Every year from September to December, the United Nations General Assembly meets at the UN headquarters in New York to discuss and decide on resolutions for a range of international issues. Issues concerning peace, security, human rights, development and international law. This year was special because the annual assembly was preceded by a four-day high-level event called the Summit of the Future. Described as a ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity, this summit was a chance for global leaders to propose and agree upon conclusive resolutions regarding global governance and to speed up progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Global leaders agreed upon and signed the ‘Pact for the Future’, a 56-page document published on 22nd September. This pact is the most wide-ranging UN agreement for many years. With a list of 56 Actions across 5 different themes, the pact promises to improve finance for low-income countries, mobilise science, technology and innovation, push towards global peace and security, and emphasises the centrality of women and girls in achieving its goals.
Speaking at a side event to the Summit of the Future, Sima Bahous, UN women Executive Director, underscored the necessity for such a pact. She said that while there has been progress for women’s rights, the progress has been ‘too little, too slow’ and that acceleration and positive change for the lives of women and girls is paramount to achieving the SDGs.
So, what commitments does the ‘Pact for the Future’ make towards advancing the rights of women and girls?
Firstly, the pact recognises that none of the globally agreed-upon goals can be realised without gender parity in political and economic spheres. Women must be given increased representation in leadership roles, especially in political and peacebuilding roles. According to a recent SDG snapshot published by the UN, gender parity in parliaments may not be reached before 2063 if we continue at the current speed of progress. This demonstrates the timeliness and the necessity for the implementation of a pact such as this one, for global governments to agree that changes must be made within their parliaments and elsewhere in the political and economic domain. Women’s voices must be represented.
Secondly, the pact commits to ending all forms of gender-based violence and harassment against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence. It strongly condemns all violence against women and girls, specifically in armed conflict, post-conflict and humanitarian emergencies. It states that the UN will ‘take concrete steps’ to end these heinous crimes. These steps need to be taken urgently, especially with events such as the recent humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which has seen a 100% increase in gender-based violence, and the relentless conflict in Israel and Gaza, the harrowing effects of which disproportionately affect women.
Thirdly, the pact strongly promotes youth and intergenerational leadership, dedicating two Actions to ensuring youth are included and represented in international leadership. This focus helps ensure that today’s policy decisions are made with future generations in mind, giving young women and girls the opportunity to actively participate in global decision-making processes.
Finally, the pact includes two annexes. The first, ‘The Global Digital Compact’, aims to set out the steps needed to achieve ‘an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe and secure digital future for all’. Attention is drawn to the gender digital divide, which is of increasing concern. According to research carried out by Goldman Sachs, Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT could affect approximately 300 million jobs worldwide. Many of these jobs are in the low-wage sector and are disproportionately held by women. The pact commits to creating ‘targeted and tailored’ digital learning for women and girls to ensure that they have access to equal participation in the digital space and are not left behind with the rise of AI. The second annex, ‘Declaration on Future Generations’ reaffirms the commitment to achieving gender equality and to eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
Whilst this pact can be commended for putting women’s and girls’ rights at the forefront, highlighting the importance of gender equality in achieving sustainable development, it has already faced criticism for lacking mechanisms to monitor whether its commitments will be fulfilled. Moreover, writing for the Guardian, Jamal Benomar, a former UN undersecretary general, said that the language in the report is ‘vague and aspirational’ and lacking in any ‘concrete, actionable conclusions’. This sentiment is echoed and elaborated on by Plan UK who highlight the lack of clear measures, particularly regarding increased investment in inclusive quality education, which is essential for advancing gender equality. Plan UK also draw attention to the failure of the pact to mention sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for girls. A call to improve SRHR would suggest action to improve comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, sexual health services, family planning services and access to information on menstrual health and hygiene. Access to these services is crucial in advancing human rights, promoting gender equality, improving health outcomes, and ensuring sustainable development for all.
Ultimately, this pact symbolises cooperation and unity in a time of great turbulence and insecurity. It provides hope for a future which is better for everyone, especially women and girls, and in which gender equality is a reality. But these pledges cannot turn out to be empty promises. The UN must respond to this criticism and ensure that countries are held responsible for implementing these comprehensive actions. As Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation, urges: ‘Let’s make sure it doesn’t go to waste’!
-F. Coull
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