Mexico City, 30 October 2019 -The Gender Team in the Office of the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted the first Field Office training on the implementation of the Strategy for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in the Liaison Project Office Mexico.
In 2017 UNODC adopted its Strategy for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women In order to achieve progress towards systematically and effectively mainstreaming gender and promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women in programmatic activities and organizational policies and practices. The Strategy requires that all staff at all levels are aware of their responsibilities in regard to gender equality and women's empowerment. Field training is one way in which the Office ensures that this requirement is achieved. The training helps to explain UN and UNODC commitments on gender equality and women's rights and has a strong focus on the practical implementation of these commitments ensuring that they are reflected in all programmes. Newly developed UNODC tools for the effective incorporation of a gender perspective in the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes of the Office's programs and projects were introduced and used throughout the training. In addition, the training addressed how to advocate for gender equality as well as how to ensure gender inclusive communication forms an integral part of the office's outreach material. Thirty-one staff members participated and UNODC Representative of Mexico, Antonino De Leo, opened the series stressing the Office's commitment to further the implementation of gender equality and women's empowerment.
The training in Mexico is the first in a series of trainings offered both at HQ and in the Field offices which will be rolled out in 2020 to support UNODC implementation of global gender equality commitments.