The purpose of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is, as the name suggests, to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women is a member of the United Nations Development Group and a United Nations entity that became operational in January 2011. This United Nations organization works in unison with different governments and civil society to assist them in formulating laws, policies, programs, and systems to ensure women and girls worldwide are benefited. UN Women is empowered to support intergovernmental bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of Women, in their formulation of policies, global standards, and norms. UN Women helps UN member states implement the above standards, standing ready to provide suitable technical and financial support to those countries that request it and to forge effective partnerships with civil society. UN Women also enable member states to hold the UN system accountable for its own commitments on gender equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.