This Womankind Worldwide advocacy guide is aimed towards all those working to ensure women’s rights and gender equality are central to the outcomes of the negotiations on the post-2015 development framework, including women’s rights and civil society organisations.
The guide contains information on why post-2015 is important for women’s rights and gender equality, reviewing the impact of the Millenium Development Goals and emphasising the need to continue progress. The post-2015 process is then discussed, tracing the story so far and providing details on the ongoing consultation processes. This is followed by an overview of the current debate on post-2015 and gender, including the current consensus on the need to include a stand-alone gender goal, and warning against complacency.
The guide goes on to explain how to create an organisational strategy and position paper. The document covers various important aspects such as determining priorities, placing those aims within a wider context, framing arguments within rights-based and context-specific frameworks, and building on the work of others. Finally, strategy is discussed in terms of who to influence and how, as well as planning, alliance building, activities, and lobbying.
By way of annexes, the guide includes background papers and contacts, information about the member states represented in the Open Working Group, and an example position paper by Womankind Worldwide on women’s rights and gender equality in the post-2015 framework. The guide directly builds on, and should be used in conjunction with, Womankind Worldwide’s existing Women’s Rights Advocacy Toolkit, which can be found at www.womankind.org.uk.