Countries across the globe need to work harder to close the existing gender gaps according to deliberations at the ongoing Women Deliver 2023 Conference (WD2023) being held in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
“Across the globe, women remain vulnerable to various forms of injustice,” President Paul Kagame of Rwanda said in his opening remarks at the gathering.
The Rwandan leader noted, “In recent decades, there have been meaningful results in closing the gap between women and men, in terms of opportunity and achievement.”
Kagame argues that Commitments which are not followed by action, “cannot fulfill our promise to build a more just, equitable, and prosperous future for the generations that follow us.”
According to recent studies, it could take more than a century to achieve gender equality targets at current rate of progress.“We must challenge ourselves to do things differently and with a sense of urgency.”
The forum running from 17-20 July is being held under the theme; ‘ Spaces, Solidarity, and Solutions’. It als seeks to enable inclusive and co-created spaces that foster solidarity for sustainable solutions on gender equality.
According to organisers the objectives of this forum include; Catalyzing Collective Action to Advance Gender Equality, Holding Leaders Accountable, Empowering the Feminist Movement, Re-framing Who Leads, and Creating Space.
Available data shows that over 6,000 people including a virtual attendance of more than 200,000 online are attending this prestigious conference.
As one of the largest multi-sectoral convenings to advance gender equality, the Women Deliver 2023 Conference and Global Dialogue are co-created by grassroots advocates, multilateral governments, the private sector, philanthropies, and youth, including from and representing communities facing systemic discrimination.
During the course of this conference, organisers say that with sexual and reproductive health and rights at the core, the conference seeks to center intersectional feminist principles, to address compounding issues impacting girls and women — from climate change, to gender-based violence, to unpaid care work — and collectively identify and action evidence-based solutions.
This conference also seeks to enhance collective power by championing the leadership of grassroots advocates, connecting advocates with decision-makers, and sharing key advocacy strategies.
Delegates seek to come together to break barriers, address challenges, and identify opportunities to advance gender equality and improve the well-being of girls and women, in all their intersecting identities.
