Seeking accountability for women’s rights through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Author(s): 
Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) and UN Women

The Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR), in collaboration with UN Women, recently published a briefing paper focusing on the challenges and opportunities for using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve accountability for women’s human rights.

There is concern that these SDGs are not a large enough advance when it comes to accountability, because they only provide a weak and voluntary process of “follow-up and review”. The briefing explains how this “follow up and review” mechanism foreseen in the 2030 Agenda needs strengthening, in order to boost their effectiveness and inclusivity, and build links with women’s rights mechanisms and standards.

This report argues that at the very least, women are full participants in any oversight or accountability process; and that women’s human rights are the standard of assessment against which progress towards gender equality is judged and decisions made. This report concludes with a proposition for additional mechanisms and venues that might be used to monitor compliance with the SDGs from a human rights perspective on behalf of women.

Please read the full report here.