Call for Action
Governments, civil society organizations, educational institutions, and individuals have to take action to actively support gender equality in leadership roles. This means advocating for fair hiring, equal pay, breaking barriers to career advancement, and encouraging women’s participation and representation in decision-making processes across all sectors.
Governments, legal institutions, international organizations, advocacy groups need to work towards legal equality for women globally, addressing issues like female genital mutilation and changing rape laws. This entails advocating for legal reforms and policies that protect women's rights and address issues such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual violence. It involves supporting organizations and initiatives that work towards legislative changes, raising awareness about legal inequalities, and promoting access to justice for women. Media organizations, journalists, media regulators, civil society groups, governments, and individuals need to support and defend independent and ethical journalism that uncovers truth, exposes corruption, and informs the public about important global issues. It involves promoting media literacy, and speaking out against misinformation and censorship. Governments, NGOs, community organizations, educators, law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers, and individuals are crucial actors should raise awareness about the prevalence and impact of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and harassment. Advocate for policies, support services, and cultural shifts that prevent violence, support survivors, and promote gender equality and respect in relationships and communities.
Main Outcomes
Importance of Women's Leadership in Conflict Resolution: The panel emphasised on the presence of more women in peace processes and conflict resolution.
Importance of Advocacy: The discussion underscored the significance of commitment to advocating for the rights of women and providing a voice for those who are oppressed, especially in regions affected by conflict.
Promoting Diversity through Female Participation: It is highlighted that embracing diversity, brought about by the participation of both genders, can contribute additional nuances to problem-solving and decision-making processes, ultimately enriching the outcomes.
Protection of Real Journalism:Preservation of independent and ethical journalism, ensuring access to accurate information, accountability of institutions, and informed public discourse on critical global issues.
Panel Discussion Summary
A panel discussion moderated by Huma Abedin explored the complexities of female leadership, focusing on key topics such as resilience in challenging environments, advocacy for equality, navigating leadership roles, and journalistic prowess. The panel discussed the increasing number of people in crisis and conflict worldwide, with over 114 million people displaced as of October. Huma Abedin addressed the challenges faced by women in today's world, highlighting the importance of women having a seat at the table, especially during times of war, misogyny, and a loss of women's rights. She also mentioned Yulia Navalny, who spoke about the importance of standing up for human rights and democracy, and President Zelensky who called for restoring a rules-based world order. She mentioned that she was part of a team that made a documentary called In her hands about Zarifa Ghafari’s life , which won an Emmy award, where she shared the story of her father's death by the Taliban and the courage and resilience she had to continue moving forward.Zarifa Ghafari, former mayor in Afghanistan, shared her experiences and challenges with the audience. Despite these challenges, Zarifa held a public position as a mayor and served her people and country. She believes that she has the courage to not give up and continue to fight for change.
Former Prime Minister of Moldova, Natalia Gavrilita, discusses Moldova's experience during the Ukrainian crisis in 2022 and emphasises the significant role played by female leaders in the country. Moldova, with women serving as both president and prime minister, demonstrated exceptional resilience during the conflict. She recounted the overwhelming influx of Ukrainian refugees into Moldova, detailing the nation's efforts to provide humanitarian support, solidarity lanes for Ukrainian goods, and structural reforms for energy resilience. Moreover, she underscored the ongoing threats to freedom, security, and prosperity, especially in the context of wars of aggression and dictatorial regimes. In the end, she called for international collaboration, particularly with strong female participation, to address challenges, and uphold the rules-based order.
Eva Maria, the Former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Estonia, emphasised that there is no premature path to peace. She also shared her personal experience in Kiev on February 24, 2022, when the war started. She hopes that democracies continue to pay attention to the evolution of the war and support Ukraine.
Actress and activist, Sharon Stone, discussed the importance of history and the role of women in shaping our world. She shared her experiences with death threats and the fear that comes with being a woman who believes others have value. Stone believes that the world has reached a point where we must question our identity and whether we will allow inequity to stand in our way of being human. She encouraged young women to be fearless and courageous, and to strive for equality and justice for all.
Founder and former chair of the Scottish Women's Association Tasmina Ahmed-sheikh OBE shared her journey through politics and the resilience she has experienced navigating complex political challenges. She emphasised the importance of women being in politics and the need for women to be bold, courageous, and resilient and believes that women together can move forward and make a difference in the fight for peace and change.
Board Chair of Women Moving Millions, Mona Sinha, who has changed 85 laws around the world, discussed the success of her organization in Zambia, where female genital mutilation was legal. Mona Sinha believes that legal equality for women is crucial for longevity and ensuring recourse in times of conflict. She highlighted the importance of equal participation and rights for women, as it could increase the world's GDP by 28 trillion dollars. Sinha also works on changing rape laws, such as the one in Bolivia, which has opened up the entire Latin American region. She addressed the role of AI in the digital space and the rise of sexual violence. Sinha has launched 10 principles to manage the digital world for good and not harm. Sinha urged men to share their power and joy, and to ensure a peaceful world when women lead and have equal rights rooted in the legal systems.
Journalist Ann Curry discussed the importance of journalism in exposing the truth about the world and its suffering. She shared her experience of reporting at a refugee camp for Darfurian refugees. Curry believed that real journalism should be protected and that it should pay attention to what truly matters in the world.
The panellists discussed their hopes for the next generation of women leaders, encouraging purposeful living, empathy, and breaking gender stereotypes. Natalia expressed her hope that the next generation, including men brought by strong and powerful women, will accept female leadership as a normal part of life. Zarifa shared her hope for her daughter to be a leader for her generation and to teach her to be bold, frank, clear, and strong. Sharon Stone mentions that she has had a series of influential women in her life, including Betty Williams, who won the Nobel prize for the 1,000 Mothers March. Mona Sinha stated that women can be both humble and visible, and embodying humility and being visible can make them more powerful in bringing others along. Ann Curry emphasised the importance of discerning between information that truly matters and distractions in a world filled with overwhelming data. Sharon Stone reflected on the value of love and empathy in leadership, while Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh OBE advises young women to continue pursuing their goals despite challenges. The conversation touches on gender-based violence, with Eva Maria highlighting the need to address this issue.