ID :
160349
Fri, 02/11/2011 - 14:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/160349
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ADOPTION OF LAW SETS MONGOLIA ON PATH TO GENDER EQUALITY
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, /MONTSAME/ The United Nations in Mongolia welcomes the approval of the Law on Promotion of Gender Equality by the State Great Khural on 2 February, 2011, as an important step in ensuring equal rights for men and women, girls and boys in Mongolia. The UN and other donor agencies have strongly supported the development of the law since its inception and come together today to congratulate the Government of Mongolia on this important achievement.
"This crucial step forward recognizes just how important it is to understand how policies and practice impact men and women differently and ensures that the response recognizes their needs appropriately", Mrs. Rana Flowers, chairperson of the UN Gender Theme Group said. Praising Mongolia for the institutionalization of a national body to coordinate all efforts on gender equality, she added: "Translating the concept of gender equality into a legislative framework, ensuring a mechanism and clear budget that will implement that legislation are indeed strong steps forward".
The Gender Equality Law spells out responsibilities of specific public agencies to ensure gender equality in various spheres such as employment, education, health, and across the public sector in particular. It will ensure that any unfair differences in existing legislation are removed and will result in approaches that are more sensitive to gender differences, i.e. ensuring that men and women enjoy the same fundamental human rights.
The law also takes a small but significant step forward in addressing Mongolia's extremely low number of women in decision-making. The law, which it is proposed, be further strengthened in the electoral law currently under discussion, requires that political parties ensure that at least one quarter of the candidates proposed to stand for election to State Great Khural and local elections are men and at least one quarter are women.
"While welcoming the many benefits for all Mongolians that will flow from the adoption of the law, it is unfortunate that the provision of 30% representation of women in Parliament was removed by Parliamentarians", says Flowers. In the 2010 report of progress made to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the Government acknowledged that the low level of women in Parliament (less than 4%) needs to receive priority attention. "Many countries have successfully established a level or quota - establishing that no less than 40% of men and 40% of women can serve their people in parliament, contributing to the country's growth and development. In a country that prides itself on strongly educated men and women -bringing a more balanced representation of the people into Parliament will undoubtedly underpin the democracy and strong human rights foundation that Mongolia is trying to build. By omitting the quota, the Government's commitment to achieving MDGs is put at risk, and it will leave Mongolia well behind the majority of countries in the world on this target", UN representatives added.
Now, the challenge is to live up to the requirements of the law and to implement the provisions. The United Nations in Mongolia look forward to continued cooperation with the Government of Mongolia to ensure full and effective implementation of the law.
12:30
"This crucial step forward recognizes just how important it is to understand how policies and practice impact men and women differently and ensures that the response recognizes their needs appropriately", Mrs. Rana Flowers, chairperson of the UN Gender Theme Group said. Praising Mongolia for the institutionalization of a national body to coordinate all efforts on gender equality, she added: "Translating the concept of gender equality into a legislative framework, ensuring a mechanism and clear budget that will implement that legislation are indeed strong steps forward".
The Gender Equality Law spells out responsibilities of specific public agencies to ensure gender equality in various spheres such as employment, education, health, and across the public sector in particular. It will ensure that any unfair differences in existing legislation are removed and will result in approaches that are more sensitive to gender differences, i.e. ensuring that men and women enjoy the same fundamental human rights.
The law also takes a small but significant step forward in addressing Mongolia's extremely low number of women in decision-making. The law, which it is proposed, be further strengthened in the electoral law currently under discussion, requires that political parties ensure that at least one quarter of the candidates proposed to stand for election to State Great Khural and local elections are men and at least one quarter are women.
"While welcoming the many benefits for all Mongolians that will flow from the adoption of the law, it is unfortunate that the provision of 30% representation of women in Parliament was removed by Parliamentarians", says Flowers. In the 2010 report of progress made to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the Government acknowledged that the low level of women in Parliament (less than 4%) needs to receive priority attention. "Many countries have successfully established a level or quota - establishing that no less than 40% of men and 40% of women can serve their people in parliament, contributing to the country's growth and development. In a country that prides itself on strongly educated men and women -bringing a more balanced representation of the people into Parliament will undoubtedly underpin the democracy and strong human rights foundation that Mongolia is trying to build. By omitting the quota, the Government's commitment to achieving MDGs is put at risk, and it will leave Mongolia well behind the majority of countries in the world on this target", UN representatives added.
Now, the challenge is to live up to the requirements of the law and to implement the provisions. The United Nations in Mongolia look forward to continued cooperation with the Government of Mongolia to ensure full and effective implementation of the law.
12:30
