The United Nations Association of New Zealand (UNA NZ) will mark the 73rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 6th anniversary of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development (the 17 SDGs) with a seminar entitled “SDG5: Can a gender approach to human rights challenges boost sustainable development in general?”

This seminar will be an online event, held on Thursday, 9 December 2021, 5.30pm-7pm. We are delighted to announce the panel of excellent speakers who will be part of this celebration: Dr Karanina Sumeo, Human Rights Commissioner for Equal Employment Opportunities; Dr Gill Greer, former Chief Executive of the National Council of Women of New Zealand, and co-writer of the Civil Society SDG People's Report 2019; Dr Mike Ross, lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington, where he teaches courses on Māori language and customs, and Isabella van Hooff, Monitoring Agency Relationships Adviser at Department of Corrections National Office and intern of UNA NZ.

The President of the UNA NZ Gaya Paranisamy will chair and Special Officer for Human Rights Dulce Piacentini will moderate the seminar, which will address the following theme and topics:

We know the Sustainable Development Goals are interrelated: when one improves, other SDGs will improve too as a consequence. With an SDG Alliance being formed in New Zealand with the participation of all different sectors of society – public, private, not-for-profit, academia, individuals and communities –, a critical debate on which SDGs may take a lead in boosting sustainable development turns out to be fundamental.

With this in mind, and considering that women and girls are frequently the most affected population when it comes to human rights challenges, we ask: Is the SDG5 – Gender Equality a goal with the power of making several other SDGs improve to a greater extent? Having a gender perspective when formulating public policies to the numerous social challenges we currently face can improve sustainable development further? How can New Zealand benefit from adopting a gender approach on its public policies?

Our Speakers will address the following topics:

• The power of the interconnection between SDGs and what can be better in the definition of SDG5
• How te ao Māori on the role of women can support sustainable development and gender equality in Aotearoa
• How women migrant workers can boost sustainable development in both their original and host countries.

Register to attend here: https://events.humanitix.com/human-rights-day-2021-webinar-can-a-gendered-approach-to-human-rights-challenges-boost-sustainable-development

About the United Nations Association of New Zealand

UNA NZ is a national community organisation, and a registered charity. It is made up of a number of regional branches, an independent youth association (UN Youth New Zealand) and affiliates across New Zealand. UNA NZ was founded shortly after the United Nations itself in 1945, and is formally associated with the UN Department of Public Information. We are a member of The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), which provides links with United Nations Associations in other countries throughout the world.

UNA NZ members come from all areas and walks of life. What brings them together is a shared interest in the work of the United Nations and in trying to make the world a better place. UNA NZ is also affiliated with a number of organisations who are looking for synergies and collaboration. It is supported by the We the People’s Foundation to grow a capital base for the organisation.

Recent activities have covered a diverse range of topics: the UN Global Contract on Migration, Linear to Circular Economy, Sustainable Development Goals as a tool for the post COVID-19 economy, Family Violence in a time of Pandemic, International Day of UN Peacekeepers: Women in Peacekeeping, Youth activism around the world in achieving the 2030 Agenda. We also delivered a full day National Conference on Building Back Better after the pandemic, a reception to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, and the event ‘Code Red for Humanity’ - UNA NZ Webinar on the IPCC Report.

Our branches continue to foster scholarship and creative engagement in the work of the United Nations, and our network of enthusiastic members and interns is growing both in New Zealand and abroad.

The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism

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