World news story

What will you do? Bringing action to the gender equality debate

Join us on 16 June for the Gender Equality side event to the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council.

The Power of Empowered Women 2016 gender equality side event at the Palais des Nations, 16 June.

The Power of Empowered Women 2016, in collaboration with Geneva Gender Champions and Barbershop.

With the possibility that the UN could, for the first time in its history, appoint a woman as Secretary General, this year’s Women’s Rights Day on 16 June at the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council is a significant chance to demonstrate that, when it comes to gender equality, everyone has a part to play.

The Group of Women Ambassadors to the United Nations in Geneva, in collaboration with Geneva Gender Champions and the Barbershop Initiative, have come together for the Power of Empowered Women 2016: Gender Equality: what will you do?

The aim of the event is to inspire individual action, making everyone an agent of change. The event will bring together international leaders including, The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UK Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Baroness Anelay, the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Martin Chungong, and the Australian Ambassador for Women and Girls, Natasha Stott Despoja. Promising vibrant debate and live theatre, June 16 will offer the opportunity to make personal commitments to furthering gender equality.

In addition, there will be an announcement about a new internship programme to enable young women from Africa to pursue a internships in Geneva, the YWCA will be presenting the Youth ‘Declaration to the UN Human Rights Council’, and the event will all be expertly moderated by the BBC’s Geneva correspondent, Imogen Foulkes.

You can ask the panelists a question and make a personal commitment to making gender equality a reality by posting on Twitter using #PoEW. Commit to being a male ally or a female mentor for women in the workplace or perhaps you’ll be sure not to assume that that childcare is only a woman’s responsibility? We look forward to hearing what you will do.

The event is open to everyone. Those without a UN pass are asked to register here for the event by 2pm Monday 13 June.

Room XVIII, Palais des Nations Geneva

Follow the event at @UKMissionGeneva and #PoEW.

Follow the event live on the UK Mission to the UN Geneva Facebook page.

Published 9 June 2016