News

What is Towards Equality?

From health to the economy, security to social protection, the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have been exacerbated for women and girls. Preexisting inequalities have been greatly amplified on various levels: work, mental and physical health, childcare, violence against women, just to name a few, and could have set gender equality back decades, according to experts. But rather than being the root cause, Covid-19 has in fact aggravated and made visible long-standing gender inequalities in all regions of the world. Inequalities that more than ever weigh on our societies’ ability to face tomorrow’s challenges.

Ensuring through concrete actions and initiatives equal access to education, health care and opportunities in all sectors of the economy and professional fields, including those in decision-making positions, for all girls and women, is not only a duty but could help build a more inclusive and altogether better world.

On June 18, 15 international news outlets will highlight the challenges and solutions to reach gender equality and build stronger societies. Women, men, representatives of the civil society or public institutions, innovators or change makers, leading experts or renowned gender equality figures will also join forces during a 2-hour live broadcast and through a social media campaign #TowardsEquality. A short video by Anastasia Mikova, co-director of the beautiful documentary ‘Woman’, will help further amplify their voices. 

This unique editorial collaboration will take place just a few days before the Generation Equality Forum (June 30-July 2), held by UN Women and the French government , that will bring together governments, corporations and change makers from around the world to define and announce ambitious investments and policies. 

The media,  given its wide reach and influence, is a key lever in bringing these issues, as well as solutions addressing these issues, to the attention of the general public. But we will not stop here, and will take the topic of gender equality beyond the news pages to social media platforms used by so many today.

URL:

https://en.unesco.org/news/towards-equality-join-live-more-incluisive-world