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Ailyn Agonia
DOHA
The embassies of Mexico and France in Doha hosted a press conference on Monday on the occasion of International Women’s Day to introduce the Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France.
The event, which will kick off in Mexico City in a virtual format from March 29 to 31 and culminate in Paris in June, will bring together states, international organisations, the civil society and the private sector in a cross-regional setting and multi-stakeholder approach.
“This forum is taking place 26 years after the adoption of the Beijing Plan of Action, which is still considered the most ambitious programme regarding equality between men and women and for women’s rights. So far, many progress have been made, but much more needs to be achieved. We are in a crucial moment, when the sanitary crisis has even increased inequalities. Women have suffered more significantly from this crisis, but they were at the same time front-liners in dealing with it. The Generation Equality Forum is taking place in this particular context,” said French Ambassador to Qatar HE Franck Gellet.
The French envoy said strong measures and ambitious actions are to be expected during the forum on six main areas: gender-based violence; economic justice and rights; technologies and innovation in favour of the rights of women; feminist action for climate justice; sexual and reproductive rights; and women leadership. He added that the forum will also shed light on actions of women in the areas of sports and culture.
Ambassador of Mexico to Qatar HE Graciela Gomez Garcia added that the forum is a call to action aimed at bringing together all key players and stakeholders including the youth. She stressed that bringing in different voices ensures that it is not just another conversation among global leaders but a platform driven by people who are more directly affected by the issues.
“Sadly, not one single country has achieved full gender equality. This is why France and Mexico, together with the UN, are working together in this initiative aiming to contribute and to support initiatives across the world. We also praise the international cooperation sponsored by Qatar in the developing world to make sure that nobody, boy or girl, is left behind. In Generation Equality Forum, we believe in the power of team work; we believe in collaboration. We want to learn from what is happening in Qatar and we want to listen to its movers and shakers. We want to bring their voices and their good practices to the world. We want to join them in telling their stories so that everybody can be more aware of the important changes taking place in Qatar,” said Ambassador Gomez Garcia.
Anna Paolini, director at UNESCO Regional Office in Doha and UNESCO Representative in the Arab States and the Gulf and Yemen, added that the forum is a landmark effort to define and announce ambitious investments and policies. She said, “The result will be a permanent acceleration in equality, leadership and opportunity for women and girls worldwide. The Generation Equality Forum will also fuel a powerful and lasting coalition for gender equality. It presents a vital moment for activists, feminists, youth and alike to achieve a transformative change for generation to come.”
The UN official said Qatar is one of the very few countries embarking on a third round of voluntary report on its progress against achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will be presented in July as a side event of the high-level political forum.
Paolini said, “The seven UN agencies in the country stand ready to support the government in reporting not only what it has achieved but also the challenges it recognises. As UN, it is our duty to pick up the challenges and to do whatever is possible for them to overcome these goals for all the SDGs including gender equality.”
DOHA
The embassies of Mexico and France in Doha hosted a press conference on Monday on the occasion of International Women’s Day to introduce the Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France.
The event, which will kick off in Mexico City in a virtual format from March 29 to 31 and culminate in Paris in June, will bring together states, international organisations, the civil society and the private sector in a cross-regional setting and multi-stakeholder approach.
“This forum is taking place 26 years after the adoption of the Beijing Plan of Action, which is still considered the most ambitious programme regarding equality between men and women and for women’s rights. So far, many progress have been made, but much more needs to be achieved. We are in a crucial moment, when the sanitary crisis has even increased inequalities. Women have suffered more significantly from this crisis, but they were at the same time front-liners in dealing with it. The Generation Equality Forum is taking place in this particular context,” said French Ambassador to Qatar HE Franck Gellet.
The French envoy said strong measures and ambitious actions are to be expected during the forum on six main areas: gender-based violence; economic justice and rights; technologies and innovation in favour of the rights of women; feminist action for climate justice; sexual and reproductive rights; and women leadership. He added that the forum will also shed light on actions of women in the areas of sports and culture.
Ambassador of Mexico to Qatar HE Graciela Gomez Garcia added that the forum is a call to action aimed at bringing together all key players and stakeholders including the youth. She stressed that bringing in different voices ensures that it is not just another conversation among global leaders but a platform driven by people who are more directly affected by the issues.
“Sadly, not one single country has achieved full gender equality. This is why France and Mexico, together with the UN, are working together in this initiative aiming to contribute and to support initiatives across the world. We also praise the international cooperation sponsored by Qatar in the developing world to make sure that nobody, boy or girl, is left behind. In Generation Equality Forum, we believe in the power of team work; we believe in collaboration. We want to learn from what is happening in Qatar and we want to listen to its movers and shakers. We want to bring their voices and their good practices to the world. We want to join them in telling their stories so that everybody can be more aware of the important changes taking place in Qatar,” said Ambassador Gomez Garcia.
Anna Paolini, director at UNESCO Regional Office in Doha and UNESCO Representative in the Arab States and the Gulf and Yemen, added that the forum is a landmark effort to define and announce ambitious investments and policies. She said, “The result will be a permanent acceleration in equality, leadership and opportunity for women and girls worldwide. The Generation Equality Forum will also fuel a powerful and lasting coalition for gender equality. It presents a vital moment for activists, feminists, youth and alike to achieve a transformative change for generation to come.”
The UN official said Qatar is one of the very few countries embarking on a third round of voluntary report on its progress against achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will be presented in July as a side event of the high-level political forum.
Paolini said, “The seven UN agencies in the country stand ready to support the government in reporting not only what it has achieved but also the challenges it recognises. As UN, it is our duty to pick up the challenges and to do whatever is possible for them to overcome these goals for all the SDGs including gender equality.”
