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theses

Non-state actors have played an increasingly crucial role in the United Nations (UN) over the last six decades. From the UN’s inception, advocates for women’s rights have promoted gender equality in an often contentious and politically charged environment. In a moment when global powers are shifting and the political power of the UN is consistently undermined, corporate stakeholders are assuming the role of interlocutor between Member States and the UN. With the growing role of the private sector, advocates for gender equality and women’s economic empowerment are finding it exceedingly difficult to navigate global accountability, funding structures, and simultaneously advance gender equality globally, nationally, and locally. This research addresses the ways in which partnerships between the private sector and the United Nations have implications with regard to the realization of women’s rights; and provides recommendations and solutions that fundamentally shift and analyze power dynamics and responsibilities between stakeholders involved in private sector partnerships at the United Nations. The goal of this study is to explore and identify the tensions that exist with the increasingly popular corporate socially responsible partnerships at the United Nations that seek to empower women. Through rigorous analysis, the study gathers diverse evidence and opposing perspectives regarding partnerships to find common ground and suggestions for policy recommendations moving forward. The research questions are as follows: (1) What do research participants understand are the operational and normative transformations that have emerged from the increasingly popular trend to support United Nations private sector partnerships in the achievement of women’s empowerment and gender equality? (2) What political and economic factors do participants perceive led to the partnership between multinational companies and UN Women; (3) When and under what circumstances can feminist, women’s rights, and corporate values align?

http://dissertations.umi.com/gsn.newark.rutgers:10206

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

doi:10.7282/t3-7shz-va45

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