IGC Statement: A milestone year for gender equality – renewed commitment, expanded horizons

Inspired by the UN Secretary-General’s “Clarion Call for Gender Equality” issued at the Opening of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, we, as International Gender Champions, reaffirm our commitment to break down gender barriers and promote gender equality and diversity at this critical time.

This is a year of milestones marking international commitments for gender equality: the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, and 10 years of Sustainable Development Goal 5. It is also the IGC’s own 10-year anniversary, where we recognise and celebrate over 800 leaders who have made personal and collective commitments to drive change within their spheres of influence and make human dignity and equal opportunity for all not just an aspiration, but a reality.

Anniversaries serve as powerful reminders of the progress we have made, but they also encourage us to reflect on the urgent work ahead and the courageous and creative leadership needed to prevent regress and ensure a peaceful, inclusive, sustainable and prosperous future. Going forward, we seek to unite our diverse expertise, resources, and perspectives, and strengthen collaboration amongst our over 330 active Champions – as well as welcoming new Champions, particularly from the private sector. Now is the moment to leverage social and technical innovations to push past incremental gains and drive much-needed progress. Guided by our core IGC values – trust, respect, fairness, and understanding – we continue to build safer, more equitable workplaces and communities.

SIGNATORIES

• • Cary Adams, Chief Executive Officer, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)

• • H.E. Ambassador Hugh Adsett, Ambassador of Canada to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Embassy of Canada to the Netherlands

• • H.E. Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York

• • Analisa Leonor Balares, CEO, Womensphere Global Institute and Humansphere Foundation

• • H.E. Ambassador Ian Biggs, Ambassador, Australian Embassy to Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovakia & Slovenia and Permanent Mission to the IAEA, UNODC, CTBTO, UNOOSA & OSCE

• • Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union

• • H.E. Ambassador Sylvie Bollini, Ambassador, Permanent Observer, Permanent Delegation of the Council of Europe to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

• • Sameer Chauhan, Director, United Nations International Computing Centre

• • Nathalie Chuard, Director, Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)

• • Martin Chungong, Secretary General, Inter-Parliamentary Union and Chair of the IGC Global Board

• • H.E. Ambassador Ferran Costa, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Principality of Andorra to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

• • H.E. Ambassador Randolph De Battista, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Malta to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

• • Catherine de Bolle, Executive Director, Europol

• • Esther Dingemans, Executive Director, Global Survivors Fund and Founding Director, Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation

• • H.E. Ambassador Christian Guillermet Fernández, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva

• • H.E. Ambassador Greg French, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Embassy of Australia in the Netherlands

• • Ambassador Nikola Gillhoff, Former Chargée d‘affaires, Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva

• • H.E. Ambassador Mirko Giulietti, Swiss Ambassador to Kenya, Eritrea, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda, Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya

• • Dr. Thomas Greminger, Director, Geneva Center for Security Policy

• • H.E. Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, EU Delegation to the UN in New York

• • H.E. Ambassador James Larsen, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations in New York

• • H.E. Ambassador Jürg Lauber, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations in Geneva

• • Phil Lynch, Executive Director, International Service for Human Rights

• • H.E. Ambassador Christophe Payot, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations Office and specialised institutions in Geneva

• • Tijmen Rooseboom, Executive Director, Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

• • Magdalena Sepúlveda, Director, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)

• • Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

• • Alix Vuillemin, Executive Director, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice

• • H.E. Ambassador Matthew Wilson, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

• Roger Yates, Former Regional Director, East and Southern Africa and the Middle East, Plan International

Read the statement here: IGC Statement: A Milestone Year for Gender Equality – Renewed Commitment, Expanded Horizons