Sweden
6 May 2014
Swedish statement at OWG 11 on Focus Area 5 Gender Equality and Focus Area 6 Water and Sanitation
Mr. Co-chair,
On Focus Area 5:
We strongly support an SDG on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, as well as effective mainstreaming and integrating of gender related targets across the whole goal framework. On the latter, we have some way to go, since only 6 out of 16 SDGs take gender equality or women's rights into account. The SDGs with strong economic and environmental features are particularly weak in this regard and we need to think how we can address this weakness in the next couple of days as we discuss these Focus Areas.
We propose the following goal formulation:
Achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
We are supportive of most proposed targets, but with the important deletion of 2030 in target: a, b, c, d, e, g and i. The reason being that non-discrimination is in accordance with human rights law and conventions signed by all countries and therefore needs to be complied with immediately, not in fifteen years.
Target b) we underscore that this target also contributes to Focus Area 16 on Promoting peaceful societies and hence is transformational.
Target f) we suggest adding at all levels in decision-making.
Target g) we want to add and other harmful practices including female genital mutilation.
We support h) but it could be merged with d).
Target i) should be: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. This target also contributes to Improving Healthy Life Expectancy, Focus Area 3, and thus is transformational.
Finally target j) is very important and I want to underline that this is absolutely essential across all SDGs and the whole goal framework.
On Focus Area 6:
We strongly support a goal on water and sanitation and suggest the following goal formulation:
Integrated water management, sustainable water use and sanitation.
We can in principle go along with the proposed targets. We would however like to see target a) reformulated as follows: By 2030 provide universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene, paying attention to the special needs of women and girls.
Thank you Mr. Co-chair.
Swedish statement at OWG 11 on Focus Area 5 Gender Equality and Focus Area 6 Water and Sanitation
Mr. Co-chair,
On Focus Area 5:
We strongly support an SDG on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, as well as effective mainstreaming and integrating of gender related targets across the whole goal framework. On the latter, we have some way to go, since only 6 out of 16 SDGs take gender equality or women's rights into account. The SDGs with strong economic and environmental features are particularly weak in this regard and we need to think how we can address this weakness in the next couple of days as we discuss these Focus Areas.
We propose the following goal formulation:
Achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
We are supportive of most proposed targets, but with the important deletion of 2030 in target: a, b, c, d, e, g and i. The reason being that non-discrimination is in accordance with human rights law and conventions signed by all countries and therefore needs to be complied with immediately, not in fifteen years.
Target b) we underscore that this target also contributes to Focus Area 16 on Promoting peaceful societies and hence is transformational.
Target f) we suggest adding at all levels in decision-making.
Target g) we want to add and other harmful practices including female genital mutilation.
We support h) but it could be merged with d).
Target i) should be: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. This target also contributes to Improving Healthy Life Expectancy, Focus Area 3, and thus is transformational.
Finally target j) is very important and I want to underline that this is absolutely essential across all SDGs and the whole goal framework.
On Focus Area 6:
We strongly support a goal on water and sanitation and suggest the following goal formulation:
Integrated water management, sustainable water use and sanitation.
We can in principle go along with the proposed targets. We would however like to see target a) reformulated as follows: By 2030 provide universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene, paying attention to the special needs of women and girls.
Thank you Mr. Co-chair.
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