Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights: new UN Report draws on research by Professor Sandra Fredman

On 27 April 2015 the UN launched their 2015-16 report on Progress of the World's Women: Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights. Pembroke's Professor Sandra Fredman co-authored a crucial background paper: Gender Equality and Human Rights.

The background paper by Professor Fredman and Associate Professor Beth Goldblatt argues that a key challenge around the world in the realisation of women’s rights is transforming formal rights into reality to enable women’s practical enjoyment of their human rights. Fredman and Goldblatt’s paper shows how the substantive equality framework developed in Fredman’s earlier work, derived from human rights treaties as well as the work of the treaty bodies, supports governments and other key actors to make this change happen.

Fredman and Goldblatt’s background paper, and several other of their academic works, are cited frequently throughout the UN Report.

Professor Fredman attended the launch and discussed her contribution with Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, saying how ‘delighted she was that her academic work was able to have such a substantial impact on this crucial report that has real potential to shape the global agenda and transform economic and social opportunities for women and girls around the world’.

You can read Fredman and Goldblatt’s background paper here, and a full copy of the Report here.