E/2010/27 E/CN.6/2010/11 gender equality and the empowerment of women. They play a key role in keeping the population informed about the level of progress — or lack thereof — made by their Governments in the implementation of gender equality commitments. 12. The new composite gender equality entity of the United Nations has a critical role to play in the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, inter alia, promoting greater coherence and significantly enhancing the Organization’s ability to support Member States in the realization of gender equality commitments. The composite entity should be equipped with adequate human and financial resources to effectively carry out its mandate. 13. The high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly to review progress made in the achievement of all of the Millennium Development Goals, scheduled to be held in September 2010, presents an important opportunity to renew existing commitments to gender equality, galvanize coordinated action among all stakeholders and elicit the necessary resources to ensure the achievement of the Goals by 2015. Gender equality and the empowerment of women should not be confined to Goal 3 but should be considered for all of the Millennium Development Goals, in terms of both analysis and outcomes. In the context of the reviews of the Goals under way at the national level, opportunities should be sought for including sexdisaggregated data and analysis and for mainstreaming gender equality perspectives in national Millennium Development Goal reports. Introducing specific national targets and indicators for gender equality and the empowerment of women is another means of giving greater visibility to the gender dimensions of all of the Goals. Women’s economic empowerment in the context of the global economic and financial crisis 1. On 8 March 2010, the Commission on the Status of Women held an interactive panel discussion on women’s economic empowerment in the context of the global economic and financial crisis. The Vice-Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, Leysa Sow, moderated the discussion. The panellists were: Alma Espino, Economist, University of the Republic, Uruguay; Mona Khalaf, Economist and independent consultant on gender and development; and Rania Antonopoulos, Director of the Gender Equality and Economy Programme, Levy Institute, New York. 2. It is increasingly acknowledged that women’s economic empowerment is necessary for equitable and sustainable economic growth and development. Despite the considerable progress made in regard to many aspects of women’s economic empowerment through education and employment, deeply entrenched gender inequality persists as a result of discriminatory norms and practices. Even when equal opportunities are provided for women and men, the outcomes may be different. The promotion of gender equality in the areas of education and health, for example, does not necessarily lead to equitable outcomes for women and men in the labour market. 3. Women’s participation in the labour market is essential for their economic empowerment. In recent years, women’s access to the labour market has increased, but there are ongoing concerns about their low wages, 46 10-30576