Gender Equality
In this section
Introduction
Welcome to the thematic page on Gender Equality and Women. Access legal instruments, executive and standing committee documents, and policy papers dedicated to safeguarding the rights of displaced and stateless women. For further resources on UNHCR's operational work on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, please refer to the UNHCR.org site: "Women".
Legal Instruments
Conventions
UN General Assembly
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 18 December 1979
- Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages, 7 November 1962
- Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others, 2 December 1949
Protocols
UN General Assembly
- Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 15 November 2000
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, 6 October 1999
Resolutions & Declarations
- Resolution 1960 (2010) [on women and peace and security], UN Security Council, 16 December 2010
- Resolution 1888 (2009) [on acts of sexual violence against civilians in armed conflicts], UN Security Council, 30 September 2009
- Resolution 1820 (2008) [on women and peace and security], UN Security Council, 19 June 2008
- Resolution 2005/31 on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective Into All Policies and Programmes in the United Nations System, UN Economic and Social Council, 26 July 2005
- Resolution 1325 (2000) [on women and peace and security], UN Security Council, 31 October 2000
- Agreed Conclusions 1997/2, UN Economic and Social Council, 18 July 1997, as contained in A/52/3/Rev.1, "Report of the Economic and Social Council for 1997"
- Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN General Assembly, A/RES/48/104, 20 December 1993
- Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, UN General Assembly A/RES/2263, 7 November 1967
Executive Committee and Standing Committee Documents
ExCom Conclusions
- No. 105 (LVII): Women and Girls at Risk (2006)
- No. 60 (XL): Refugee Women (1989)
- Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming (2014)
- Sexual Violence (2014)
Standing Committee Documents
- Report on the High Commissioner's Five Commitments to Refugee Women, EC/55/SC/CRP.17, 13 June 2005
- Refugee Women and Mainstreaming a Gender Equality Perspective, EC/51/SC/CRP.17, 30 May 2001
- Progress Report on Refugee Women, SC/1998/INF.1, 25 May 1998
- Progress Report on Refugee Women and UNHCR's Framework for Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, EC/47/SC/CRP.45, 15 August 1997
Policy Documents
UNHCR
- Policy on the Prevention of, Risk Mitigation, and Response to Gender-based Violence, October 2020
- Policy on Age, Gender and Diversity, 8 March 2018
- Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls, January 2008
- Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Against Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons. Guidelines for Prevention and Response, May 2003
- Guidelines on International Protection No. 1: Gender-Related Persecution Within the Context of Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, HCR/GIP/02/01, 7 May 2002
- UNHCR's Commitments to Refugee Women, 12 December 2001
- Policy on Harmful Traditional Practices (Annexes), 19 December 1997
- Policy on Refugee Women, 20 August 1990
Other
- Secretary-General's Bulletin: Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, ST/SGB/2003/13, 9 October 2003
Other Relevant Links
Refworld
For other resources, including tools, examples of good practices, reports, and guidance notes on UNHCR’s work on furthering gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, please refer to UNHCR’s dedicated page on safeguarding women and girls here. Further resources on UNHCR’s commitments related to Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) and approach to intersectionality can be found here.