforts to build a sustainable, inclusive and resilient future. UNOPS strives for gender equality, in our workforce, through our projects and in the communities that we serve.
As an International Gender Champion (IGC), Ms. Faremo also signed the IGC’s Gender-based Violence Pledge, on behalf of UNOPS. It is a core commitment to stand with others for zero tolerance of gender-based violence, sexist attitudes and behaviour.
Within the organization itself, UNOPS is focused on building on its success in achieving gender parity by galvanizing action on inclusion that extends beyond gender. This encompasses issues such as disability, ethnicity and race, economic status, LGBTQI+ identities and youth. In its next strategic plan, UNOPS will focus its attention on gender parity, diversity and inclusion as well as gender mainstreaming within its work, to ensure equality, diversity and inclusiveness are the foundations of our work.
At this critical moment in our history, when COVID-19 has worsened existing gender inequities, UNOPS stands with the UN family, governments, the private sector and other change makers from around the world to contribute substantially to the tidal wave of action being powered by Generation Equality Action Coalitions.
