Ban ki-moon on financing gender equality : The Addis Ababa conference [July 2015]

In the words of Ban Ki-moon "It is clear that we have not invested sufficiently in gender equality."
"We know that persisting gaps in gender equality and women's empowerment in the world have been a barrier to the full achievement of each of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”

He further touched on the fact that  not up to 10 per cent of official development assistance (ODA) is focused on women, and a good number of gender equality policies and initiatives fail to be funded by national governments and local funds.


He noted the need for the world to address and change this so as to achieve sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth and development.
He further more said that gender-responsive budgeting and planning processes, can help ensure that public revenue is raised, prioritized and spent in ways that benefit women and girls.

Lowering spendings on security and the Military and the redirection of such funds into the financing of social programs as exemplified in Cambodia, Costa Rica and Sri Lanka may help further the cause.

Taxes from the private sector and the engagement of women in gainful employment by the business arm of the same sector can also help.

One of the key objectives of the conference was to establish the need for investing in policy making and legislation to ensure women's equal rights and their participation and leadership in the economy.

This is to ensure that the right financial allocation strategies are implemented to allow for women, men, girls and boys benefit equally from the new global sustainable development framework. This is their right and it must be our legacy.”

World bank president Jim Yong Kim also added that while aid is critical, it is now also time to catalyze and leverage new streams of financing from public, private, domestic and international sources. 

“Collecting taxes fairly, efficiently and transparently is critically important in ways that don't penalize women when they bring home a second income, for example, or spend money on food and other goods that sustain their families."

“When women earn more, public finances will improve and commercial profits increase because of increased demand and productivity,” he continued. “When we promote true equality, including equal pay for equal work, we all stand to benefit because better educated mothers produce healthier children and women who earn more invest in the next generation.

“Creating a level playing field is always good for business, and it's especially good for women,” he stated, adding that this kind of inclusive growth is vital to ending extreme poverty by year 2030.

Overall there was a general consensus to “ensure gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment,” hence reaffirming that this goal and the full realization of human rights are essential to achieving sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth and sustainable development.

To transform the commitments agreed upon to action points the UN Women in collaboration with some member states have come up with an agenda : The Addis Ababa Action Plan on
Transformative Financing for Gender Equality and women's empowerment.


As the MDGs expire this year, it is a good time to reflect on the shortcomings that negatively impacted their full realization. 

One key lesson is that, investing more in women to promote true gender equality and women's empowerment will go a long way in the attainment of sustainable development.