The Generation Equality Forum will be held in Paris from June 30 to July 2

The Generation Equality Forum is jointly presided by France and Mexico, and will be the biggest event in the world in favour of gender equality since the Beijing Conference in 1995. The Forum will be held from 30 June to 2nd July in Paris and aims at taking a series of practical, ambitious and sustainable commitments for gender equality.

“Defend the rights of women through action” is the objective of the Generation Equality Forum, an international event for gender equality throughout the world, and the most important in the last 25 years. The Forum is organised at the initiative of the UN Women, and co-chaired by France and Mexico.

After a launch in Mexico on 29 March attended by over 13,000 people from 85 countries, the Paris Forum will be the operational time of this event. According to the website of the French government supporting the event, the forum should design “a series of practical, ambitious and transformative actions to immediately and sustainably reach the objectives in favour of gender equality”.

An acceleration plan at global scale

Bringing together many heads of state and government, international organisations, but also representatives of civil society, youth and the private sector, the Generation Equality Forum is presented as the basis for a new “global acceleration plan” for gender equality. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality, adopted at the 4th UN World Conference 25 years ago, was “the most comprehensive framework for achieving women's empowerment and gender equality to date”. It was therefore time to “build a new Generation Equality together”!

More precisely, as the joint UN-France press release presenting the event points out, it will be a question of giving “girls equal access to education”, allowing “women to freely dispose of their bodies” and ensuring that “women and men benefit from the same economic and social opportunities”.

Six coalitions of actions

With the compliance with all health requirements in mind, the Forum will take the form of a hybrid and multifaceted event, with two highlights:

- an in-situ opening ceremony with the French President;

- a digital platform encouraging all forms of participation, open for three days, to present 90 events with contributions from 500 personalities. 

The objective will be to achieve “intergenerational, multi-stakeholder and sustainable partnerships” that will encourage “commitment and action at global scale” on these critical equality issues.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that six coalitions of action, identified by UN Women in collaboration with civil society, France and Mexico, will be launched. These “coalitions of actions” include:

- the fight against gender-based violence;

- justice and economic rights;

- bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights;

- feminist action for climate justice;

- the development of technologies and innovations for equality;

- support for feminist movements and leadership.

Note that following the Generation Equality Forum, a “follow-up mechanism” to the UN Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Agenda will be initiated, which will “complement and create synergies” with the six coalitions of action agreed at the Generation Equality Forum.

To know more: 

- Generation Equality Forum website

- Forum registration website

- Follow Generation Equality Forum on social media: @GenEgaliteFR (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and “Generation Equality Forum” (LinkedIn et Youtube)