Attention to gender equality and women's empowerment are essential to enable countries and the international community to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Women have multiple roles in society. At any given time, women can be mothers, leaders, students, decision-makers, farmers, workers, voters and much more. In each of these roles, the ability to be educated and healthy, to have voice and influence, and to enjoy opportunities and choices are critical to the attainment of the Goals. Gender equality and women's empowerment are central to achieving the MDGs because without these capabilities and opportunities, women are less able to reach their full potential, live a life of dignity, and be productive citizens.
This resource pack explores and makes recommendations on:
The actions needed to accelerate the achievement of the MDGs;
The progress made so far and the backlogs on gender equality;
The costs of prioritizing, planning and budgeting for gender equality, as well as the costs of failing to do so;
The link between violence against women and the MDGs; and
The fresh opportunities afforded by new development aid modalities for promoting gender equality in the achievement of the MDGs.
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