INSTRAW was created following the
First World Conference on Women in
Mexico City in 1975. In Mexico City, participants decided that it was necessary to have research on issues relating to
gender in order to make better
policies regarding women throughout the world. It was also decided at the conference that INSTRAW would be based in a "
developing country." It was created with a voluntary budget that relied on contributions, rather than being funded out of the
United Nations budget. In the early 1980s, INSTRAW emphasized research and training as their most important priority. By 1985, INSTRAW developed as its main mandate that their research was about "ensuring that constant attention is paid to the integration of women at all levels of development activity." INSTRAW also identified ways to provide training to women at different levels of opportunity. In 1993, there was a proposed merger of INSTRAW and the
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).
Boutros Boutros-Ghali proposed the merger as a way to streamline the activities and improve efficiency in the organizations. Committees overseeing the proposed merger decided that both INSTRAW and UNIFEM would suffer and individuals at the
Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995 supported the different mandates of each separate organization. Later, further evaluations of the organization also found that keeping INSTRAW independent was important, as it was the only part of the UN that was mandated to provide research and training for women. The
Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) in 2003 requested a change be made to INSTRAW and the board of trustees was changed into an executive board with officials appointed by
Member States. The new director in 2003 was
Carmen Moreno. Going through these proposed and actual changes affected the work output of INSTRAW. In 1999, ECOSOC and the board of trustees for INSTRAW were directed to create a new working method for the organization. This led to the creation of the Gender Awareness Information and Networking System (GAINS). GAINS allowed individuals to access information from INSTRAW through the
internet. INSTRAW began to work on the migration and development programme in 2005. In 2008, INSTRAW set up a database on information about women, peace and security. In July 2010, the General Assembly created
UN Women which would absorb INSTRAW's mandates. == Directors ==