Generation Equality Forum: how to shift power for a gender-just world

While the #GenerationEquality Forum will be a rallying point for the world’s feminists and women’s rights movements, and more inclusive of civil society and intersectional concerns than ever, it is worth recognising the laudable ambition but clearly stretched aspirations given present global constraints. Evidence indicates that at the current pace of change, a worldwide gender-just social order is still far off. Invisible everyday barriers to transformation – such as those explored in ALIGN’s flagship research: How norms change, act as breaks on the momentum of transformation.

Over 25 years on from Beijing, true sustained progress on delivering gender justice remains a momentous challenge. According to the UN itself, while women have made some strides, the pattern of change for different regions ‘has been unacceptably slow with stagnation and even regress in some contexts.’ Gender based discrimination is a global phenomenon. One that is deeply rooted and entangled in other historical systems of power which continue to unequally distribute basic rights, freedoms, assets and resources, dignity, justice, and livelihood opportunities between peoples and continents.