A NEW report on gender equality and female empowerment is due to be launched by the UN Development Fund for Women in Phnom Penh on Thursday as part of the United Nations’ bid to halt poverty by 2015, said a statement issued Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An is to be at the Phnom Penh Hotel to open the launch ceremony of UNIFEM’s flagship publication “Progress of the World’s Women 2008/2009: Who Answers to Women? Gender and Accountability”. The document will present new data showing gender equality and women’s empowerment are the key to reducing poverty, strengthening justice, reducing maternal mortality and enhancing the effectiveness of donor aid.

“This report is a global, highly influential report, with many high-ranking politicians contributing to the publication,” said Laura Portaro, a UNIFEM project officer in Cambodia.

“NGOs, the UN and government officials will all have the chance to ask a panel of development representatives what ‘accountability to gender’ means to their organisations.”

At the same time, UNIFEM will also launch “Making the MDGs Work for All; Gender-Responsive Rights-Based Approaches to the Millennium Development Goals”.

The reports will be used by policy planners to achieve the gender targets of the Millennium Development Goals, a series of measurable targets forming the UN’s blueprint that aims to halt poverty by 2015.