 Your new post is loading...
From active funding to catalytic action
The private sector and philanthropic foundations announce bold investments and actions for gender equality
Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021
The Private Sector Commitment Showcase, a high-level event held on Friday, 2 July, on the sidelines of the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, was the premier moment where more than 70 businesses demonstrated and unveiled concrete commitments to gender equality in critical areas of women’s empowerment.
During her opening remarks, the Minister Delegate for Gender Equality in France, Elisabeth Moreno emphasized the importance of the private sector’s inclusion as part of the French Government’s vision for the Generation Equality Action Coalitions. She remarked, “We believe in the power of companies to enable the economic emancipation of women. One actor or one compartment of society alone will not solve the gender equality challenge”.
Minister Moreno expressed that with collective action we can look forward to a world in which girls are able to fulfill their professional aspirations, where they are not confronted to invisible glass ceilings, where they are able to get funding based on their merit, and finally a world in which female leadership is encouraged. She called on CEOs from across the globe to join forces, and follow in the footsteps of those who have already made bold commitments.
Other speakers included business leaders (PayPal, Estee Lauder, Women Leadership Capital, P&G, KEPSA, Cartier, Unilever) who discussed innovative ways to take a meaningful role in the sustainable development agenda and announced their commitments focused on new and ambitious investments and institutional change measures. The commitments are linked to the six thematic areas covered by the Generation Equality Action Coalitions, and support the creation of gender-responsive marketplaces, tackle gender inequalities in the workplace, and bridge the gender digital divide.
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), an umbrella body of approximately 400 private sector entities in Kenya, announced their commitment to the Action Coalitions. CEO Carole Kariuki Karuga stated that the alliance already works in collaboration with the government and expressed, “There is no way that private sector would thrive if the country is not thriving in development and so matters like gender-based violence are very dear to the private sector [in Kenya] and we are committed to playing our roles [for prevention and response]”.
Businesses also reflected on lessons learned to scale up their ongoing commitment. Procter & Gamble highlighted their long-lasting, unwavering dedication to gender equality and announced their commitment to advance women’s economic justice and rights through their global value chain by spending; “Choosing equal is a societal imperative. Equality benefits all of us and it will take all of us - public sector, private sector, and civil society to make the progress we need”.
In another session at the Forum, philanthropic foundations stepped up to announce their active participation in financing gender equality and the key role of innovative partnership models to build back equal, better, and different.
The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), CEO, Kate Hampton highlighted the intersectional and systems-level change needed to ensure a gendered recovery. CIFF committed USD 500 million to the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and the Economic Justice Rights Action Coalitions. On their involvement in the SRHR Coalition, Hampton expressed, “Our commitment to SRHR focuses on scaling more gender-transformative approaches to contraception, safe abortion, and post-abortion care. A key piece of our work is to support girls and young women with their decision-making – with better access to self-care tools that remove barriers such as HIV self-testing or self-injectable contraceptives. This has the potential to be gender transformative because it enables women and girls to take control of their own bodies and their lives”.
The Ford Foundation honed in on how it’s building partnerships to leverage more and better funding. The Ford Foundation announced that it will be allocating USD 420 million over the next five years towards the global acceleration plan. Executive Vice President Hilary Pennington added, “The most concrete way of ensuring that our resources actually reach women is by partnering directly with organizations working on the frontlines. So in our work in India, South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico, Brazil, and other places – we, like others, are directing multi-year general support funding to women’s rights organizations in those contexts and giving them the flexibility they need to see around the corner and be able to be the first move rand as they see changes that are required by COVID and others”.
Other bold commitment came from Women Moving Millions (USD 100 million); Women’s Funding Network which committed to raising USD 100 million over the next 5 years, the Ford Foundation Black Feminist Fund which focuses on significantly increasing funds for Black Feminist Organizations across Africa, Europe and the America and the newly established Co-Impact Gender Fund which unites philanthropists, women-led organizations, feminist movements and in-country partners to advance gender equality. The Fund aims to disburse USD 1 billion over 10 years, supporting organizations working in the Global South to transform systems, advance women’s leadership at all levels, and shift harmful gender norms. The session also showcased speakers and commitments from The Open Society Foundation, Fondation Chanel, Edelgive Foundation.
CEO Mark Suzman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation concluded the session and reflected, “Our collective investments in the GEF have laid the groundwork for genuinely meaningful change. The Action Coalitions have leveraged the best ideas from sectors that don’t always come together to collaborate… and together we have built a platform to advocate for more and better resources that the gender community desperately needs over the long haul”. The BMGB commitment USD 2.1 billion over the next five years to advance women's economic empowerment, strengthen women and girls' health and family planning, and accelerate women's leadership.
UN Women highlighted the importance of momentum in such process, and Director and co-lead of the Action Coalitions Sarah Hendriks emphasized the need to “continue working together to be accountable for delivering on these commitments, and to share the stories of real impact, in real time, encouraging more to join us”.
To learn more about how to join and become an Action Coalition commitment-maker, visit: https://forum.generationequality.org/action-coalitions
Press release: Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment launched on the sidelines of the Generation Equality Forum
UN Women kicks-off the call for applications for the second edition of the Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment in partnership with the Supreme Council for Women of the Kingdom of Bahrain, to recognize the work of governments, the private sector, civil society organizations and individual champions towards empowering women and girls worldwide.
Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Media contacts:
Diego De La Rosa, diego.delarosa[at]unwomen.org
Nourhan El-Nagdy, nourhan.elnagdy[at]unwomen.org
Originally published on UN Women's regional website for the Arab States and North Africa
On the sidelines of the Generation Equality Forum co-hosted by the Governments of France and Mexico, UN Women in cooperation and partnership with the Supreme Council for Women of the Kingdom of Bahrain, hosted a virtual event to launch the second edition of the Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment.
The award aims to encourage and promote worldwide efforts for the empowerment of women and girls, while highlighting the achievements of individuals and institutions in this field. It recognizes achievements towards women’s empowerment across four categories: Public Sector, Private Sector, Civil Society Organizations and Individual Champions. The winner in each category will be awarded USD 100,000 to further sustain initiatives that support women.
HRH Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa noted: "We are pleased with the initial response and impact of this Award, which was adopted by UN Women. We appreciate their valuable input along with its esteemed Jury Members, to accurately position and define the Award’s goals, allowing its participants to have the opportunity to promote and publicize their efforts in supporting women’s progress and enhance their role in advancing their society, and for us to celebrate these distinguished initiatives.”
“The Award shines a spotlight on the need for all segments of society to collaborate on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and on Sustainable Development Goal 5 in particular, to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” said Anita Bhatia, UN Women Deputy Executive Director.
“I kindly invite institutions and individuals worldwide to share their success stories on such a platform that welcomes and applauds innovation that brings in new approaches to bridge gaps in favour of women of all ages and in various fields; while ensuring the sustainability of these initiatives during times of peace, stability, conflicts, disasters, and/or pandemics,” said H.E. Hala Al-Ansari, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Women of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
During the online panel discussion, Ms. Yenny Wahid, Director of the Wahid Foundation from Indonesia said: “Empowering women brings great benefits to society. Only by empowering women we can achieve all the development goals we have set for humankind.”
Panelist Abdulrahman Jawahery, President of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company from Bahrain, alluded to the role of private sector in advancing women’s economic empowerment: “Companies, by embracing and supporting women as workers, consumers, producers, and suppliers; act as a catalyst for change and a supportive partner in progress of women’s empowerment.”
Speaking at the panel, actress, model, and UN Women Asia-Pacific Regional Goodwill Ambassador Cindy Sirinya Bishop from Thailand, referred to how individuals can support women’s empowerment: “In this age of social media, individuals have the power to reach such a wider audience and many influencers are now using their platforms to empower, inspire and educate.”
Interested parties can apply or nominate an organization or individual, by completing the online form available on the Award’s official website www.womenglobalaward.org/en, and uploading the required supporting files. Applications will be accepted until March 2022, with the winners announced later that year.
The inaugural winners of the Award , announced in 2019 were:
Public Sector: Abu Dhabi Police Force (UAE), for its initiative “Empowering Women for a Secure Society" to support and empower women in the police force at the local, regional and global levels.
Private Sector: Mahila Sahayatra Microfinance Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. (Nepal), for its initiative to empower disadvantaged women in Nepal’s mountainous region through access to microfinance services.
Civil Society Organization: Sustainable Development for All (Kenya), for its initiative “Use Solar Save Lives” to increase access to clean and affordable energy in rural communities to help families benefit from sustainable development.
Individual Champions: Dr. Kalpana Sankar (India), founder of Hand in Hand India, for providing digital and financial services to support livelihood activities by women entrepreneurs.
Join the conversation: Follow @unwomenarabic and @scwbahrain on Twitter and Instagram and share your messages using the hashtags #GlobalAward4Women and #SCW20.
Generation Equality Forum Action Coalitions launch transformative commitments for gender equality
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
At launch events of the Generation Equality Forum Action Coalitions on 2 July 2021, Leaders and Commitments Makers showcased their catalytic commitments to make irreversible gender equality progress by 2026.
The powerful commitments and investments announced by the Action Coalitions mark the beginning of a five-year action journey to foster action and renew movements for gender equality and women’s rights.
Following the Action Coalition launch events on 1 July 2021, Leaders and Commitment Makers, including governments, private sector, civil society, youth, philanthropy, and international organizations, from the Action Coalitions on Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Feminist Action for Climate Justice and Feminist Movements and Leadership showcased their commitments.
Some highlights from the commitments include:
USD 1.4 billion in family planning over the next five years by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
USD 420 million to the Action Coalitions on Gender-based Violence, Economic Justice, Tech and Innovation, Bodily Autonomy and SRHR, and Feminist Movements and Leadership by the Ford Foundation
Double core contributions to the United Nations Population Fund to support flexible funding for sexual and reproductive health services to survivors and USD one million to UN Women to engage men and boys in gender equality by the Government of Iceland
Supporting feminist movements and leadership
At the launch event for the Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, commitments were made by governments, women’s, feminist and youth-led organizations, international organizations, foundations and the private sector. Together, these commitments aim to ensure that, by 2026, feminist leaders, movements, and organizations, including those led by trans, intersex and nonbinary people, indigenous women, young feminists and other historically excluded people, are supported to become sustainable, can carry out their work without fear of reprisal, and advance gender equality, peace and human rights for all.
Action Coalition Leaders presented commitments—both live and through pre-recorded video statements—that will catalyze long-term change for women and girls around the world.
Karina Gould, Minister of International Development at the Government of Canada, announced a commitment to mobilize a minimum of CAD 110 million in funding and other direct support for feminist organizations, women’s funds, and movements over the next 5 years. “We are dedicated to supporting diverse feminist movements,” said Minister Gould.
Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Chile, announced that, “Together with other UN leaders of Generation Equality, my office has committed to actively promoting a safe and inclusive civic space. We will take concrete progressive steps for the meaningful participation of feminist movements and women human rights defenders of all ages and in all their diversity, online and offline.”
A third example of the far-reaching commitments made for feminist movements and leadership was announced by Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Martin Chungong. “The IPU commits to promote gender-sensitive parliaments that drive the feminist agenda and are sexism free and family-friendly,” Chungong said in his remarks. “This starts with review and reform processes.”
Ensuring bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights
Transformative, multi-stakeholder commitments were also announced at the launch event of the Action Coalition on Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) to empower women and girls, in all their diversity, to exercise their SRHR and make autonomous decisions about their bodies.
“We are focused on developing new and improved contraceptive technologies that meet the needs of more women and girls, investing in innovative strategies to fully inform women and girls about their contraceptive options,” said Melinda Gates, Co-Founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in a video segment that announced the organization’s commitment of USD 1.4 billion in family planning over the next five years.
Among commitments from Member States, private sector, civil society, youth, philanthropy and international organizations, Alvaro Bermejo, Director General of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), stated that Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands have agreed to work together with IPPF in realizing universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and to comprehensive sexuality education. "IPPF commits to accelerate universal access to safe abortion care, centred on three principles: Rights based, reproductive justice, and gender transformative,” Bermejo said.
Furthermore, commitments to increasing the delivery of comprehensive sexuality education, increasing the scope of contraception and access to abortion as a fundamental women’s right, reducing the number of child marriages and increasing support for autonomous feminist women's organizations were announced by President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski in a video segment. “It is our obligation to show political will and do continuous joint activities to provide conditions for empowerment of women and girls on a global level,” said President Pendarovski.
Furthering feminist action for climate justice
Concluding the Action Coalition launch events, speakers at the Action Coalition on Feminist Action for Climate Justice outlined commitments that increase financing for gender-just climate solutions, enable women and girls to lead a transition to a green economy, and build the resilience of women and girls to climate impacts and disaster risk, including through land rights and tenure security.
“It’s important that we find ways to look forward and commit to action, and this Generation Equality Action Coalition is grounded in hope and optimism for a future that builds on collective action with women and girls in their full diversity at the centre,” said Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland and Moderator of the event.
Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica, stated that, with support of FLASCO Costa Rica and the United Nations Development Programme, Costa Rica will, “By 2022, have a National Action Plan for gender and climate change covering tourism, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, forestry, mobility and transport,” among other commitments to Improve women’s access to funding schemes for climate and environmental change, develop toolkits for capacity-building in lead entities for gender mainstreaming in climate action, and promote gender-sensitive education that enables the inclusion and retention of girls and young women in science and technology for the environment.
Gilbert Houngbo, President of the International Fund For Agricultural Development, announced a commitment ensure that, by 2024, ensure that at least 35 per cent of IFAD’s new projects will be gender transformative. “The nexus between climate change and gender equality is at the core of the Sustainable Development Agenda,” said President Houngbo.
This story has been updated with corrected figures on 8 July.
Global leaders advocate for male accountability in the fight to end violence against women at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
At a high-level event on the final day of the landmark Generation Equality Forum in Paris, UN leaders, feminist and youth activists, policy makers, and influencers called on men everywhere to step up and take accountability in the fight to end violence against women.
The urgency of this call is set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has triggered escalations in gender-based violence against women and girls. Across the globe, physical and sexual violence, domestic abuse, femicide, trafficking, child marriage and female genital mutilation have risen exponentially, exceeding already alarming levels. For instance, in 2020, calls to helplines increased up to five-fold in some countries during the first weeks of the coronavirus outbreak, while in others, women were unable to seek help, sheltered in place with their abusers.
“Gender-based violence in all its complexities is an expression of the existing power structures based on age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion and culture”, explained Diipa Khosla, Model and Co-founder of Post for Change, an organization that is committing to building a coalition of social media influencers to point out injustices, emphasize concepts of mutual respect, and push forward notions of equality.
Speakers at the event highlighted the important role that men and boys have to play in ending gender inequalities. “I am going to make sure that I set a great example for my son and for my brother. I will not only tell them how to live but also show them how to live, so that that my daughter doesn't have to be protected. So that my daughter can feel safe”, explained Siya Kolisi, South African Rugby Captain and UN Global Advocate for the Spotlight Initiative.
By taking on responsibility and accountability, men and boys can challenge male privilege and harmful masculinities, and the violent ways that these norms manifest in society. “My call to men around the world is they should know that ending violence against women is not a woman's issue, it's a global issue. It's everyone’s problem and men should hold themselves accountable,” said UN Women Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, Jaha Dukureh.
The discussion explored efforts required from men, organizations, and political leaders to achieve change, urging these actors to redouble their efforts. Referring to gender-based violence as “the national emergency” for all countries, UN Secretary General António Guterres urged UN Member States to join him in support of proven solutions and ongoing efforts to end violence against women and girls, such as the Spotlight Initiative, which is “showing that it is possible to deliver high-quality results for women and girls even during the constraints of the pandemic.”
The Generation Equality Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence is leading a major effort to secure commitments to end violence against women. “Iceland has taken on a leading role in the Action Coalition on Gender Based Violence”, said Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, President of Iceland, highlighting the catalytic of the work of the Action Coalitions. “We have seen first-hand how society progresses when the power imbalance between women and men is reduced, and we wish to see the same progress achieved globally.” Iceland has committed USD 1 Million to enhance work on prevention and response to gender-based violence through engaging men and boys and transforming harmful masculinities.
On 1 July, the Leaders and Commitment-Makers of the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence gathered at the Generation Equality Forum to announce their game-changing commitments to ensure that women and girls can live free from violence
A panel discussion on 2 July explored the role that police forces must play in combating gender-based violence. Worldwide, only 1 out of 10 female survivors of violence seek help from the police, often due to victim-blaming attitudes of male police officers. Pamela Zaballa, Global Executive Director of NO MORE, explained that gender-responsive policing presents an important solution, stating “a gender-responsive police force in every interaction demonstrates that domestic and sexual violence are crimes, and that these crimes are taken seriously”.
The session laid out a vision for the future characterised by gender equality, respect and non-violence. “Violence against women and girls will not be fought if we do not act together. I invite you to join me in commitment and action to end violence against women and girls today, so that our future can be better,” urged the Rapper, MC Soffia.
Trailblazing leaders commit to end gender-based violence, drive equality in technology and innovation, and ensure economic justice and rights for women and girls at the Generation Equality Forum
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
On 1 July, Action Coalition Leaders and Commitment Makers gathered at the Generation Equality Forum to launch ground-breaking commitments to end gender-based violence, drive equality in technology and innovation, and to ensure economic justice and rights for women and girls everywhere.
Twenty-six years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, progress on gender equality is still too slow. Public rhetoric has not been matched by action, financing, or implementation. The Generation Equality Action Coalitions are mobilizing governments, women’s, feminist and youth-led organizations, international organizations, and the private sector to create game-changing, concrete actions that tackle the most intractable barriers to gender equality.
The thematic events on 1 July showcased the work of the Action Coalitions on Gender-Based Violence, Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality, and Economic Justice and Rights. The Action Coalitions have identified the most catalytic actions and investments needed to advance gender equality in their “Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality”. This plan, which was launched on 30 June at the opening of the Forum, is a 5-year roadmap for the achievement of gender equality.
Ending gender-based violence
Gender-based violence is a global emergency. Even pre-COVID, 1 in 3 women experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly perpetrated by an intimate partner. The pandemic has further exacerbated these existing inequalities, with domestic violence increasing by upwards of 33 per cent in some countries, leading to what UN Secretary-General António Guterres called a ‘shadow pandemic’ for women and girls around the world.
However, the escalating violence has not just been limited to the domestic sphere, as feminist activist Suneeta Dhar, speaking on behalf of the Global Coalition on Inclusive and Safe Spaces and Cities for Women and Girls, pointed out. Sexual violence, discrimination, harassment and exclusion of women and girls also continues in public spaces within both rural and urban areas. In response to the rising crisis, the Global Coalition on Inclusive and Safe Spaces and Cities for Women committed to strengthening ongoing work to end gender-based violence in public cities, and to create inclusive and safe spaces in cities for women and girls.
Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, kicked-off the Leaders commitment segment by pledging over USD 260 Million to tackling gender-based violence and building an infrastructure for women’s rights organizations. “If we are to address the issues of gender-based violence, we have to focus on the infrastructure of women-led organizations and grassroots organizations, so they can have the resources to be resilient in the face of the obstacles and challenges that they are facing,” said Walker.
Participants stressed on eliminating violence at all levels, from the family level to the institutional and societal level. “Ending gender-based violence and realizing gender equality will require a concerted effort from all sectors of society, for many years to come,” said Minister Wendy Morton, Minister for European Neighbourhood and Americas at FCDO.
The bold commitments from 17 Action Coalition Leaders sent the clear message that their holistic and transformative vision of change is backed by very concrete targets.
“Commitment is not just about financing, but also having an accountability framework for implementation and being able to track results. We are committing to implementation and being held accountable as a government on these gender-based violence commitments,” said Margaret Kobia, Cabinet Secretary of Kenya, when announcing Kenya’s national strategy and resources to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
Achieving economic justice and rights for all women and girls
The far-reaching economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women and girls was an overarching theme in discussions on economic justice and rights. Women’s workloads at home have intensified and 47 million more women are predicted to fall into extreme poverty as a result of the economic fallout of the pandemic. A global economic system that’s gender-responsive, and equally benefits women was underscored as a priority by all leaders.
Transforming the care economy was another priority endorsed by Action Coalition leaders and demonstrated by a powerful collective commitment to the Global Alliance for Care, an initiative launched at the Generation Equality Forum in Mexico in March by Mexico’s National Institute for Women (INMUJERES) in partnership with UN Women. The alliance marks a bold effort to confront and reduce the care burden that severely impedes women’s economic opportunity. The commitments to the alliance included gradual and progressive financing of a universal and sustainable care system and awareness campaigns to equal sharing of care work. “We cannot carry on having women and girls working twice as much and not sharing the responsibilities that are the responsibilities of all”, said Nadine Gasman, President of the National Women’s lnstitute of Mexico.
Commitments ranged from implementing progressive laws and policies to address violence and harassment in the world of work, ensuring women’s access to land rights and strengthening education systems for women and girls.
“Convention 190 of the ILO says that there is no place for violence and harassment in the world of work”, said Guy Ryder, Director General of the ILO. “Today I give you a clear commitment to deliver on that promise. In the coming 5 years the ILO will intensify its efforts to advocate and support an effective implementation of convention 190.”
“Equal access to productive resources acts as a catalyst, because it increases women’s independence and negotiating power in all areas of life”, emphasized Maria Flachsbarth, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Government of Germany. In order to bring that catalytic effect to life, one of Germany’s ground-breaking commitments is to make more than 30 million euros available over the next five years via the global ‘Responsible Land Policy’ project, to promote secure land rights, especially for women, in nine countries.
Livia Leu, Secretary of State of the Government of Switzerland announced the Government of Switzerland’s commitment to provide a substantial increase in core funding for the Global Partnership for Education.
Empowering women to access, lead and innovate in technology
The event on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality showcased inspiring women innovators that have broken barriers, innovated for social good, and paved the way for other women to thrive.
Sebastián Piñera Echenique, President of Chile, announced the first commitment as an Action Coalition leader to help ensure that other brilliant women can pursue their aspirations and contribute to advancing the world through technology and innovation. “Today I am proud to announce that Chile will launch a national gender equality policy in the world of science, technology and innovation with the aim of achieving full equality of opportunities in these areas,” said Echenique.
The Leaders and Commitment Makers presented a united vision of a future in which women and girls in all their diversities have equal access to opportunities to use, lead, and design technology and innovation. However, for meaningful progress in this area, the world needs to address the significant digital divide that persists in low- and middle-income countries and entrenched gender norms that continue to limit the aspirations of young women and girls.
Global Fund for Women, in partnership with the Numun Fund and other Commitment Makers, committed to mobilize at least USD 5 Million over the next five years to fund gender justice movements and feminist activists in the Global South who are advancing technology and innovation.
“The bottom line is that technology must work for gender justice, not against it,” said Latanya Mapp Frett, President and CEO of Global Fund for Women. “Feminist technology innovators in the global south and east are creating technologies to help advance democracy and human rights. Global fund for Women is alongside them with funding and support.”
Finland Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Pekka Haavisto, acknowledged that “technology is creating countless opportunities for us, but it is also create risks and cause harm”. Over 85 per cent of women globally have witnessed or experienced online violence, with young women facing heightened risk. Finland has partnered with UNICEF, the U.S. Government Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, and several ACT&I commitment makers, to pilot and build an innovative virtual safe space designed for girls and women in humanitarian settings.
“This virtual safe spaces platform is about putting human-centred design squarely in the centre of this process and in the hands of girls and women, because they know their own digital realities, which tech tools bring them joy, and which bring them opportunity and which ones do not,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director.
“I think part of what is different about the Generation Equality Forum process,” reflected UN Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia, “is that all of these commitments are actually underlined by financial commitments as well. We understand that the scale of the problem is so large that unless we drive new resources towards the agenda, we simply will not be able to solve the problems we all know exist.”
On 2 July, trailblazing actors from the other three Action Coalitions and from the Compact on Women, Peace and Security will be taking the stage at the Generation Equality Forum to launch their shared plan of transformative actions.
For more information, register and attend the Generation Equality Forum in Paris (30 June – 2 July).
Related Links:
For more information about the Generation Equality Forum in Paris (30 June – 2 July) and news coverage, please visit UN Women website
The Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality is a transformative roadmap designed by the Generation Equality Action Coalition leaders to advance concrete results in the six Action Coalition themes over five years. Plan ►
Women mayors commit to far-reaching and transformative actions to advance gender equality in cities around the world
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
UN Women, with support from United Cities and Local Government (UCLG), co-organized a high-level dialogue at the Generation Equality Forum, to highlight local commitments to gender equality in cities across the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded all aspects of gender inequality and rolled back hard-won gains. In building back better, the world needs women’s leadership. Cities and local communities are a fundamental part of the efforts to fast-track actions towards a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future for all.
Women around the world have excelled in their role as mayors responding to COVID-19 and addressing other challenges. Many women leaders have demonstrated empathy and compassion and put in place innovative solutions to address the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women and girls.
“Cities are essential. We need local cities and regional governments to join Generation Equality, because we know transformation starts there, where people live, where they identify, where they have their families and their jobs” said Asa Regner, UN Women Deputy Executive Director. “This is an opportunity to learn about the responses to place and demand higher levels of gender equality, and how the mayors’ leadership and concrete actions are supporting it. UCLG and UN Women are making commitments and we have called for global feminist municipal movements to put care at the center of the COVID-19 recovery”, she added.
During the event, the mayors from, Istanbul (Turkey), Tunis (Tunisia), Bogota (Colombia), Odienné (Cote d’Ivoire), Dhangadi Sub-Metropolitan City (Nepal), and Charlotte (USA) revealed far-reaching and transformative commitments geared to address the underrepresentation of women in decision-making, inadequate financing and protection for feminist movements and rights activists, violence against women and girls online and offline, obstacles to women’s economic empowerment and access to economic rights, climate change, the digital gap and more.
“One of our greatest prides is, right in the middle of the entire pandemic, having been able to build the first care system in a capital city. The great challenge of our time is not to allow women to be relegated to unpaid care work again in this economic and poverty crisis that the world is facing, particularly the developing world due to the pandemic ", emphasized Claudia López Hernández, Mayor of Bogota.
Participants also spoke about how working with women’s groups and feminist movements in “all their diversity”, especially young feminists, and young feminist-led and girl-led movements, are transforming their communities, promoting innovation and social justice, while addressing negative social norms and stereotypes.
Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul introduced a strong commitment for a gender equal Istanbul activating a series of tools in a holistic approach, which includes a 24/7 multilingual women support hotline and women consultancy unit. Services will ensure accessible and inclusive multillingual services for disabled and immigrant women. “There is no way out, except full equality for all” he added.
The event also covered the issue of women and girls’ safety in cities and public spaces, recognizing the continuum of violence against women and girls in private and public spaces, and provided examples of best practices from UN Women’s Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Flagship Initiative, a global program that spans 53 cities in 32 countries now.
“Women in our city have not yet achieved substantive gender equality. Therefore, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City is moving ahead in a more strategic manner by developing policies on responding to gender-based violence. These policies focus on ensuring women’s access to justice, on women’s income generation initiatives and psychosocial counseling services t survivors.” said Deputy Mayor Sushila Mishra Bhatta.
Emilia Saiz, Secretary-General of United Cities and Local Government (UCLG) moderated the event and reminded all of the importance of commitments to be implemented at local level for things to change. “We are convinced that women’s leadership can bring new light, new essentials, new care, and new policies”.
Harnessing the power of sport for Generation Equality
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021
On 1 July 2021, leaders in the world of sport came together to make commitments to the Sport for Generation Equality Principles at the landmark Generation Equality Forum in Paris. The Principles embody the vision of equal rights and opportunities for women and girls everywhere that the Beijing Platform for Action laid out 26 years ago. The Beijing Platform asserts that sport has a critical capacity to propel women’s and girls’ empowerment. While there have been important advances, the full potential of sport as a driver for gender equality has yet to be harnessed.
Moderator Åsa Edlund Jönsson, Head of Sports at SVT, introduced the programme and noted the policy in her organization of 50/50 coverage for men’s and women’s sports, before handing the floor to UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka set the tone, stating “Sport for Generation Equality recognizes the importance of sport in our lives, the importance of sport in girls’ lives, young women’s lives... So we welcome you, we embrace you, and we are here to target investments into women in sport, because Generation Equality is about making commitments. They can be investments in money, they could be programmes, they could be laws, they could be policies.”
Deputy Minister of Sport of the Government of France Roxana Mărăcineanu said, “We can no longer just accept announcements, we have to move over to actions. Young people have asked of us for change, and we must rise to their expectations.”
Sharing IOC’s commitment, IOC Member and Chair of the IOC Athletes Commission Kirsty Coventry said, “We can all agree that the current crisis presents many challenges to sport and gender equality at large. This is now why, more than ever, we must ensure that resource allocation continues to support women and girls’ sports, and that we guarantee equal access and opportunities for girls and boys to play sports in a safe and inclusive environment.”
Seiko Hashimoto and Tony Estanguet, Presidents of the Organizing Committees of the upcoming Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, stressed the importance of gender parity in the Olympic Games and their respective commitments to support women’s leadership, participation, and coverage.
UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Gabriela Ramos announced the launch of the long-anticipated Global Observatory for Women and Sport, a commitment from the 2017 Kazan Action Plan. The Observatory will be an independent entity hosted in Switzerland to advance much needed research and data.
FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, noted that FIFA invested USD 1 billion into women’s football for the 2019-2022 cycle to grow the women’s game; outlined efforts to use the power of football to prevent violence against women. Looking ahead to the Women’s World Cup in 2023, she explained that “we have the chance to use this tournament as a springboard to inspire women, girls and communities around the world and ultimately change the conversation on gender.”
Sponsors also made important commitments at the Forum. Procter and Gamble Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard highlighted the power of advertising, stating that P&G “will champion the accurate portrayal of female athletes, while raising their voices and highlighting the causes they champion, on and off the field.”. Adidas announced the expansion of its Breaking Barriers programme to create opportunities for 50,000 girls across Europe to benefit from sport, and to create an open platform for any organization to access its curriculum and tools.
Specific to the call in Paris, the Agence Française de Développement and the Japan International Cooperation Agency promised to mobilize the Sport for Development Coalition of Pubic Development Banks, in their roles as co-chairs of the initiative; the Alice Milliat Foundation committed to support more women as sport professionals, and to celebrate their achievements in sport through festivals, awards and competitions; and the International Federation for Sports Officials aims to increase opportunities for women to participate equally in this under-represented field.
Seventeen year-old Camilly Ferreira summed up how her participation in the UN Women/ IOC programme “One Win Leads to Another” in Brazil taught her how to overcome challenges, and learn many other life skills. “From the first sessions, I was able to have a very new perception of who I was and who I wanted to become.” Now she is sharing what she learned with younger girls and spreading the reach of the programme in her community.
For more information about the Generation Equality Forum in Paris (30 June – 2 July) and news coverage, please visit UN Women website
Development Banks accelerate actions for gender equality
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021
Originally published on www.afd.fr
National, regional and multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, national promotional banks, and export credit agencies – gathered today at Generation Equality Forum, to celebrate the 26 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and to strengthen their collective contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 5 on advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The PDBs play a particularly critical role in ensuring gender-sensitive COVID-19 response and recovery efforts and will accelerate their work to tackle persistent gender gaps widened by COVID-19. Today commitments will contribute to the progress on gender equality and prevent further backsliding.
Following the first Finance in Common Summit on 12 November 2020 adopting the Paris Development Banks Statement on gender equality and women’s empowerment and signed by 26 PDBs, UN Women and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) launched a new global collaboration platform for the PDBs to share expertise and to mobilize commitments to advance gender equality in January 2021.
Since then, the PDBs have worked together to discuss measurements of gender financing and highlight good practices to further enhance gender equality and women’s empowerment, including in climate and biodiversity commitments. The PDBs have each brought their own approaches and characteristics and through their diversity have worked together to launch impactful initiatives and to make targeted commitments.
Launch of the 2XCollaborative gender-lens investing initiative
More than 16 participating banks and financial institutions, in partnership with GenderSmart Investing and the Investor Leadership Network of global pension funds, launch today a new industry body for gender lens investing: the 2XCollaborative. The 2XCollaborative will convene and equip capital providers to increase the volume and impact of capital flowing to projects, businesses, asset managers and financial institutions that meaningfully and innovatively support women. 2XCollaborative initiatives, like the 2X Gender and Climate Finance Taskforce, will drive gender-smart investing in thematic areas. In committing to the 2XCollaborative, the members build on the success of the 2XChallenge and its USD 15 billion commitment to mobilize more capital towards women’s empowerment.
Unlock funding for gender and climate change
Five financial institutions and members of the 2XChallenge join the Gender and Climate Change Fast Track Initiative, a strategic umbrella commitment to accelerate and scale up gender-responsive climate action in national and regional climate agendas. This initiative will strengthen the focus on joint policy and private sector development and combine partners’ unique experiences with both private and public sectors.
Improve transparency and accountability for gender equality
More than twenty banks and financial institutions will leverage the alignment between the OECD/DAC gender marker and 2X Challenge criteria, and between 2X Challenge criteria and Women’s Empowerment Principles to strengthen the transparency and accountability of gender funding.
Integrate best practices through the Women's Empowerment Principles
Banks will sign the Women’s Empowerment Principles, joining the 5,000 organizations in 141 countries who are already signatories, and promote the adoption of the principles by their investees, suppliers and partners.
Strengthen roadmaps and action plans to meet the goals of Generation Equality
The International Development Finance Club (IDFC), a Club of 26 national and regional development banks, has developed a roadmap and action plan on gender equality that will establish IDFC as an active platform for promoting and advocating gender equality and women’s empowerment for the next years. Focus will be on better access to economic opportunities, strengthening gender mainstreaming both internally and in members’ operations, and fighting against all forms of gender-based violence. It will thus participate to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and particularly Sustainable Development Goal 5 to empower women and girls.
At least thirteen banks will participate in the second round of the Center for Global Development’s Gender Equity in Development Finance Survey. In committing to take the survey, PDBs and external stakeholders will gain critical information facilitating collective progress, as the survey assesses PDBs’ internal and external gender equity policies and practices and highlights examples of strong practices as models to emulate.
What's next?
The journey of Generation Equality continues after the Paris Forum. The public development banks will actively continue to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment and revisit progress on their collaborative initiatives at the Finance in Common Summit in Rome, Italy, planned in Autumn 2021.
Media contact: Anne Barthélemy – barthelemya@afd.fr – 06 12 91 97 18
Remarks by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the Opening Ceremony of the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, France
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2021
[As delivered]
Thank you very much, dear President Macron, thank you for having us. Thank you to France and Mexico, for both countries made this day possible. Thank you, Secretary-General Guterres, and thank you to the President of the European Council and our youth representative for being here.
Women everywhere in the world are squeezed into a small corner. Women make up one quarter of those who are managers, they are one quarter of parliamentarians around the world, they are one quarter of those who negotiate climate change, they are less than one quarter of those who negotiate peace agreements. All these decisions have a fundamental impact on their capacity to have a life that is meaningful.
When I started to work for UN Women, my budget was also one quarter – of a billion dollars. It was meant to increase to half a billion dollars; of course, we did it and surpassed that. But clearly that was never enough.
That was never enough for the large problems that we face in society that impact women. And so, I went out to you to assist. I went to private sector, philanthropists, to young people and adolescents. And I went to civil society, who were already part and parcel of fighting for change for women and a strategic ally for UN Women.
Generation Equality, which brings us together here, is about change. It is about moving from making promises to telling us what you are going to do in order for the situation of women to change.
So today, I’m going to tell you what we have been able to do. We have almost 1000 commitments that have been made by Member States, by private sector and the other actors that I have highlighted, which will change the lives of women in the areas that we have identified in Generation Equality.
Countries from the Global South have put their foot forward, regional organizations like the African Union and the European Union have put their foot forward, young people, through their advocacy, have put their foot forward, and philanthropists and the private sector and our Member States have put their foot forward. So, in total, we now have over USD 40 billion put forward by all these actors. And we are still counting.
The private sector will use some of the money for the changes that need to happen in their companies. The philanthropic organizations will use the money for grants, and I am glad that some of the grants will support small grassroots organizations and youth organizations to do their work.
And of course, Member States have committed to change policies and programmes, including making sure that the number of women who are represented in their governments increases. I know that there are governments here today and at home who will tell you about what they are going to do. I do not want to steal their thunder.
So, today is a happy day from that perspective. But this is not everything we need. The fight still has to continue. What we are doing today is to take a step forward. We are extending the number of people who participate in gender equality. We are intergenerational - in that young people are at the core of what we do. What we do must benefit and change the lives of young people.
We thank you for the contributions that you have made and we call on you to stay with us, to monitor what we do with these resources. In UN Women, we have put in place a secretariat that will oversee the implementation of this and will report.
We have organizations that will implement their actions in groups, in the care system, for example, or in bringing policing into gender-responsiveness. There will be groups of countries that are coming together and who will be making announcements in this regard.
This is what we see as enhanced multilateralism. This is what we see as support to the work that we do in the intergovernmental space, where we need to be pushing upwards all the time, so that there is a race to the top.
I want to say, one quarter is not enough. One quarter is not equality. Equality is one half, where both men and women are together. Thank you.
How Spotlight Initiative is working toward Generation Equality
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021
This story has been adapted from the original version published by The Spotlight Initiative.
Girls and women in Mozambique celebrate the launch of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. Photo: Leovigildo Nhampule/UN Women
The Generation Equality Forum, a civil society-centred, global gathering for gender equality kicked off in Mexico City, Mexico on 29 March. Convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, the Forum aims to secure ambitious commitments to progressing gender equality by mobilizing governments; women’s, feminist, youth-led and international organizations; and the private sector.
The Generation Equality Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has made four recommendations to accelerate progress to eliminate violence against women and girls. Find out how Spotlight Initiative is responding to these rallying cries below.
1. More states and regional actors must ratify international and regional conventions and public and private sector institutions must strengthen, implement and finance evidence-driven laws, policies and action plans to end gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity.
Photo: UNICEF Nigeria
In 2019, Spotlight Initiative contributed to the signing or strengthening of 41 laws that respond to violence against women and girls in 15 countries. This work continued in 2020. In Kyrgyzstan, the Initiative worked with civil activists and lawyers to change Kyrgyzstan's alimony laws and ensure that women receive financial support after a separation or divorce.
In Latin America, the Spotlight Initiative is supporting the development of a protocol to better protect women human rights defenders — critical given the region is the most dangerous place in the world for human rights defenders, according to data from Front Line Defenders. UN Women is making sure that the protocol has a gender perspective and integrates elements that allows responding to the specific needs of women human rights defenders of the region in their diversity. For achieving this, the draft of the Protocol it's being discussed in direct and broad consultations with the women human rights defenders of the region, as well, qualitative and quantitative evidence on their main needs have been generated and analyzed.
In Nigeria, the Initiative worked with the Ministry of Women's Affairs and community leaders and organizations to help end the “Money-Woman” custom, in which girls are promised to men in marriage in order to settle a debt. This practice often leads to underage marriage, physical and sexual violence, and forced labour. UN Women engaged the community to abolish this harmful practice in partnership with male engagement implementing partner, African Center for Leadership and Development (Center LSD) through targeted advocacy and community sensitization with various community stakeholders, including a virtual national roundtable conference for traditional and religious leaders; while utilizing an accountability framework developed by UN Women Country Office in Nigeria for traditional and religious leaders to guide their approach to eliminating harmful practices.
“It was not a happy marriage,” says Chief Egu*, 65, who was formerly in a Money-Woman marriage. “[My wife] was too young and married off against her will, she was unhappy.” After speaking with a chief who had attended Spotlight Initiative-supported training, Mr. Egu agreed to return his wife to her family. In 2020, the Council of Chiefs held a press conference publicly condemning the practice, as well as introducing penalties for offenders.
2. Scale up implementation and financing of evidence-driven prevention strategies by public and private sector institutions and women’s rights organizations to drive down prevalence of gender-based violence against women, adolescent girls and young women in all their diversity including in humanitarian settings.
Girls in El Salvador learn about their rights through theatre. Photo: UNICEF.
Evidence shows that prevention is the most cost-effective, long-term way to stop violence. This is why Spotlight Initiative invests the largest share of its resources in tackling the root causes of gender-based violence — discriminatory and patriarchal gender norms, and harmful stereotypes and behaviours.
To support the next generation of change-makers, youth and adolescents are heavily engaged in programming. For example, in El Salvador, which has one of the world’s highest rates of femicide, school children learn about their rights through the use of theatre and the arts. In San Martín, Spotlight Initiative has partnered with the local municipality to use games, puppets, painting and crafts as vehicles to speak to young people about violence prevention. “I have the right to control my own body,” says Lady Carmoda, 8, who participated in a play called ‘The Train of Rights’. "There are laws that protect girls.”
Additionally, in San Martin City, 240 young people have joined a municipal decision-making body to ensure that the ideas and needs of young people are incorporated into local policy — including those of vulnerable women and
3. Scale up implementation and financing of coordinated survivor-centered, comprehensive, quality, accessible and affordable services for survivors of gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity including in humanitarian settings.
Spotlight Initiative is helping to remove many of the barriers that prevent survivors of violence from seeking help by streamlining, integrating and financing GBV support services. For example, in Mozambique, Spotlight Initiative is supporting ‘one-stop centres’ that allow survivors of violence to report their attacker, seek medical attention and access counselling at a single location without having to retell their story multiple times or relive their trauma.
When Amina*, 14, was raped, she contacted a local organization in Nampula who referred her case to a one-stop centre for GBV survivors. Once there, an integrated team of trained health staff, social workers, police and justice staff helped her. The team registered her case in a single confidential file to be used across sectors. They also referred Amina to a hospital where she received vital care. Justice services followed up on her case and, as a result, Amina’s attacker was sentenced to 12 years in prison. “When people take their case to a one-stop centre, they can solve it without any problem,” said Amina.
4. Enhance support and increase accountability and quality, flexible funding from states, private sector, foundations, and other donors to autonomous girl-led and women’s rights organizations working to end gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity.
Photo: UN Women/Nassarus Thuantongkhum/Kith&Kin
Spotlight Initiative recognizes that civil society organizations (CSOs), grassroots organizations and women-led and feminist organizations are best placed to understand and respond to their local context. Fifty per cent of funds in 2019 were budgeted for civil society organizations. Additionally, civil society is engaged across all Spotlight Initiative programming through Reference Groups that both advise and hold us accountable.
In 2020, COVID-19 made it difficult for many organizations – particularly small women’s organizations – to continue their work. In response, the UN Trust Fund to EVAW, administered by UN Women, allocated a further US$9 million to support existing grantees in sub-Saharan Africa.
Flexible funding is critical in allowing organizations to pivot their activities to meet demand. In Viet Nam, for example, Spotlight Initiative support meant a local women’s shelter was able to staff its helpline overnight during COVID-19 lockdowns. UN Women strongly advocated for shifting some of the programme funds to rapidly respond to COVID-19, which included hiring more helpline operators to respond to the increased number of calls to helplines and enabling counsellors to receive calls from their own homes. “[During lockdown] we get many calls late at night or early in the morning while the abuser is sleeping. For this reason, we had to open the hotline number 24/7 so we don’t miss an urgent call for help,” said Linh*, a hotline worker from Hanoi. “Support from the Spotlight Initiative’s Safe and Fair Programme was extremely timely as it meant we could hire more hotline operators for the night shift.”
The Spotlight Initiative will continue working hand in hand with governments, service providers, civil society organizations and activists to ensure that women and girls everywhere can live a life free from violence.
*The name has been changed to protect the person’s identity.
Media advisory: Generation Equality Forum, Paris
Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021
The Generation Equality Forum is the most catalytic global gathering for gender equality held in the last quarter century. Convened by UN Women and co-chaired by the Governments of France and Mexico, with the leadership and participation of youth and civil society, the Forum is a once-in-a-generation moment to advance global gender equality.
You are invited to key sessions of the Generation Equality Forum, Paris, from 30 June to 2 July 2021.
With the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to reverse global progress on gender equality, the Generation Equality Forum in Paris aims to affirm bold gender equality investments, programs, and policies and start a 5-year action journey, based on a Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality which will be launched at the Forum. Heads of State and Government, international organizations, civil society, youth, and the private sector will convene in Paris to make tangible commitments to accelerate transformative change.
Members of the media may apply to attend all virtual sessions of the Generation Equality Forum at this link. A dedicated press section will give registered journalists access to all press releases, press conferences, replays of sessions and the ability to request interviews with speakers in digital private rooms. Accreditation is also available via the Elysee Press service for a limited number of journalists for the onsite media room in Paris here. There will be the possibility to organize duplex transmission zones near the Carrousel du Louvre.
The three-day event will include an in person opening event for high-level guests as well as over 110 events held by UN Women, the Government of France, young people, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector. A sequence of “Action Coalition” events will launch commitments and five-year action agendas on topics from Gender-based Violence to Economic Justice and Rights.
Notable attendees in-person and via live link include:
Hillary Clinton, Former United States Secretary of State;
Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya
Alberto Fernández, President of Argentina
Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor
Kaïs Saïed, President of Tunisia along with others including
Melinda Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank
Mari Pangestu, Managing Director of the World Bank
Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Darren Walker, President of Ford Foundation
Alice P. Albright, Executive Director of the Global Partnership for Education
Julieta Martinez, Feminist climate activist
Opening Ceremony, Wednesday 30 June, 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. CEST / 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT
Hybrid in-person and virtual event held at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris hosted by the President of the Republic.
Includes remarks by President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin, Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, and advocate for women’s rights Hillary Clinton will also make remarks.
You can join the event through registration to the event platform or view live on UN Web TV or via the social media of the Élysée and French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
*Note that the opening ceremony includes opening remarks and commitment announcements, followed by a virtual concert.
*A brief onsite press conference will be held immediately following the opening ceremony at approximately 7:30 p.m. CEST. The press conference will be conducted by Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Elisabeth Moreno. All onsite registered media are invited to attend.
Closing Ceremony, Friday 2 July, 7 – 7:50 p.m. CEST / 1 – 1:50 p.m. EDT
Hybrid in-person and virtual event in Paris.
Closing session featuring key announcements and outcomes. You can join the closing session event with prior registration to the event platform. Speakers of the closing ceremony will include French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian; Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard; French Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Elisabeth Moreno; Lopa Banerjee, Executive Coordinator of the Generation Equality Forum, UN Women; Pacific feminist leader Sharon E.R. Bhagwan Rolls (CSAG) and activist Selin Ozunaldin.
For more information: https://forumgenerationegalite.fr/en
To see the programme: https://forumgenerationegalite.fr/sites/default/files/2021-06/EN_A4_FGE_Programmejuin2021.pdf
Media registration for the 3-day event is compulsory. To register click here: https://media.forumgenerationegalite.fr/media/steps/step1.htm
For onsite media attending the opening ceremony, a confirmation email will be sent to you with additional logistical information. Therefore, access to the Forum venue will not be possible without this confirmation of accreditation. The ceremony will be broadcasted live, a note detailing the broadcasting channels will be sent to you beforehand. A duplex zone will be available near the Carrousel du Louvre. The number of places of press is limited at the Forum venue. To accredit yourself to this event, within the limits of available places, click here.
For your information, the entire event will be filmed, and the images will be accessible on the event site. Please note that the images will be available in real time on social media.
For information relating to onsite media opportunities in Paris and the hosting of the event by the government of France please contact Margaux Bonnet, Chief of Communications for the Paris Forum, margaux.bonnet[at]diplomatie.gouv.fr
For information relating to UN Women’s role as the event convenor contact media.team[at]unwomen.org and Clare Winterton, Senior Communications Advisor, UN Women, clare.winterton[at]unwomen.org.
Follow the conversation on social media in the following hashtags: #ActForEqual #GenerationEquality
Remarks by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, on the implementation of recommendations in the independent victim-centred review of UN Women policies and processes on tackling sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment at the UN Women Executive Board
Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2021
[As delivered]
I would sincerely like to thank all Member States for their continuous support and engagement with UN Women in our efforts to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) as well as sexual harassment (SH).
UN Women is deeply committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful work environment, while having the highest standard of policies and processes in place to ensure the effective prevention and response to SEA and SH, using a victim-centred approach.
I am pleased to report to you that we have completed the implementation of all the recommendations from the independent and victim-centered review of UN-Women’s Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment policies and procedures.
SEA and SH constitute fundamental transgressions of UN Women’s mandate of promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. We know that SEA and SH, abuse of power, harassment and discrimination are deeply rooted in inequalities and power imbalance, with SEA and SH sharing the same gendered inequalities. To tackle these issues, we aim to achieve a culture change that looks at power relations, leadership and the role of civility to build an environment where dignity and respect are the norms, including in our interactions online and with the communities we serve.
Within UN Women we have developed an inclusive workplace strategy that aims at strengthening leadership, focusing on people management and promoting diversity, inclusion and standards of conduct. All personnel are periodically informed of the standards of conduct and the mechanisms to address work-related concerns such as existing support and reporting options and disciplinary measures taken.
In 2020 our efforts further focused on scenario-based training as well as the design of a multi-phase communications campaign on sexual harassment at country level. The actions taken to raise awareness amongst potentially affected populations has differed across country and regional offices and included training implementing partners and their staff on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), with the focus on reporting mechanisms and the development of posters and flyers in local languages with key reporting information. This is part of the work on country inter-agency PSEAH networks of UN Women, which form part of country offices in the organization of community events dedicated to the topic of reporting as part of established community-based compliance mechanisms.
On the topic of risk mitigation, SEA and SH risks are being assessed within UN Women’s Enterprise Risk Management Policy and Framework since the inclusion of two respective risk labels in the Entity Standardized Risk Register in Quarter 3 of 2019. Mitigation measures are put in place where needed. Additionally, UN Women ensures that its implementation partners have minimum standards in place to prevent and response to SEA, inter alia, incorporating the requirements of UN protocols on allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving implementing partners into UN Women’s Implementing Partner Policy Framework. Moreover, UN Women is working in collaboration with other UN agencies to put in place common partner assessment tools to further enhance safeguards and appropriate action related to SEA.
On the country-level response in inter-agency collaboration matters, UN Women aligns its efforts on tackling SEA and SH with the UN System and ensures a cohesive approach across our regional and country offices, while also guaranteeing coordination with a collective PSEAH strategy in country action plans overseen by respective UN Women Country Teams (UNCT) and Resident Coordinators. In addition to our Country Representatives, who represent UN Women within the UNCT effort, our SEA and SH focal points are also able to position UN Women in inter-agency initiatives in their respective locations, thus contributing to and reinforcing the UN-wide efforts.
With regard to support for survivors mentioned in the report, UN Women maintains and promotes a victim-centred approach in all matters related to SEA and SH and ensures that the voices of victims/survivors are at the heart of its efforts, including through safe and accessible reporting mechanisms, support to victims/survivors and confidential and respectful investigations.
During COVID-19, the reporting pathways available for all allegations, including SEA and SH, provided by the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) have remained consistent, safe and accessible. Allegations of SEA are reported in near real-time through the online reporting mechanism, the iReport SEA Tracker, which is up to date.
UN-Women will continue to fight for organizational and cultural change that ends SEA and SH until it is achieved for all.
Thank you.
Opening statement by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the UN Women Executive Board, Annual Session 2021
Looking back to look forward
Date: Monday, June 21, 2021
[As delivered]
Good morning, distinguished Delegates, guests and colleagues. Welcome to the Annual Session of the UN Women Executive Board 2021. I begin with thanks to the President of the Executive Board, Mr Alie Kabba. I have appreciated your support throughout this year, and your unwavering commitment to the organization and I also would like to thank the Members of the Bureau for their support. I know we can count on you to safeguard the agenda as champions, advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls wherever you are, now and in the future. I also thank the Executive Board overall for all the work you do and the interactions that we have had with this Executive Board in the last eight years.
In reviewing UN Women’s work in the past years, I start with the COVID-19 response. Let me first express our solidarity with the countries who are still struggling with the pandemic and, our solidarity with India, where we have lost many people. We continue also to express our solidarity with the people in Africa where WHO reports a full battle with the third wave. We urge for vaccines to be accessible by all countries. We are also calling on all nations to direct their fiscal response packages and government stimulus packages to support women who continue to struggle, whether through services that will support them as survivors of domestic violence, or support to entrepreneurs, formal and informal traders and cooperatives with cash transfers, grants and subsidized credits to arrest and reverse the descent into poverty. This is particularly important because in many countries women are not yet benefitting sufficiently from government support. This is one of the jobs I leave with my colleagues and with my successor to continue.
The decrease of women in the labour market will make the pandemic last in the lives of women for many generations to come. To avoid this, debt relief, greater financing, and increased levels of official development aid will be important in preventing a major regression in gender equality caused by COVID-19.
Women universally need alternatives for caregiving. Younger women below 30 and women who are of child-raising age are the most at risk of loss of income and livelihood because they have to look after their children. We need laws and policy reforms in this regard, in the public and private sectors, that address this and ensure that children, old people, people with disability and others are not left unattended.
The related loss of girls’ education as well as harmful cultural practices that restrict access to learning must not be allowed to continue, because we cannot have another lost generation. Girls must go back to school, across all ages, and we must work urgently to ensure universal digital literacy. These initiatives are part of our actions through Generation Equality and integral to UN Women’s new Strategic Plan.
The Global COVID-19 Gender Response Tracker launched last year has been a critical asset for recognition of these acute vulnerabilities and for stimulating response. The tracker now covers 219 countries and territories. That data shows us the reality in almost all countries. For example, there has been a strong emphasis in national responses on preventing and/or responding to violence against women and girls. However, response to the economic fall-out remains largely gender blind. I therefore ask for your active support in this area of economic recovery.
The COVID crisis has not been the only one to address. Since 2018, through our joint work, 365 million people in 42 countries have benefitted from disaster risk reduction policies, plans and strategies.
Distinguished delegates, a critical part of our mandate has been normative work. Together with you, we have been able to make major inroads on ending discriminatory laws. In the last 10 years, 89 countries have stronger legal protection through over 700 legal reforms, half of which removed discriminatory provisions towards against women. 75 countries, home to 2.6 billion women and girls now have a stronger legal, regulatory and policy environment on women’s economic empowerment. 96 countries have strengthened legal and policy frameworks to prevent and respond to violence against women. Work with both the police and judiciary is underpinning the ability of women to benefit from these changes. We supported national police forces in over 80 countries worldwide to make them more survivor-centred, trauma-informed and perpetrator-focused. I want to thank the countries that have come forward and have committed themselves to this work. 95 countries or territories have adopted National Action Plans on women, peace and security. The work I leave for those who remain is to make sure that these Action Plans work significantly for women and girls in every corner of the world.
These are dramatic and wide-ranging policy and legal reforms that we have worked very hard to bring forward and we want to make sure that they deliver for women and girls. Though poorly funded these are signature elements for us. I leave you with you momentum in this area which you can continue.
Distinguished delegates, as we look back over the last eight years, there are further areas of work and achievement that signal important directions for the years ahead. In all of these areas of work, we have worked closely with you and civil society, without whom we could not have moved as far as we have. We have gained vitality and strength that would not have existed without the work of civil society and I take this moment to thank them and to appreciate the sisterhood that we have enjoyed in the work with them. I want to thank them for standing with us, even when we have been at a very low point and being there to lift us.
Initially with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, we raised the tempo on ending gender-based violence and we continue this vital work with Secretary-General Guterres. All over the world people have responded. The 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls has turned the globe orange, although we have not yet covered every country.
We know from the Corporate Evaluation of UN-Women’s convening role in ending violence against women that our COVID-19 response strongly illustrated the power of a coordinated UN system. It also illustrated the value of our extensive policy work and our advocacy support, such as had global impact in our ‘Shadow Pandemic’ campaign.
We have also issued the first ever UN Prevention Framework on Violence against women and girls; the first ever Essential Services Package for women and girls subject to violence; and The Gender Responsive Policing Handbook, which has been adopted by many countries.
The #MeToo movement has propelled the jurisprudence for gender-based violence and made it possible for many of the countries to bring big men down. Thank you for this work that you have done.
Our Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces programme with a new Global Package of Tools is now operating in 53 cities in 32 countries.
In 2020 we led an interagency working group of eight United Nations entities that resulted in unprecedented mobilization of multiple stakeholders on violence against women. Financing at scale, including through the Spotlight Initiative, has now taken this work to a much higher level and it has brought connections with thousands of civil society organizations from everywhere in the world.
Coordination has been important in this work. UN Women is one of the entities with the highest proportion of joint programmes, with 66 per cent of UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks having gender-specific outcome results, up from 47 per cent in 2012.
All of this has been our increased coordination activity, which goes beyond the UN. This kind of Coordination remains at the heart of our ability to mobilize and maximize the combined resources of all our partnerships, including within the UN and outside the UN.
We value the 190 members of the UN Inter-agency Network of Women and Gender Equality (IANGWE), and the 400 gender focal points who are supporting us to do gender parity work. Through them we have seen more women occupying positions throughout the UN. Last year IANGWE’s analysis for the Beijing +25 anniversary recommended urgent, sustained and coordinated action to safeguard gender equality gains, many of which we will be able to pursue in our Strategic Plan. We will take this beyond the UN through Generation Equality to reach many more people.
We continue to focus on leading the “gender theme groups” at the country level, harmonizing joint UN Country Teams (UNCT) processes through the UNCT SWAP and tracking financial resources through the establishment of the gender equality marker.
Distinguished delegates, we have also pushed forward on women’s economic empowerment.
The pandemic brought home the vital importance of solving women’s unpaid care burden. This work still has a long way to go, but we have started in a strong way to reduce and to redistribute the unpaid care work of women.
We brought this issue to public view in 2015 in our flagship Progress of the World’s Women “Transforming economies, realizing rights” and showed with new research and evidence how millions of women were limited by caregiving and trapped in low paid, poor quality jobs. Now we have a clear focus on the need for a true care economy for women to achieve economic justice, and a newly formed Global Alliance on Care with 20 countries to be formalized in Paris. The aim is to create up to 80 million decent care jobs to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work and broaden support for ILO Convention 189 on Domestic Workers.
The jobs of the future must be greener and sustainable for women. Our climate-smart agriculture programme in 19 African countries has allowed women farmers to increase the value of their products up to 10 times. We hope to expand this programme, for example to the Sahel, where women face many challenges. The Network of Women Farmers in the North of Senegal helped to protect its 16,000 members during COVID-19, fighting poverty through agriculture and were the suppliers of rice to government and the people of Senegal.
The jobs of the future must be decent jobs that offer women safety and financial reward.
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) which started with just 200 signatory companies now has more than 5,000, benefitting over 10 million employees in 141 countries. That is still not enough, but it is progress, and my staff have worked very hard to nurture these companies.
Since 2010, the number of countries with gender balanced parliaments has more than tripled from 7 to 24. Although we want to reach 50 per cent balance for all, this is progress. The number of countries with severe women’s underrepresentation almost halved from 52 to 27.
Our work on capacity-building for women political candidates has resulted in more than 30,000 women trained each year with raised profile in their communities. We see acceptance of the use of quotas and special measures is gaining ground. For example, in the Commission on the Status of Women’s Agreed Conclusions this year you agreed for 50 per cent of women to be represented in all public institutions and we thank you for taking that step.
We are also working to increase women’s leadership and influence of health policies. For example, in over 50 countries we are supporting women living with HIV to influence the HIV response.
In women, peace and security we have seen a significant increase in resources and institutional mechanisms. In 2010 just 19 countries had National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security. Now there are 95. Since 2012, the share of peace agreements with specific provisions for women and girls has marginally increased from 22 to 25 per cent. This is an area we have to push very hard on.
We have seen a nearly three-fold increase in the allocation of funding to UN peacebuilding projects promoting gender equality as a principal objective. The Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund now supports 357 women’s organizations. The innovative Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations is helping to boost the number of women participating in decisions and actions relating to their own security, and that of their communities.
Engaging youth in the decisions that affect their lives has been at the heart of our work. This applies also to the 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10-24, nearly 90 per cent of whom live in developing countries.
We started with nurturing and supporting youth in our CSW, making sure that they participate actively. Young people are at the centre of our ambitions and we must put them where their influence can shape our future and co-create with us. For example, together with UNICEF, ITU, UNDP and the private sector, as well as philanthropic organizations, we are working to promote girls in ICT and STEM, breaking negative gender stereotypes in learning and training, and helping them access 21st century opportunities that make new economic pathways.
Our work on promoting and entrenching positive social norms takes on increased urgency in this context including the engagement with men, who are traditional leaders and who are leading faith-based organizations. These are men whose work has made waves in fighting against child marriage, returning girls back to school, ending FGM, ending violence against women, and changing the laws in the areas in which they have jurisdiction in order to protect women.
Other leaders include private sector influencers like the Unstereotype Alliance. We are making sure that we change the way in which women and men are projected in public across the world.
HeForShe’s IMPACT Champions continue to demonstrate the vital role of men and boys and how they can play a critical role. We are encouraged that so many men are really coming forward and taking on this work in their own organizations.
Ending discrimination is at the centre of our work, including racial justice. We have been able to fight for LGBTIQ+ people, as well as for people with disabilities. We have been stressing the importance of bringing these special and significant groups to the forefront.
UN Women has its own Black Caucus, which has fought for people within the UN as well as beyond the UN. They have fought against racial prejudices and have made sure that we strive for diversity within our own organization. These are women and men who are fighting especially for women in the global south, and who have helped us to bring in young women from all over the world to be part of the UN. Similarly, they have fought against sexual exploitation of women, sexual harassment, and made sure that the changes that we see and want for women all over the world can also be seen in UN Women.
Our work on disability inclusion has been even more important during the pandemic, and in settings of conflict and post-conflict with support to 67 countries last year alone. We are also leading a Joint Programme to coordinate the UN System’s disability inclusion response to COVID-19 in support of UNCTs, governments and civil society, to ensure a gender equality and intersectional perspective, with strong emphasis on partnerships.
Looking ahead, Generation Equality aims to fast-track and accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and of the Sustainable Development Goals, and to respond to the pandemic.
You have challenged us to diversify our sources of funding. Our resources have grown – from just USD 275 million in 2013, to our highest ever total revenue of USD 563.9 million in 2020. Generation Equality is a response to that, with the aim of raising funds so that the women’s agenda is not just implemented by UN Women but also by other organizations.
We have therefore spent years mobilizing a whole ecosystem of partners committed to making the foundational changes that will accelerate implementation, in alignment with our new Strategic Plan. These plans are set finally to come to fruition next week, at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris. We thank the Government of France for having made this possible, just like the Government of Mexico.
There will be 54 governments committed to acceleration. We thank you for your radical impatience and we welcome also private sector and philanthropic organizations, youth, civil society and individuals who have come forward for Generation Equality.
The successful forum in Mexico was the first point where the magnitude of the new stakeholders emerged. They demonstrated the commitment and the intergenerational thirst that is there.
For example, Women Moving Millions announced USD 100 million for feminist movements and women leaders. The Canadian Government, Ford Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also announced new support for civil society.
We thank our banner private sector partners like Microsoft, Gucci, Pay Pal, Koç, KERING, Clue, Accor, Salesforce, for being leaders in the multi-stakeholder Action Coalitions, and for being strongly supportive of and complementary to our intergovernmental and civil society partners.
Together they create the ecosystem that is taking us forward.
We have seen COVID-19 undermine and threaten the achievement of the SDGs. The Action Coalitions and the Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Compact constitute a global acceleration plan to increase progress over the next five years and counteract those negative forces. Along with the energy of youth who dare, they bring a reconfiguration of partnerships.
In our contemporary situation, democracies can be seen to be more vital than ever – but they can only be truly democratic if youth are also represented.
This time of crisis has highlighted the need to rouse all sectors of society to build a new, inclusive world through multilateralism that will build back better. In this regard the CSW has become an important place where we can bring together all these stakeholders to take us forward. The CSW cannot be a place where we retain the status of women. It has to be a place where we raise the status of women much higher. We cannot stall and diminish their status. We have lost some time, but CSW has adopted some excellent Agreed Conclusions that have propelled women forward.
As I end today, I am proud to have overseen an entity that has significantly increased its influence within the UN system, and expanded its partnerships and influence beyond the UN System. It is my hope that my successor will work ‘outside the box’ and will take this vision forward in even bigger and more adventurous ways.
Before I close, I want to take a moment to thank you as Member States for the support that you have given me. I also want to thank the dynamic UN Women staff, who have spent sleepless nights with great commitment, working well beyond what duty called them to do. There is no organization that I know of with people that are so dedicated to their work. It has really been a joy and a privilege to work with all of you.
I also want to thank my Executive Office, my Deputy Executive Directors and our staff that have supported us together. It has been great to work with them. What I say to them is thanks for your ubuntu. I am because you are.
And Member States, we will be with you and work with you in order to make sure that we build a strong organization.
Thank you.
|
Op-ed: Achieving equality for women: COVID-19 and beyond
By Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women
Date: Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Originally published on sdg-action.org
More than 25 years after the landmark Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, true and lasting equality for women remains in view but not yet in our grasp. Though we have seen important gains, such as decreases in maternal mortality and improvements in girls’ education, overall progress has been too slow and too piecemeal. The COVID-19 crisis has also shown us that progress can be frighteningly reversed.
The pandemic has rapidly exacerbated existing gender inequities. Violence against women has risen, and women have suffered higher adverse economic impacts and job losses. This has been caused both by increased unpaid caregiving and the fact that women work in more insecure, low-paid and informal job settings. COVID-19-related school closures have heightened the effects of the gender digital divide and have put nearly 10 million more girls at risk of child marriage this decade. All of this is posing a direct challenge to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Shifting course
Despite these almost ubiquitous challenges, there are positive solutions that we can apply to steer our societies and economies out of the disastrous impact of COVID-19 and into constructive change. These solutions require recognition of some previously underestimated underlying barriers, which the pandemic stressors have brought to light.
Governments’ decisive commitment to gender-responsive stimulus packages that truly respond to women’s needs will be critical. Several governments have already taken unprecedented measures, such as strengthening access to healthcare and providing cash transfers, paid sick leave and unemployment benefits. Yet while some of these measures will benefit women, far too few are being designed or implemented with women’s rights or needs in mind. As the UN Development Programme/UN Women COVID-19 Global Gender Response Tracker shows, only 18% of the global social protection and jobs response so far have targeted either women’s economic security or addressed the rise in unpaid care work. Current forecasts are that without a change in course, an additional 47 million women will be pushed into extreme poverty this year, overturning decades of progress. This would be a stunning reversal for the SDGs, but this kind of backsliding is not a foregone conclusion: with bold policies to boost women’s economic empowerment, we can shift course and accelerate progress instead.
Generation Equality
We look to governments and to those who have power, resources, and influence to become the champions of what we call Generation Equality. We need new Commitment Makers to shape a future that dismantles the barriers to women’s progress by working across generations and sectors and on priority issues. I invite all countries, businesses, civil-society organizations, young people and allies to join Generation Equality’s Global Acceleration Plan. The plan convenes collective action through “Action Coalitions” which are centred around six themes:
gender-based violence
economic justice and rights
bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights
feminist action for climate justice
technology and innovation for gender equality
feminist movements and leadership
The targets that support the themes are intended to guide action and investment for the next five years. For example, the pandemic has confirmed that care for children and other family members is essential, life-sustaining work and there is a need for investments in both public and private quality care services. It also requires the creation of new, well-paid, and safe care jobs that recognize, reduce, and redistribute the current unpaid care work in homes, and that reward care workers and guarantee their labor rights. In turn, such changes need an enabling legal and policy environment.
Canada has recently promised significant fiscal resources to achieve affordable childcare for all, by specifically committing to improving the pay and conditions of care-sector workers. The United States’ Biden administration has recognized that care is infrastructure, alongside roads and bridges, and has pledged investments of USD 400 billion. Every country should have and implement gender-responsive macroeconomic plans, budget reforms and stimulus packages, including quality public social protection floors and systems so that the number of women and girls living in poverty is significantly reduced. Now is the moment for other leaders to follow suit to support the care economy and champion women’s economic justice and rights to the rest of the world.
A pandemic of inequities
Even before the pandemic, women’s employment was often concentrated in the most vulnerable informal jobs. During the pandemic, women have lost their jobs at a faster rate than men. This has had particularly devastating consequences for the economic autonomy of women with care responsibilities. Labor market vulnerabilities are even worse for the most excluded, including women with disabilities, migrant and refugee women, and small farmers.
In recent studies, lost income and employment, food insecurity, and substance abuse has been linked to increased risk of men’s violence against women and girls, exacerbating the prevalence of domestic and other forms of violence. Young women aged between 15 and 24 years are often the worst affected. There are well-grounded fears that other forms of violence, such as female genital mutilation and child marriage, are also on the increase.
I urge all stakeholders to join the Global Acceleration Plan to:
Tackle gender-based violence and commit to ratify international and regional conventions
Scale up implementation and financing of evidence-driven prevention strategies
Scale up implementation and financing of survivor-centred, comprehensive, quality, accessible and affordable services for survivors
Support women’s rights organizations, activists and movements, including those working to address gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity
Generation Equality also includes a Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action. This calls for the acceleration of full, equal and meaningful participation of women in security institutions, among other key leadership, protection, and financing goals. While progress has been achieved, particularly in civilian leadership where women now comprise 41 per cent, a UN Women analysis estimates that at current rates it will take 30 years to reach gender parity for military troops in the UN. I invite Member States, regional bodies, civil society organizations and networks, young women peacebuilders, and those working in humanitarian and crisis settings and the private sector to join the Global Compact. I invite them to support the sustainable deployment and meaningful participation of uniformed women peacekeepers, so that security institutions become representative, responsive and accountable to all.
We need bold, transformative action
There is hope if we change course. But hope is not a strategy. At a critical moment in this Decade of Action, these and the other elements of the plan will help us rethink, renew and revolutionize how we organize our societies and economies.
Progress will also depend on generating much-needed financial resources, especially for developing countries. There have been significant calls to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to issue special drawing rights. These will provide emergency funds for developing countries to pay off unsustainable debt, fund vaccines or invest in social protection for their people. Meanwhile, a new global minimum tax rate proposed by the UN would help to stem the tide of tax evasion and avoidance. It would ensure that everyone makes a fair contribution to the kind of world we want for the next generation.
Crises of the magnitude we face today call for big, bold ideas and extraordinary levels of global solidarity and cooperation to implement them. The Generation Equality Action Coalitions bring together the broad range of actors needed to drive progress forward. Together, we must aim towards a more sustainable and just future, in order to ensure prosperity for all and realize the 2030 Agenda.
Remarks by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the Closing Ceremony of the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, France
The world jumped and patriarchy shook
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
[As delivered]
I have seen the world jump together and shake the world of patriarchy. It has not all collapsed, but it is in bad shape, and I think that we can only get better from here.
I am most grateful for the support that we have received from everyone who has contributed to the USD 40 billion total. Our Member States and public institutions together committed to USD 21 billion. Private sector has given us USD 13 billion. The philanthropists have given us USD 4.5 billion and the UN along with international and regional organizations have given us USD 1.3 billion. And civil society, youth and adolescent girls have given us commitment and amazing passion and advocacy, which this process could not survive without, and for which I am thankful.
During the last few days a few people have called me aside wanting to know what’s going to happen to these resources. Let me tell you, first, UN Women is not rich but UN Women is much better than it was. The resources that have been put forward by the many commitment makers that were here today will go to grassroots organizations in communities. They will go to Member States, who need to implement programmes that will address women and girls that are facing trouble. They will also go to the UN agencies that have programmes that must be scaled up and taken to a much larger scale. The funds are not going to just UN Women because we do not have all the skills to implement what is needed. So, it is the whole UN family that is coming together and taking this forward. It is civil society, it is private sector, it is our bosses, the Member States, who will take it forward.
So, Mexico and France, I am eternally grateful to you. You had faith in us, and you gave us a chance. You opened your countries to us as hosts, and today look at what we have been able to do. So, I want to thank you, and thank you profusely.
And lastly, the pandemic. It could have derailed us, but you did not give up. As a result of the pandemic, we needed Generation Equality more. Because of the pandemic, you pushed even harder. And of course, you embraced young people. We have youth and adolescents who are leading from the front, who are doing wonderful things. They will stand on your shoulders and my shoulders. They will look much further than we can look, and they are a new generation. What was born in Beijing, these young people are going to take forward for us, who are older now. This is the new birth of a new generation and new leadership for women, and we thank them for everything that they have done in these last few days.
And, UN Women staff, thank you, thank you, thank you. Not even a single one of you was not touched by this event. You worked beautifully together with the staff of Mexico and the staff of France.
Thank you all.
To build back better, transform and invest in the care economy, say leaders at the Generation Equality Forum Paris
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
At a high-level panel on care at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris on 2 July, the Government of Mexico, represented by the President of the National Institute of Women (INMUJERES), Nadine Gasman, launched the Global Alliance for Care.
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has laid bare the critical economic and social importance of care work – mostly unpaid and done by women – the Global Alliance is poised to mobilize policy and action that invests in the care economy and ensures economic justice and rights for women and girls worldwide.
“Care work has always been very high on the feminist agenda, but the COVID experience has made it very real for men and women”, said Gasman.
Around the world, the closure of schools and childcare during the pandemic pushed parents, mainly women, to a breaking point. UN Women research shows that on average, women now spend nearly as much time doing unpaid care work, as a full-time paid job. These impacts are more pronounced in developing countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Women have also been forced to leave the workforce at alarming rates, rolling back progress towards gender equality.
“We created the Global Alliance for Care as a call for urgent action by governments, civil society, the private sector and international organisations; actions that will change the way work is distributed,” added Gasman. “We need legal reform, more services, physical spaces for service [provision] and awareness campaigns. This is a socio-cultural transformation that we know is going to be revolutionary.”
UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway affirmed that changing the way the world treats care-giving is a vital step in changing the opportunities for women to thrive, saying, “Care work deserves to be properly recognized and made visible. It needs to be safe and fairly paid. I spoke recently with women in Mexico who have been able to change their lives through getting help with care; from leaving situations of abuse to developing successful livelihoods. We all need to be able to make choices that are best for us and our families.”
UN Women Deputy Executive Director Asa Regner invited the distinguished champions for the care economy to join wide-ranging partnerships to reduce and redistribute the unpaid care work, and to promote decent work conditions for care-givers.
The high-level panel also highlighted how innovative policy design, financing, and investments in care infrastructure can be a game-changer for job creation, inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and women’s economic empowerment.
“We firmly believe that investments in the care economy have the potential to create decent jobs for care workers, particularly for women; and to contribute to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to education, health, gender equality and growth, facilitating a recovery [from COVID-19] that is both inclusive and resilient,” said Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General.
The Government of Canada, represented by Karina Gould, Minister of International Development described care as a ‘triple win’. “It’s a win for children, for gender equality and for the economy. It’s one of the few policies that actually pays for itself.” Gould stated that the childcare system implemented in Quebec resulted in the province going from having the lowest female workforce participation in Canada, to the highest. Furthermore, “the number of women entering the workforce [in Quebec] has resulted in enough government revenue to pay for the childcare system,” she said. The Canadian government is to invest CAD 30 billion in a five-year plan to develop an accessible childcare system nationwide.
In the United States, recent efforts are also setting new standards for addressing the care economy nationally. For example, the Co-chair of the White House Gender Advisory Council, Jennifer Klein, explained how the United States’ first legislative package “provided immediate relief in the form of direct payments and expanded the the child tax credit, which will have a transformative impact on women and their families, and is projected to cut child poverty by half.” Klein added, “the President has put forth an even more ambitious vision for strengthening and reinforcing our country's carrying infrastructure in his proposed American families plan, which is a USD 1 trillion commitment to working families.”
Moreover, efforts from the philanthropic sector are also now focusing on financing and investing in care, as underlined by Gargee Ghosh, the President of Global Policy and Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – an Action Coalition leader on Economic Justice and Rights.
Speakers also emphasized addressing discriminatory gender norms that underpin and exacerbate gender inequalities is critical for reducing and redistributing unpaid care work. Tristan Champion, Blogger and Author highlighted how male engagement in care and domestic work can bring true change in the care economy. On paid domestic work, Elizabeth Tang, General Secretary of the International Domestic Workers Federation, said, “as domestic workers, we care for the families of others, but it is important to remember that we must have the time and leverage to care for our own families.”
Building back better – in ways that are gender-equitable – will require deliberate actions focused on the care economy. UN Women Deputy Executive Director expressed eagerness to work with all stakeholders to transform the global care economy over the next five years.
Press release: Generation Equality Forum concludes in Paris with announcement of revolutionary commitments and Global Acceleration Plan to advance gender equality by 2026
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
Media Contacts: media.team[at]unwomen.org; clare.winterton[at]unwomen.org
Paris, France, 2 July 2021 – The Generation Equality Forum Paris concluded today with the announcement of bold gender equality commitments and launch of a global 5-year action journey to accelerate gender equality by 2026. The Forum’s bold, action-oriented agenda will be under-written by nearly USD 40 billion of confirmed investments as well as ambitious policy and programme commitments from governments, philanthropy, civil society, youth organizations and the private sector. The monumental conclusion comes at a critical moment as the world assesses the disproportionate and negative impact that COVID-19 has had on women and girls. Gender equality advocates have pressed for gender-responsive stimulus and recovery plans to ensure that women and girls are not left behind as the world re-builds.
“The Generation Equality Forum marks a positive, historic shift in power and perspective. Together we have mobilized across different sectors of society, from south to north, to become a formidable force, ready to open a new chapter in gender equality,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women. “The Forum’s ecosystem of partners – and the investments, commitments and energy they are bringing to confront the greatest barriers to gender equality – will ensure faster progress for the world’s women and girls than we have seen before.” UN Women will maintain a critical role driving the Forum’s 5-year action journey, overseeing the implementation of commitments to ensure accountability and progress over the next five years.
Speaking to mark the close of the Forum for the Government of France, the host of the Paris Forum, Ambassador and Secretary General of the Generation Equality Forum Delphine O said, “After two years of collective work with Member States, civil society and philanthropic and private organizations, we succeeded in raising the largest amount of investment to advance gender equality and women’s rights ever. By implementing a new way of tackling global issues through efficient multilateralism, the Generation Equality Forum reversed the priorities on the international agenda and made gender equality, for too long underestimated, a long-term issue for the international community, along with climate, education and health. France will continue to be at the forefront to accelerate gender equality progress.”
The USD 40 billion of investments confirmed at the Forum’s close represent a major step-change in resourcing for women’s and girls’ rights. Lack of financing is widely understood to be a major reason for slow progress in advancing gender equality and in enacting the women’s rights agenda of the milestone 1995 Beijing Conference. By the close of the Forum, governments and public sector institutions had committed to USD 21 billion in gender equality investments, the private sector USD 13 billion, and Philanthropy USD 4.5 billion. UN entities, international and regional organizations committed an aggregate of USD 1.3 billion. In addition to these bold investments, many organizations made strong policy and program commitments, including 440 civil society organizations and 94 youth-led organizations. Forum organizers expect that the approximately 1,000 commitment-makers confirmed to date will be joined by many others over the next five years.
In addition to the significant commitments unveiled at the opening ceremony, the final two days of the Forum saw the unveiling of a wide range of commitments from every sector, with examples including:
The Government of Burkina Faso’s work with Benin, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo to develop shared commitments related to family life education; free care for pregnant women and children under five years; and pursuing legal and social change to end gender-based violence, including FGM and child marriage
The United States Government’s commitment to a range of significant policies and investment requests including an investment of USD 1 billion to support programmes to end violence against women, and USD 175 million to prevent and respond to gender-based violence globally
The expansion of the Global Alliance for Care, initiated by the Government of Mexico and UN Women. This now includes over 39 countries; for example, the Government of Canada’s commitment of USD 100 million to address inequalities in the care economy globally, as a parallel to significant investment in its own care system
The Malala Fund’s commitment to provide at least USD 20 million in feminist funding to girls education activists
P&G’s commitment to advance women’s economic justice and rights through its global value chain by spending USD 10 billion with women-owned and women-led businesses through 2025
The Government of Bangladesh’s pledge to increase women’s participation in the ICT sector, including the tech start-up and e-commerce sector, to 25 per cent by 2026 and 50 per cent by 2041.
PayPal’s commitment of USD 100 million to advance women’s economic empowerment
Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia’s commitment to collaborate with Caribbean NGOs to advocate for the recognition of the LGBTQI+ community and to undertake region-wide legislative reform to minimize discrimination and victimization
Open Society Foundation’s commitment of at least USD 100 million over five years to fund feminist political mobilization and leadership
The Forum in Paris, held 30 June – 2 July, engaged nearly 50,000 people in a mainly virtual format to generate action for the rapid advancement of gender justice. The convening launched a Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality designed by six Action Coalitions – multi-stakeholder partnerships that have identified the most critical actions required to achieve gender equality in areas from gender-based violence and technology to economic and climate justice. The Forum also launched a Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, and announced new gender equality initiatives focused on health, sports, culture, and education.
Reflecting on the Forum, African Union Goodwill Ambassador on Ending Child Marriage Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, said, “This week, I relived the experience of 1995, when I was a young women's rights activist at the Beijing Conference. The COVID-19 context and other barriers are now an even greater inspiration for innovation, solidarity and inclusion. I am grateful for the commitments made this week. Now it’s time to invest in girls and young women even more – for resources to reach rural and marginalized communities, for technology for public good and available to all, and for Member States’ greater accountability to human rights of women and girls.”
Media Advisory: Invitation to attend virtual closing press conference, Generation Equality Forum Paris
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
We invite you to join us for the virtual closing press conference of the Generation Equality Forum, held today, Friday 2 July, from 6:30-6:55pm Paris time / 12:30-12:55pm ET time.
What: Generation Equality Forum Closing Press Conference
When: Friday, 2 July. The virtual press conference will begin at 6:30 and finish at 6:55pm CEST before the closing ceremony
Featured speakers: The conference will feature remarks from UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, French Ambassador and Secretary General of the Generation Equality Forum Delphine O and Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights for the Government of Mexico Martha Delgado. They will be joined by representatives of Civil society and the Youth Task Force – Feminist Activist and African Union Goodwill Ambassador Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda and Youth Task Force Member Amani Aruri.
*At the conclusion of the press conference there will be a brief Q&A session.
Where: Attendees can join the event through the following link : https://zoom.us/j/91824548946?pwd=cFU1b2JPb0lrRkFmNFROZndYdGRQQT09
Meeting ID: 918 2454 8946
Password: 558557
Please confirm your presence at the following address: margaux.bonnet@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Press release: More than 100 signatories launch Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action at the Generation Equality Forum
Date: Friday, July 2, 2021
Media Contact: christine.luby[at]unwomen.org
Paris, 2 July, 2021— More than 100 governments, United Nations entities, regional and civil society organizations, academic institutions and private sector groups today announced their signatory status to the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, during a launch event at the Generational Equality Forum in Paris.
As part of a five-year push for gender equality, the Compact intends to reshape peace and security and humanitarian action processes to systematically include women and girls in the decisions that impact their lives.
More than 25 years since the landmark Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and more than 20 years after the adoption on UN Security Council resolution 1325, public rhetoric on women’s rights has not been matched by concrete action and investment. Currently, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality.
This fact is starkly evident in the peace, security and humanitarian sectors where women are woefully underrepresented.
“Since 1992, about 70 per cent of all peace processes did not include women signatories or mediators. This isn't just shameful, it's ignorant. It makes our world more dangerous,” said Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, underscoring the White House’s commitment to the Compact.
Additionally, half a billion women in 31 countries and territories live in protracted crisis and are at increased risk of human rights violations. Research shows that humanitarian programmes targeted at women and girls are chronically underfunded.
“As we continue to grapple with a global pandemic, we are seeing women-led civil society organizations, and programmes that support women peacebuilders, at risk of disappearing at the very moment they are needed most…We call on all countries to become signatories to this Compact and to demonstrate their commitment to bridging the gap between aspiration and action,” said Simon Coveney, Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“My government stands in solidarity with the numerous global gender champions in this call to action to do more for our women and girls globally, said Julius Maada Bio, president of Sierra Leone. “Transformative actions across [the Compact’s] thematic areas can only be achieved with sustained political will and commitment.”
By joining the Compact, signatories pledge to take concrete action on existing commitments for women and girls in five key areas: increased financing for Women, Peace and Security and gender equality in humanitarian programming; meaningful participation in peace processes; economic security and access to resources; leadership and agency; protection of women’s rights in conflict and crisis.
The Compact will support these actions through an improved monitoring and accountability process.
The Compact is open to governments, regional and civil society organizations, UN entities, academic institutions and the private sector.
Current signatories to the Compact include: Austria, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Netherlands, Peru, Spain, Sierra Leone, State of Palestine, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, United States, African Union Commission Office of the Special Envoy on Women Peace and Security, ASEAN, ECCAS, OHCHR, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, OECD, OSCE, United Nations Department of Peace Operations, UNDP, UNHCR, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, UN Women, as well as more than 65 civil society organizations.
About the Compact on Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action
As one of the key outcomes of the Generation Equality Forum, the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action is an inter-generational, inclusive movement for gender equality in women, peace and security and humanitarian processes.
For a full list of Compact signatories visit: www.wpshacompact.org
Global leaders discuss ambitious and urgent actions to accelerate progress on women’s leadership at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021
At a high-level event on the second day of the landmark Generation Equality Forum in Paris, UN Women, in partnership with the Council of Women World Leaders, convened world leaders to discuss ambitious and urgent actions to ensure that women and young people, in all their diversity, are promoted as leaders and supported as a force for positive change and progress.
“Uniting all our forces, across generations, genders and geographies to ensure women and girls in all their diversity will thrive – is what we need for a better world”, said Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland and Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders, a network of 82 current and former women presidents and prime ministers and the only organization in the world dedicated to women heads of state and government.
The high-level dialogue was held under the umbrella of Leaders for Generation Equality, a campaign launched in cooperation with the Council of Women World Leaders at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in 2019 which brings together a high-level network of global intergenerational women leaders aiming to change the traditional picture of a leader.
“For so long, the picture of a leader has been the traditional one of a man, but the Leaders for Generation Equality campaign [are] about re-framing leadership and showing that leaders are – and should be – diverse, intergenerational and intersectional”, said the moderator Hajer Sharief, Libyan Peace and Human Rights Activist and Founder of Together We Build It Organization.
Highlighting women’s and young women’s leadership as one of the key drivers for gender equality worldwide, the dialogue explored how leaders can create space and enabling environments for diverse women leaders. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women asserted, “if societies do not reach a point where they recognize, of their own volition, the importance of parity, it is the responsibility of institutions to implement quotas and targets”.
Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia (2010 - 2013), Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at Kings College London and Member of the Council of Women World Leaders, added, “there is no merit in patriarchy, you just have to be a man”. She also addressed the systemic scrutiny and discrimination women leaders face in politics, affirming that “many manifestations of sexism are universal, and women can come together from every part of the world and fight against it”.
José Manuel Barroso, Chairman of Goldman Sachs International, Prime Minister of Portugal (2002 - 2004) and President of the European Commission (2004 - 2014), said, “it’s important that [women’s leadership] does not appear as a women’s issue, but as a human rights issue.” “It was not easy,” said Barroso, speaking about his experience advocating with Member States for gender parity.
Closing the dialogue, moderator Hajer Sharief asked leaders to identify an urgent and transformative action needed to accelerate progress on women’s leadership in the next 25 years. In response, speakers endorsed an empowering call to action in favor of quotas and special measures as the priority action to strengthen the participation of women in all their diversities in leadership and decision-making positions.
For more information about the Generation Equality Forum in Paris (30 June – 2 July) and news coverage, please visit www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/generation-equality-forum-paris
Which Generation Equality hero are you?
Date: Friday, June 18, 2021
Illustration by Taylor McManus
Feminism means many different things to many people but what every feminist has in common is a belief in, and commitment to, equality. Generation Equality is uniting feminists and activists from different parts of the world, with different races, religions, ages, socioeconomic status, sexualities and gender expressions, to #ActforEqual.
Taking place in Paris, from 30 June – 2 July, the Generation Equality Forum will bring together governments, activists, private sector partners and youth, and leaders from every sector. Together, they will commit investments, programmes and policies that fast-track progress towards an equal future for all.
As we start our action journey, learn more about some of our feminist action heroes who make up Generation Equality. Which Generation Equality action hero do you support and aspire to be? Tell us how you're taking action for an equal future using #ActForEqual.
Tech Hero
Illustration by Taylor McManus
The world needs science and technology, and science and technology need women and girls. But, only 0.5 per cent of girls want to work in ICT professions by the time they turn 15, compared to 5 per cent of boys.
The Tech Heroes are barrier-breakers who are stepping into a historically male-dominated industry of technology and innovation as leaders and change-makers. They are girls like Somaya Faruqi, who worked to build a low-cost ventilator to help communities in Afghanistan during COVID-19, and they are innovating, creating and driving change every day. And, they are inspiring and encouraging the next generation of girls to pursue STEM careers so that girls and women shape and benefit from technology.
Learn about the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality to find out more.
Climate Action Activists
Illustration by Taylor McManus
Women, especially young women and girls, are leading climate action movements all around the world, and yet they are often missing from the climate related decision-making roles.
The climate action activists are those who never give up on making their voices heard for a sustainable future. They speak up for their generations and the generations to come, and encourage everyone to do their part to protect the earth. They take action to address the risks posed by rising temperatures and the destruction of natural resources. They demand governments to implement policies that will help protect the environment.
In Turkey, Selin Goren works to bring local experiences and perspectives of the climate crisis to the international level and raises the voices of marginalized communities facing injustice.
Selin Gören, a climate activist from Turkey, with a sign that says, "Don't leave anyone behind! #ClimateJusticeIsSocialJustice". Photo: Esin Gören
Some Climate Action Warriors also go by “eco-feminists”, as they see the intersection of climate change and issues of gender justice and understand that taking climate action is taking action for women’s empowerment. So, they mobilize those around them to protect and amplify the voices of grassroots and indigenous communities, including front-line defenders, across social and political arenas.
Find out about the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Feminist Action for Climate Justice to learn more.
Defender of Women’s Rights
Illustration by Taylor McManus
Do you call out sexism when you see it? Intervene when you witness harassment? Do you speak up for gender equality and stand up for human rights? Call for more women in leadership roles? Then you are one of the defenders of women’s rights who mobilize for an equal future and challenge the patriarchy.
These are the feminist leaders, including young feminists, who create and support movements and organizations, including those led by indigenous women, young feminists, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ and others who are historically excluded. For example, Ibtsam Sayeed Ahmed, a Syrian refugee who uses her own experience of living with disability to encourage and empower other women and young people to stand up for their rights.
Ibtsam Sayeed Ahmed, 40, is using her story to empower other women, youth and people with disabilities to stand up for their rights, Jordan. Photo: UN Women/ Lauren Rooney
The defenders of women’s rights lift each other up to ensure all feminists can carry out their work without fear of reprisal to advance gender equality, peace, and human rights for all.
In a world where Less than 1 per cent of global development aid for gender equality and women’s empowerment goes to women’s equality organizations, the defenders of women’s rights persist to bring change. They carry on the essential work that needs to be done to increase women’s representation in national parliaments, which grew from only 12 per cent in 1995 to an average of 25 per cent in 2020.
Find out about the Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership to learn more.
Anti-Violence Champion
Illustration by Taylor McManus
Women and girls in all their diversity experience multiple and intersecting forms of gender-based violence in their lifetime. The anti-violence crusaders are those of us who say, “enough is enough”. They are tired of the patriarchal backlash against women’s rights and limited political will to bring justice to survivors of violence.
The champions don’t just seek to end impunity, but also work towards changing deeply rooted social and gender norms, attitudes and beliefs that allow gender-based violence to continue.
We’re inspired by leaders and activists like Millie Odhiambo, a Member of Parliament in Kenya, who has ushered legal protections for victims, particularly women and girls, to deliver equality and protection for survivors of gender-based violence.
Anti-violence champions are showing everyone that it’s possible to build a world where women and girls can walk home safely at night without fear of harassment or abuse. They want everybody to know that violence against women is not inevitable, if we act as one with coordinated, scaled-up global action that builds political will and accountability.
Many such crusaders will gather at the Generation Equality Forum, to make concrete commitments to stop violence against women and girls and to demand that women’s rights organizations are well-resourced and recognized for their expertise.
Find out about the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence to learn more.
Economic Justice Advocate
Illustration by Taylor McManus
Today, 740 million women globally work in the informal sector, working for lower pay, in harsh working conditions, and without job security or insurance.
Women also spend triple the amount of time as men performing unpaid care and domestic work, which have intensified because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic fallout of COVID-19 predicts that 47 million more women will fall into extreme poverty.
However, change is possible, and Economic Justice Advocates call for economic laws and policies that work for women as well as they do for men, seek sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics so that decisions are shaped by the reality that women experience.
Women like Maria Tuyuc, who is supporting indigenous women in Guatemala to build their own business, are working to destroy the systemic barriers that hold women back and promote nondiscriminatory labour markets, free of violence and harassment.
The Mayan School of Business teaches skills for indigenous women's participation in economic opportunities. María Tuyuc co-facilitates a session. Photo: Red Global de Empresarios Indígenas REI/Miguel Curruchiche.
These are also the women and men who share care work and household responsibilities equally, and encourage everyone to follow their example. They advocate for unified parental leave and equal work culture across all sectors. They demand a progressive work environment through equal representation of women in leadership and boardrooms and equal pay for work of equal value.
Find out about the Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights to learn more.
Champion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Illustration by Taylor McManus
Being a champion means respecting women and girls, their decisions about their own bodies, sexual and reproductive health, such as decisions about contraception and sex. These champions understand the meaning of consent, and practise it. The champions of sexual and reproductive health and rights come in all gender expressions, colours and ethnicities, and they speak up for bodily autonomy – the power and agency to make choices about one’s own body and future without violence or coercion.
The champions, like Martha Clara Nakato from Uganda, believe that women and girls in all their diversity should be empowered to exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights and make autonomous decisions about their bodies free from coercion, violence, and discrimination.
You can often see these champions working to change gender norms, make comprehensive sexuality education accessible for all, and pushing for legal and policy change to protect and promote bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights. They want to improve the quality of and access to contraceptive services and remove restrictive policies and legal barriers that prevent girls and women from accessing safe and legal abortion.
Find out about the Action Coalition on Bodily Autonomy and SRHR to learn more.
Peacebuilder
Miriam Coronel-Ferrer. Photo: Joser C. Dumbrique for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
Some 2 billion people in the world are living in countries affected by conflict. And Peacebuilders are doing their part to keep peace, mediate conflicts and call for equal representation of women at the table when peace is being negotiated. We need the meaningful participation of women and girls in peace processes, and women’s leadership and agency across peace and humanitarian sectors to create a better, safer world for women and for all.
From working to improve women’s economic security in conflict and post-conflict setting to protecting women and delivering more investment in women’s role in conflict resolution, the peacebuilders are fierce and determined. Meet Miriam Coronel Ferrer, who made history as the first woman chief negotiator in the world to sign a final peace accord with a rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the Philippines, for a first-hand account.
The women peacebuilders are vital in preventing conflict, responding to crisis and recovering. They are demanding the implementation of the unfulfilled commitments to the women, peace and security agenda and humanitarian action.
Read about the Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact to learn more
The upcoming Generation Equality Forum in Paris, from 30 June – 2 July, is an inflection point to confront the gender equality crisis and spur major investments, policy, and programmes to advance gender equality and women’s rights. Convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, in partnership with youth and civil society, the Forum will mark the beginning of a five-year action journey led by the six Action Coalitions and Compact on Women, Peace and Security, and Humanitarian Action.
Press release: Heads of State, leaders and activists take bold action to accelerate gender equality and address the consequences of COVID-19 for women and girls
Generation Equality Forum to drive major policy reforms and generate over USD 40 billion in new investments
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Media contacts: media.team[at]unwomen.org; clare.winterton[at]unwomen.org
Member of the Generation Equality Youth Task Force Shantel Marekera, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, President of France Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of the European Council Charles Michel participate in the opening ceremony of the Generation Equality Forum in Paris. Photo: UN Women/Fabrice Gentile
Paris, 30 June 2021— Heads of State and Government, heads of international organizations, activists from civil society and youth-led organizations, philanthropists and CEOs of private sector companies gathered today for the opening of the Generation Equality Forum held from 30 June to 2 July in Paris. The Forum launched a Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality, driven by six Action Coalitions, and launched a Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, with the aim to accelerate gender equality in the next five years and to face the growing risks to women’s rights caused by Covid-19. The Forum’s projected USD40 billion of new investments will represent the largest-ever collective infusion of resources into global gender equality.
The event marks the most significant international convening for gender equality since the 1995 Women’s Conference in Beijing. The Forum was opened by the co-hosts, President of France, Emmanuel Macron and Mexico’s President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as well as by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and convener of the Forum, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women. Notable speakers at the opening event also included Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, Nobel laureate Nadia Murad, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Tunisian feminist Aya Chebbi. The ceremony was centred on the voice of civil society activists and women’s rights defenders and featured long-term advocate for gender equality and Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an intergenerational dialogue with climate activist Julieta Martinez.
The Forum showcases concrete commitments and has a sharp focus on implementation and financing for gender equality. During the opening event, major commitments were announced by the Heads of State and Government of France, the United States of America, Kenya, Argentina, Georgia, Finland, Canada, Germany, South Africa, the European Union and from international organizations and private sector. The commitments included:
USD 40 billion+ in new investments benefitting women and girls, with government commitments over the three days expected to total USD 17 billion. At the Opening Ceremony, a USD 2.1 billion commitment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance women’s leadership, reproductive health, and economic empowerment was announced, alongside a USD 420 million investment from the Ford Foundation to tackle threats to women’s rights caused by COVID-19. The World Bank committed to a major investment for programmes in 12 African States to tackle gender inequalities.
The implementation of major policy reforms and programmes to advance gender equality. The President of Kenya announced a national strategy and resources to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The Prime Minister of Canada presented the country’s commitment to invest in a care system to benefit women and girls and the President of Georgia presented her commitment to lead legislative change on the legal definition of rape. The Vice President of the United States made policy and resource commitments on gender-based violence, women’s economic security, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The launch of new coordination mechanisms to advance key issues for gender equality, such as a new Global Alliance on Care and an Alliance to Fund Sustainable Feminist Movements.
President Macron, speaking live from Paris underscored his commitment to confronting the gender equality crisis, saying, “Through the Generation Equality Forum, France's objective is to state loud and clear that the rights of women and girls are universal, as are all human rights, everywhere, all the time. This model that France defends is not a negation of our differences. It is about reaffirming that no cultural or religious relativism, no regional or identity-based particularism, justifies that a woman cannot enjoy the same rights and the same opportunities as a man. Our method for achieving this result is concerted international action, what I have called multilateralism through action.” The French government committed USD100 million to improve access to contraceptives and family planning.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking live in Paris, welcomed the bold ambition of the Forum, saying that the Forum was a moment “to redress a global imbalance, with activists, policymakers, and leaders across all ages shaping our world into a more just and gender-equal society.”
Also speaking live in Paris, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, noted: “This is a new chapter for gender equality. Those with a world view of radical impatience are converging to create big, well-resourced changes. Together we will revitalize the unfinished Beijing agenda, united by the conviction that we must take risks and do things differently.”
Over the following two days of the Forum, more financial, policy and programme commitments are expected from over 1,000 diverse commitment-makers. Additional philanthropy commitments are expected from the Co-Impact Fund, CIFF, Fondation Chanel, Global Green Grants, the Women’s Funding Network, and the Open Societies Foundation. Major private sector contributors will include P&G, Unilever, PayPal and Estée Lauder. A significant number of civil society and youth led commitments will be made; for example: GirlsForClimate will commit to establish over 100 local climate hubs in Uganda; Cameroon Digital Rights Campaign will announce advocacy and policy work to end the digital divide; and the Egyptian Feminist Union will commit to work on equal rights to divorce and guardianship of children for divorced women. Additional Member States announcing commitments will include Armenia, Burkina Faso, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Finland, North Macedonia, Malawi, the Maldives, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mexico, Rwanda, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.
The Forum includes over 110 events designed to propel action on gender equality, including a youth-led stage. Sessions aligned with the Action Coalitions – the six most catalytic actions required to accelerate gender equality, including economic justice, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, impact of the climate emergency on women and girls, need for digital and technology inclusion, and support to feminist movements and leadership – are also a key component of the event agenda, as is the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action.
The Paris Forum is expected to draw over 40,000 virtual participants. Confirmed speakers across the three-day virtual event include President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates, Brazilian Rapper MC Soffia and Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway.
The Forum in Paris marks the launch of a five-year journey designed to accelerate gender equality and a turning point in the international community’s commitment towards women’s rights.
Winners of the comic and cartoon competition, “Generation Equality: Picture It!”
Date: Monday, June 28, 2021
UN Women—together with the European Commission, Belgium, France, Mexico, as well as in partnership with Cartooning for Peace—organized a global comic and cartoon competition to mark the 25th anniversary of the groundbreaking Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
More than 1200 young artists between 18 and 28 years old, from more than 120 countries, participated in the contest and submitted their cartoons to share their vision of #GenerationEquality. Finalists were selected by a jury composed of professional comic artists, high-level representatives and gender equality experts, and a youth activist.
This competition was an opportunity for young people around the world to raise their voices using art as a powerful and universal means of expression. The “Generation Equality: Picture It” competition was also the chance to become part of the global movement for gender equality in the context of the Generation Equality Forum, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of France and Mexico.
The comics of the finalists and semi-finalists will be virtually exhibited during the Forum in Paris, and more exhibitions around the world are expected in the second half of 2021. Stay tuned for more!
The winners are:
First Prize: Brice Tadé Tangou (Cameroon)
Second Prize: Hiroshi Reyes (Philippines)
Third Prizes:
Vivien Derkics (Hungary)
Baraka Lurhakwa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Femi Ogunsanmi (Nigeria)
The semi-finalists are:
Esther Aghotor (Nigeria)
Rika Asakawa (Japan)
Shari Avendaño Rojas (Venezuela)
Andrea Cabrera (Honduras)
Shirin Fatollahi (Islamic Republic of Iran)
Gabriela Leann Angeles (Philippines)
Noa Poljak (Croatia)
Mpho Tsuene (Lesotho)
First Prize
Brice Tadé Tangou, Cameroon
Tadé Tangou Brice, 22, is an architecture student at the École Nationale Supérieure des Travaux Publics in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Passionate about drawing since he was a child, he excelled in competitions since secondary school. While studying architecture, he continued to distinguish himself by winning silver (2018) and bronze (2019) medals in drawing at University. In January 2020, he designed the mascot for the CHAN Cameroon 2020 (African Nations Football Championship). In January 2021, he was one of the 5 designers selected for the Coca-Cola #Opentobetter illustration competition on the Talenthouse website.
About my cartoon: Perched above the world! Women and girls as actors and builders of an equal world over which they watch and deploy their full potential.
Why Generation Equality: #GenerationEquality reminds us of the important value of women’s and girls’ contribution to society when their rights are respected; it symbolizes a just, sharing world where everyone contributes to equality; it sets out the actions to be taken by all to achieve this. #GenerationEquality also represents the possibility for everyone to participate in different spheres of society without discriminatory barriers; #GenerationEquality is also the respect for gender equality in all areas. It means equal opportunities, the end of violence, harassment, and prejudice against women.
Contact:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ted.Ulty
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ted_ulty
Instagram: @ted_ulty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrSnYBF5grp1uX6diyL2rsA
Second Prize
Hiroshi Reyes, Philippines
Hiroshi Reyes was born in 2002 in Manila, Philippines and graduated his senior high school year at University of Perpetual Help. He’s currently studying Multimedia Arts at St. Dominic College of Asia. Growing up, Hiroshi always had a passion for the arts. He recalls the days his parents would get mad at him for drawing on the walls of their house, or when he would get caught doodling on his books by his teachers. Hiroshi has never won an art competition before but that didn’t stop him from submitting his drawing.
About my cartoon: The “damsel in distress” is an overused sexist trope against women. Women are just as capable of doing anything than men. Stereotypes also impact men, with for instance toxic masculinity. Men are always expected to be “big, strong and save the day”, when, in reality, they can be the ones who need saving.
Why Generation Equality: It means that my mom and my sister don’t have to worry about being harassed. It means that I do not have to worry about being the subject of toxic masculinity and it means that everyone—no matter race, gender, ethnicity, or religion are given equal opportunities!
Contact: Instagram: Smileforsho
Third Prizes
Vivien Derkics, Hungary
Vivien Derkics was born in 2001 in Szombathely, Hungary. She studied graphic design at an art school for 5 years and will soon begin her graduate studies at Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam where she will study advertising. Meanwhile, she does freelance work related to graphic design and illustration. So far, most of her projects focused on global issues and finding ways to communicate them via art. For this reason, the topic of gender equality was close to her heart and motivated her to participate in this competition.
About my cartoon: My cartoon illustrates women in power and decision-making. I believe that if we work together, we can create change and build a world in which we are proud to live.
Why #GenerationEquality: I believe Generation Equality should be the norm. However, unfortunately, today, we know that this is still not the case. I wish to live in a world where this question shouldn’t even need to arise. In my view, all humans are equal and deserve the same rights—this is how it should always have been.
Contact: Portfolio: https://www.vivienderkics.com/
Baraka Lurhakwa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Baraka Lurhakwa, alias Baraka Création, is a scriptwriter, illustrator, and graphic designer, born in 2000 in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Passionate about drawing, he drew his first comic book in 6th grade. In 2016, he launched a comic strip called Makasi, which tells the story of a disabled child forced to survive despite the discrimination he faces. In 2017, he obtained his state diploma in biochemistry but decided to focus on his artistic career. In 2019, he won the first prize in a drawing competition organised by the Red Cross. He is currently studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in the Visual Communication faculty in Goma.
About my cartoon: My drawing expresses the importance of freedom of decision and more specifically the right of women and girls to live free of violence. In my country, many women and girls are forced to marry men at an early age and without their consent. This must stop with my generation.
Why #GenerationEquality: All humans are born equal. The world needs Generation Equality to become aware and understand that every person, regardless of gender, has the right to enjoy the same rights. Sometimes, people say that to be a leader, you have to be a man. But when you analyse this statement, you realise that there is no logic to it: it is only a stereotype that has been perpetuated since our childhood. It is time to break from these stereotypes; and this is possible with Generation Equality. To me, Generation Equality means that there should be no more barriers because of gender.
Contact:
Facebook: Baraka Creation
Femi Ogunsanmi, Nigeria
Femi Philemon Ogunsanmi is an illustrator with five years of experience in graphic design and illustration. He was born in 1995 in Abuja, Nigeria and later moved to Lagos. He studied Sculpture at Yaba College of Technology, in Lagos, with special enthusiasm for digital sculpting. With his creative ideas, he won a competition in school that was sponsored by a reputable brand. Femi is presently the lead illustrator at Teesas EduTech Company in Lagos.
About my cartoon: Like the battery needs both terminals to function, every sphere of life needs to harness its human resources regardless of their gender, in order to reach maximum productivity.
Why #GenerationEquality: Every individual is designed with special abilities, gifts, and talents. Everyone, regardless of their gender, has the right to equal opportunity to make use of such abilities. Generation Equality is needed to fully harness the potential in every human for a better and productive society. I see Generation Equality as valuing every individual and giving them equal opportunities to make the most of their lives and abilities, as this would enhance growth and productivity in every sector.
Contact:
Portfolio: https://femiphil7.wixsite.com/illustration
Instagram: @strangestfemi
Semi-finalists
Esther Aghotor, Nigeria
Esther Aghotor is a self-taught artist based in Abuja, Nigeria. She holds a bachelor degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Ibadan. In her work, she shows the potentiality of females through temporal perspectives and discerning. She won the first prize award at the Olusegun Obasanjo Library National Art competition in 2013 for her artwork, The Face of Unity, interpreting the beauty of collaboration for development. She won the Next Rated Star Art prize in 2016 for her artworks “A Chance of Survival” and “Sign of a Victory”, focused on a better life for domestic violence victims.
About my cartoon: It enunciates the blindness and limitation embedded in gender chauvinism, and the apparent clarity and potential of gender collaboration, attainable only through empowerment of the genders, for equal representation in decision making and vision setting towards the development of a people or nation. Away from the typical late onset and one-sided agitation for gender equality, it is a depiction of the necessity for the balanced collaboration of the genders as a guarantee of success and achievability towards any vision.
Why #GenerationEquality: #GenerationEquality means a new people and mindset with no gender-biased perspective when it comes to opportunities, empowerment and development. Complementary between genders ensures a better balance for society. To reach equality, parents will need to equip girls and boys with the same confidence, skills and mindset in facing the world and make efforts to ensure equity in giving equal opportunities and resources. In addition, legal frameworks are needed to enforce equality and they should be implemented and monitored by authorities.
Contact:
Instagram: @kowho_
Rika Asakawa, Japan
Rika Asakawa is an illustrator and animator based in Tokyo, Japan. Using a set of skills ranging from comical to more serious styles, Rika has worked on projects for large audiences including children. Her work includes animations, card games, comics, book illustrations, wall paintings, and more. She has won multiple awards for cartoons from Japanese publishers and in the animation field. Rika’s recent caricature work on feminism in Japan was published in 2019 by the Courrier International. She was selected as an Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund member in 2021.
About my cartoon: Women’s participation in the world of work is challenging because of family duties and also because sometimes, older men do not leave their leadership positions and hold on tight. I wish they could take a look down to have a glimpse of reality.
Why #GenerationEquality: Japan’s social balance is highly biased in terms of gender and age. This inequality is greatly due to care responsibilities which burden women, such as housework, childcare, and childbirth. My mother was busy raising children and housework and therefore could not work. My father never helped with housework and childcare. I always thought that our environment and task distribution was natural. But as an adult, after seeing how women can manage their lives, I think my family’s example was probably not the best. For me, Generation Equality is to ensure women are able to work and have equal opportunities as men, regardless of their life paths and family-related decisions.
Contact:
Website: https://rika-asakawa.art/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rikarikari_a
Instagram: @rikaasakawa
Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/rikaasakawa
Shari Avendaño Rojas, Venezuela
Shari Avendaño (1995) is a Venezuelan journalist and illustrator. She graduated with honors from the School of Social Communication of the Universidad Central de Venezuela. She works as a reporter and fact-checker for the news portal Efecto Cocuyo (Venezuela) and has participated in the coverage of the economic crisis and human rights violations. She is a member of the Latin American Network of Young Journalists. As an illustrator, she has collaborated with news platforms and NGOs in Venezuela and Latin America.
About my cartoon: My cartoon is inspired by the people who helped me believe in myself and grow: my parents, teachers and trainers. However, the presence of parents and teachers in the girls’ lives is not enough, it also takes a lot of passion to inspire them to fly.
Why #GenerationEquality: In my view, Generation Equality symbolizes a future in which no family member, friend or colleague has been a victim of sexism. In particular, it is a future in which I feel respected when I go out on the street alone. We need Generation Equality so that justice prevails over nepotism in institutions, so that no girl or woman feels limited in their abilities and so that the voice of women is heard more and more in decision-making bodies.
Contact:
Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/shariavend8d69
Twitter: @shariavendano
Instagram: @shariavendano
Andrea Cabrera, Honduras
Andrea Cabrera is a designer and visual artist from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Since she was a child, she showed great interest and aptitude for art and always wanted to pursue a creative career. She obtained her bachelor in Fashion Design with a specialization in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, USA. She now does freelance artwork in her hometown and plans to continue her higher education.
About my cartoon: Equality is a job that must be done in unity.
Why #GenerationEquality: Often, when we speak about gender equality, there are negative reactions because people do not know what gender equality really is. Generation Equality is not about giving more benefits to one gender over the other. It is about equal opportunities we should have as capable human beings regardless of our gender. Gender inequality is a long-standing problem in which we have all participated, whether it is through sexist or stereotypical remarks or deliberately taking away opportunities from someone because of their gender. It is a problem that can be eradicated with time, education and by working together. We all deserve respect and equal opportunities, taking into account our strengths and abilities.
Contact:
Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/acartstudio, https://acabreraart.wixsite.com/home
Instagram: @acc.artstudio
Shirin Fatollahi, Islamic Republic of Iran
Shirin Fatollahi was born in 1994, in Qazvin, Iran. She considers herself as a hardworking, conscientious illustrator with an eye for detail. She first became interested in illustration after seeing her grandmother’s painting and since then, illustration has become her biggest passion. She has taken courses with the Iran Illustrator Society and continues to learn new skills. She works with pencil, gouache, acrylic and watercolor, as well as with Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Currently, she is working with child magazines and publications.
About my cartoon: We are all different but from the same palette.
Why #GenerationEquality: I strongly believe that women should benefit from the same opportunities than their male counterparts. Women have repeatedly proven that they are equal to men. They can multi-task and have taken up highly crucial tasks in the world. For instance, many women entrepreneurs have changed the world through their efforts and imagination. Women are strong - and not just meant to change babies’ nappies! Imagine a world with gender equality: there is no longer violence against women and sexual harassment, women can safely walk even in the darkest places. Men and women would enjoy equal opportunities and equal rights.
Contact:
Instagram: @Shirinfatollahii
Email: Shirinfatollahi[at]yahoo.com
Gabriela Leann Angeles, Philippines
Gabriela Leann Angeles, 19 years old, was born and raised in the Philippines. She lives with her family in the city of Bacoor, Cavite. Gabriela is currently in her second year of Bachelor in Multimedia Arts (BMMA), following her love, passion, and interest for arts, photography, editing, and media. The global pandemic brought new challenges to her studies as the skill-based multimedia arts program had to go virtual. Gabriela has won several awards in the field of photography and hopes to become a professional photographer, for fashion or product photography. She loves arts and creations and wants to continue developing different skills, including digital drawing and cartoon making.
About my cartoon: Grandma did not take martial art classes for nothing.
Why #GenerationEquality: Despite great progress for gender equality in our generation, there is still opposition, leading to injustice and discrimination. There are barriers holding women back and we should continue to push for generation equality, for a fair and humane system and society. Gender roles and norms are unfortunately still very present. But today, men, women, whatever gender or sexual orientation, are now standing strong, empowered, confident and bold, using their voices and platforms to speak up, fight for our rights and spread awareness. We all deserve to live in a generation where we have equality and justice. Let’s push to bring change in our society and system with legal reforms and let’s support organizations working for a generation equality.
Noa Poljak, Croatia
Noa Poljak, 22 years old, was born and raised in Zagreb, Croatia. After obtaining a diploma from a foundation program in design in Malta, her passion for design and art became clear. She is now enrolled in the bachelor programme in Design at the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb, Croatia. Living in different parts of Europe, she came to realize that even in the most developed regions of Europe, some movements are strongly lobbying for very conservative values, which are enabling oppression, injustice and discrimination against women. She wishes to actively take part into changing society and wants to push young people to speak up about gender equality.
About my cartoon: My illustration is focused on obstacles and pushbacks that women face when trying to advance their careers, show their achievements, and be equal to men. To equally succeed, women are expected to thrive more, be more persistent, have more knowledge, more skills and more patience than men. Their career paths and family lives are full of challenges and obstacles; therefore, I want to shine light on a problem that I have witnessed first-hand.
Why #GenerationEquality: Women are being discriminated in all aspects of public and private life, as a result of centuries dominated by men. It is urgent to improve women’s participation, redefine their roles in our societies, because the world is losing out on their potential, their power, their strengths. Progress can only be achieved if women are included in all their diversity. This is especially important for the young generation who has a unique chance to live in a world free of stereotypes, gender-based violence, prejudice, and discrimination. We, the young generation need to understand the causes of this injustice and join forces to make a change for a more equal world.
Contact:
Instagram: @noapoljak
Mpho Tsuene, Lesotho
Mpho Tsuene is a visual artist and fashion enthusiast, self-described as Afri-Artivist. Mpho wishes to stand up against gender inequality and African stereotypes through her art. She was born and raised in Lesotho, where she studied art in high school. She considers herself as a jack of all trades, obsessed with self-improvement but also enjoying new experiments and dabbling in different things.
About my cartoon: My cartoon promotes the harmonisation of home responsibilities for women and men. The young girl chases her future, and her father passes her the baton, a blessing to encourage her to go after her dreams.
Why #GenerationEquality: As an African woman who believes in gender equality, I think the next generation of women and girls deserve a better future. They deserve equal pay and an end to sexual harassment among many other things. The #GenerationEquality campaign gathers feminists to challenge societal norms that harm and limit women. The aim is for young girls to grow up in a future where they do not feel inferior, incapable and where they no longer have to fight to be heard or to be in decision-making rooms.
Contact:
Instagram: @afriartivist
The copyright for any drawing remains the property of the entrant. However, by submitting to the competition, entrants have granted permission to the organizing entities to use, distribute, reproduce, or otherwise utilize the drawing and the entrant’s name and city and state.
Generation Equality Forum: Feminist inspiration
Feminists and activists look ahead to the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, 30 June – 2 July
Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021
The Generation Equality Forum in Paris, from 30 June – 2 July, will bring together governments, feminist leaders, youth and change makers from around the world and every sector. This landmark moment will catalyze change, fuel investment and action for gender equality and strengthen global movements for women’s rights.
The Forum represents a critical moment to reverse rising inequalities exacerbated by COVID-19 and drive rapid acceleration in gender equality, leadership and opportunities for women and girls around the world. Inspired by the feminist movements that shaped the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 26 years ago, the Forum aims to fulfil and re-energize that agenda.
Convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, in partnership with youth and civil society, the Forum will also mark the beginning of a five-year action journey led by six Action Coalitions and a Compact on Women, Peace and Security, and Humanitarian Action.
Ahead of this pivotal moment for women’s rights, UN Women checked in with leading activists from around the world on what we can expect from the Generation Equality Forum, why they’re participating and what happens next.
Building upon the Beijing Platform for Action
Eugenia Lopez Uribe, Mexico
Champion of sexual and reproductive rights of women and youth in rural and urban marginalized areas
Eugenia Lopez Uribe. Photo: Jessica Salas Martínez
“The power of collective organizing from an intersectional and intergenerational approach is that it recognizes that, like a circle, we all have our place and our space in the construction of another world in which gender equality is a reality and patriarchy is left behind.
The Generation Equality Forum has to be an opportunity to dismantle the patriarchal system that has prevented advancement in the Beijing Platform of Action. We need to stop talking and start funding. We need to bring women in all their diversities and their lived experiences to the centre of the conversation, not as a symbol of individual struggles but as a commitment to fulfil the international human rights framework.
We cannot wait another 25 years to change the system that is ending the planet and that does not have the lives of women at the centre of our societies’ priorities.”
Charlotte Bunch, United States
Activist, writer, teacher and organizer in feminist social justice and human rights movements
Charlotte Bunch. Photo: Maker
“The Beijing Conference was the culmination of multiple efforts to establish women’s rights as critical to progress on development and peace, and to put issues as seen through women’s eyes on the global agenda. The Beijing Platform for Action was a high point in government commitment to women’s rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment; it also points us to why these issues are still critical to recovering from COVID-19 today.
Progress has been made in some areas, such as attention to gender-based violence. Diverse constituencies, such as indigenous, grass-roots, and Black women, lesbians and disability rights activists have become more vocal and visible in global debates. Yet, while many women’s lives have improved since Beijing, the gap between those who have benefited and those left behind has grown.
The last 26 years since Beijing have revealed the depth and complexity of the problems outlined there. Success at the Generation Equality Forum for me would be to see a significant acceleration of commitment by all sectors to equality through the Action Coalitions and other initiatives launched as part of this process.”
Urgent action for global equality
Laxman Belbase (Nepal) and Joni van de Sand (the Netherlands),
Co-Directors, MenEngage Global Alliance
Laxman Belbase. Photo: MenEngage Alliance
Joni van de Sand. MenEngage Alliance
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the gaping fault lines in our societies and institutions and even before and beyond this, we are witnessing a global surge in repressive, authoritarian governments and reactionary movements have increased their attacks on gender equality, women’s rights, and the rights of LGBTQI people, particularly those most marginalized.
Naming of the structural obstacles to realizing gender justice and women’s human rights is a necessary step in seizing the political opportunity presented by the Generation Equality Forum.
[The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the] rise in xenophobic nationalism, repression of political dissent and undermining of multilateral institutions. There’s ever-greater concentration of power in the hands of wealthy elites and the world’s richest corporations. At homes, the pandemic has exposed and exacerbated patriarchal dynamics, with a recorded surge in cases of men’s violence against women and children, and increased burden of care work borne by women and girls.”
Jhesmin L. Solis Peña, Bolivia
Activist for sexual and reproductive rights, indigenous peoples’ rights, women’s rights, and the rights of nature*
Jhesmin L. Solis Peña. Photo: Alvaro Jhonny Herrera Condori
“As a young, black and bisexual woman, I fight for a series of rights. One of the main elements that has kept me on this path has been believing in a better today, believing in a better tomorrow, and knowing that change is not only possible but inevitable.
In the run-up to the Forum, from my trenches, I have joined regional and global efforts to connect young activists and provide tools for political and social advocacy. Action has been urgent for a long time, but following COVID-19, the Forum is even more important – not only for humans, but for all beings that make up the world and on whom our existence depends.
We are aware that we cannot go back to living as before; we have to take that awareness to generate new [ways of living] that do not only concern the structural equality of opportunities, duties and work obligations, but also generate deeper changes… the way of working, the way of consuming, the way of generating.”
Chamathya Fernando, Sri Lanka
Youth activist and advocate against gender-based violence
Chamathya Fernando. Photo: Meghana Belavadi
“We are sure that we are the generation that will put a stop to this inequality. We want the change to happen today, not tomorrow, and definitely not in another 100 years.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and we are on the verge of losing years of progress made on achieving gender equality. Therefore, the Generation Equality Forum is happening at a time that is crucial for all of us. We must all come together and make decision-makers address our concerns and provide action-oriented solutions. The Forum is our chance to push for the gender equality agenda and accelerate the progress we wish to see in the next five years.
We must all hold each other accountable to deliver and monitor and evaluate to see how much progress we have made. Together we rise.”
Youth at the centre of change
Hawa Yoke, Sierra Leone
Environmental conservation, climate change and STEM activist
Hawa Yoke. Photo courtesy of Hawa Yoke
“To prepare Sierra Leonean youth to compete with their counterparts around the world, we need to shed light on issues that aren’t discussed in the Sierra Leonean context. The gender gap is significant here and not being talked about. Almost two-thirds of those working in STEM fields are men, and the country lags behind in technology. Meanwhile, the climate crisis is having a profound impact on the population, the majority of whom are dependent on agriculture for their survival.
The Generation Equality Forum is very important, especially for Sierra Leone and the wider Africa region, given the magnitude of inequality that pervades. My expectation for the Generation Equality Forum is that it will allow youth to take the lead in decision-making on issues that are affecting them. We must not only highlight challenges, but offer solutions, and our leaders need to be accountable to us.”
Satoko Yamaguchi
Champion for young women-led feminist movements
Satoko Yamaguchi. Photo courtesy of Satoko Yamaguchi
“The privileged and marginalized are experiencing the pandemic differently, and the gender gap is real – so many women have lost their jobs, students have been unable to continue their education or socialize with friends, and sex workers have been unable to access social security benefits. While Japan had a high suicidal rate even before the pandemic, since the outbreak, the rate has increased, with women and youth most affected. We cannot continue to rely on the conventional neo-liberalistic, neo-colonialistic and sexist systems; the Generation Equality Forum could potentially create momentum to transform the system, which is why it’s so important.
Intergenerational co-leadership is the only way to accelerate the momentum toward gender equality. Whether it’s feminist or women’s movements or policy making bodies, if you leave the youth and adolescents behind, the process and outcome is no longer inclusive and will fail to achieve gender equality for all.”
Ishanvi Malayanil, India and United States
Advocate for women’s participation in politics and leadership and gender-responsive legislation
Ishanvi Malayanil. Photo courtesy of Ishanvi Malayanil
“Action Coalitions are uniquely positioned in that they already have ample support and resources to create and lobby for true progress. Partnerships and collective action are the best ways to curate power in numbers and make progress towards women’s rights.
Many older stakeholders and legislators do not think our voice to be as important as theirs because of our age. [To other leaders and activists, I say], use your voice. Your voice is the most powerful thing you have. The Generation Equality Forum is open to the public for a reason, but unless you optimize your voice towards achieving your goals, the space will not be effective.
But do not occlude the space with simply your demands – listen. Listen to others’ needs, goals, and passions. At the Paris Forum, empathize and learn about other causes. Using your voice is meaningless if you do not take the time to listen to those around you and learn from them.”
Collective action for global good
Houry Geudelekian, Lebanon and the United States
Chair of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women and activist to end early and forced marriage
Houry Geudelekian. Photo: Russ Rowland
“It is important we work in a collaborative, transparent and shared leadership model, and to me collective action is exactly that, and anti-patriarchal too! It is time we crush patriarchy and rethink power dynamics in this world within its capitalistic and colonialist ways.
Intergenerational and intersectional dialogue is how we make sure that all parts of society are advancing together. We cannot claim victory or advancement in society if we are not bringing everyone along with us. As Fannie Lou Hammer said: “Nobody is free until everybody is free.”
Action Coalitions give us an opportunity to think, implement and hold each other accountable in new and exciting ways. The Forum and Generation Equality campaign will fast track achievements to address the issue of promises made and not implemented since the Beijing Platform for Action.
What the Generation Equality Forum and campaign, and consequently Action Coalitions can deliver is unique in format and ambition.”
Selin Ozunaldim, Turkey
Youth activist for gender equality and HeForShe Champion
Selin Ozunaldim. Photo courtesy of Selin Ozunaldim
“Partnerships and collective action can make a difference by being the key drivers and accelerators for the achievement of gender equality and intersectional justice worldwide. They serve an inspiration for future multilateral, multi-stakeholder and multi-generational processes by setting an example for providing a bold and transformative space that centers co-leadership, co-ownership and co-creation; they show us how to tap into the transformative power of youth by letting us co-lead and shape every part of the process.
Intergenerational dialogues explore pathways to gender equality. Unfortunately, many topics that were being discussed over a decade ago remain urgent issues today. Furthermore, because we are from different generations, we get to explore different ways of thinking, different expertise, and different lived-truths and experiences, which is refreshing and productive.”
* Bolivia is the only country in the world which grants all nature equal rights to humans through The Law of the Rights of Mother Earth.
Take five: “What is so exciting about the Generation Equality Forum is that it’s not just a three-day conference, it’s a five-year agenda”
Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, Canada. Photo: Global Affairs Canada
Karina Gould is Minister of International Development at the Government of Canada, Member of Parliament for Burlington city in Ontario, and Co-Chair of the COVAX Advance Market Commitment Engagement Group. She also represents the Generation Equality Forum Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, working to develop catalytic actions and commitments to advance gender equality. Gould’s action priority is ensuring that feminist leaders, movements and organizations are supported to carry out their work without fear of reprisal.
Why did the Government of Canada sign-up to play a leadership role in the Generation Equality Action Coalitions?
“What is so exciting about the Generation Equality Forum is that it’s not just a three-day conference, it’s a five-year agenda that asks us to actually commit and take action to achieve gender equality.”
Firstly, because we recognize how key the voices of feminist movements and feminist leaders are to advancing gender equality. Feminist organizations are on the frontlines in their communities as we have seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been supporting the poorest and most vulnerable, fighting and advocating to ensure that those dependent on services, such as women’s shelters, continue to have access. These are the people on the ground who are making change happen on a day-to-day basis, and we must support them.
Secondly, we see challenges and barriers to feminist movements and leadership that we want to help mitigate through our leadership role. A big challenge is funding. Less than 1 per cent of all gender-focused aid goes towards feminist organizations – we simply need more. Another serious challenge is the pushback against gender equality around the world. This makes supporting civil society and developing allyship and solidarity across countries even more important. The Action Coalition agenda is critical to ensure that we tackle these barriers and see real gains and progress.
What actions are you most excited to stand behind to advance and grow feminist movements?
Canada has invested CAD 300 million in the Equality Fund, which is a unique partnership between civil society, philanthropy and the private sector, providing long-term sustainable funding to women’s rights and feminist organizations around the world. We were really excited to see the Ford Foundation’s commitment to the Equality Fund at the Generation Equality Forum in Mexico and we hope that other donors will step up to support this important work.
At the Forum in Mexico, we also pledged CAD 10 million to the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. This is another great way we can support grassroots initiatives that are having a tangible impact in their communities. These actions change realities for people on the ground in a way that is led and guided by the individuals who are living there. I’m excited to see what other countries are going to be putting forward!
I understand you assumed this ministerial role in 2019 – what inspired you to take on leadership roles?
I was fortunate to be appointed parliamentary secretary to the then Minister of International Development, Marie-Claude Bibeau, in 2015. Minister Bibeau was a huge champion of gender equality. She put forward the Feminist International Assistance Policy, as well as created the Equality Fund and the Women’s Voices and Leadership Program, and I was able to support her in pushing this agenda forward. In November 2019, when the Prime Minister asked me to take on this position, I was obviously delighted to be able to carry on implementing our work. I was excited not just because I believe in equality as a proud feminist myself, but also because I know that when we advance gender equality, we advance everyone. Having women in leadership positions and having women with access to their full suite of rights has transformative possibilities, including addressing global inequalities and benefiting families, communities and societies.
“My #ActforEqual is ensuring that feminist leaders, movements and organizations are supported to carry out their work without fear of reprisal.”
My advice for women aspiring to lead in politics would be: know that you can do it. There are many very real barriers to getting involved in politics, be it financial or discriminatory. However, in many ways women have been conditioned to think that leadership roles are not for them, and that is not true. Women’s voices and young women’s voices are important. We need to put ourselves forward because it matters.
What solutions must we back to close the gender gap in leadership?
Women in all of their diversity need to see themselves represented in leadership positions. Those of us who are already holding leadership positions need to think about how we can open the door and hold it open to bring other women in. As well as increasing representation, we need to create environments that are enabling for women. I am the first woman in Canadian history to have a baby while holding a cabinet position. When I told the Prime Minister I was pregnant, he replied that we would make it work and demonstrate to other women that it is possible. That kind of leadership from our male allies creates the space and conditions for women to be successful.
What, for you, is an ideal outcome of the Generation Equality Forum?
Recognition that gender equality is a cross-cutting issue that has to be tackled in all aspects of our lives, economies, and political spheres. This goes hand in hand with recognizing that the work of each of the six thematic Action Coalitions is mutually reinforcing. The commitments made in each Action Coalition support the objectives of the others and this integrated approach is essential for progress.
My message to leaders convening at the Forum would be that we have to back words and commitments up with actions. It is one thing to say we are committed to gender equality, but it is another thing to demonstrate how we are going to achieve that. What is so exciting about the Generation Equality Forum is that it’s not just a three-day conference, it’s a five-year agenda that asks us to actually commit and take action to achieve gender equality. It is a really important opportunity – half the world is counting on us, so we need to get results!
Read more about the Action Coalitions here.
|
