Thematic Tracks

The Forum agenda will be built around four daily thematic tracks: 

• Making economies work for women: skills, jobs, and care
• Quality infrastructure for gender equality 
• Empowering women through climate action
• New Frontiers for gender equality: social contract and good governance

Day 1, 22 November
Making economies work for women: skills, jobs, and care

Women face many challenges which prevent their full integration in the global economy: limited access to education and skills training, gender wage gaps, and unequal distribution of domestic care work. Even when they participate in the labor force, this does not automatically lead to a reduction in gender-based inequalities. Yet, women’s economic empowerment boosts productivity, increases economic diversification and income equality, in addition to other positive development outcomes. 

Sessions under this track will highlight the importance of investing in STEM education for girls, women’s entrepreneurship, actions to reduce women’s care work, and maximizing women’s participation in the future of work.

Day 2, 23 November
Quality infrastructure for gender equality

There is a tendency to focus on the physical and visible aspects of infrastructure, yet, there are many invisible elements of infrastructure that are often overlooked and have implications for gender inclusion. Infrastructure which neglects to consider the needs of women and girls impedes their equal access to critical resources such as clean water, health and sanitation services, and digital communications technology. Further constraints on women and girls are placed by their unequal access to intra-urban mobility, threats to their personal safety and security, and lack of representation in formal structures of urban governance.

Key aspects under this theme will focus on redesigning cities to include women, improving women’s access and use of transport, and digital technology for women. Speakers will share insights on how urban development initiatives can ensure gender equal access to infrastructure services, and approaches that include women in the decision making for urban issues affecting their livelihoods and environment.

Day 3, 24 November
Empowering women through climate action

Climate action and a just transition can be a force for gender transformative change. Evidence shows that in countries with high levels of gender inequality, there is also higher vulnerability to the negative impacts of climate change. Climate extremes degrade ecosystems and place heavy burdens on women and girls, limiting their opportunities for education and income generation, and increasing their exposure to gender-based violence. Effective climate change adaptation takes place when social drivers of vulnerability are addressed. 

Discussions under this theme will include innovative approaches to gender responsive climate finance, developing gender responsive nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and supporting women’s participation in the renewable energy transition. With growing levels of investment in renewable energy there is great potential to bring women and female entrepreneurs into the sector, but this can only happen with dedicated attention to building women’s skills, addressing gender norms, providing women with finance, and changing policies that present barriers to women to fully participate in the energy sector. 

Day 4, 25 November
New frontiers for gender equality

What is required to redesign a social contract that addresses existing gender inequalities and supports a future of shared prosperity? Globally, women have longer life expectancy than men, yet they receive 30-40 percent less in pensions compared to men. This is the result of a lifetime of economic and social inequality, the gender wage gap, taking more time off than men from the workforce to raise children and support their families, and their concentration in the informal economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on gender-based violence and made evident that the paid and unpaid work women do is key to keeping our societies and economies functioning. The pervasiveness of gender-based violence and widespread reliance on women’s unpaid care work is unjust and unsustainable.

Sessions under this theme will delve into how redesigning a new social contract can addresses existing gender inequalities and support women in the labor market, encourage men to take on care responsibilities, and how tax and pension systems can better support women not to grow old in poverty. Key aspects under this topic may include public policy to transform gender norms which discriminate against women and girls, gender-responsive taxation, and enhancing social protection for ageing women.

Format

The Forum will include these types of sessions:

• Spotlight Sessions will focus on new ideas, data, research, and innovation to advance gender equality.
• Good Practice Panels will highlight challenges, successes, and lessons learned when implementing gender mainstreaming initiatives.
• Knowledge Labs are interactive sessions with practical tools on how to turn policy into action on gender equality.
• Special Sessions: 
  • Day 1:  High-level Opening Session to set the scene.
  • Day 4: IDEVAW Side Event to commemorate the International Day to Eliminate All Forms of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW), and a Closing Session to recap and feature key highlights of the Forum discussions.