First Virtual Townhall Meeting Action Coalitions

Overview and next steps
11 June 2020

1. Overview of the first Action Coalitions Town Hall meeting

The first Action Coalitions Town Hall meeting brought together multiple voices, different perspectives, and a common sense of urgency to advance gender equality in a critical global context. The Town Hall was a meaningful moment that launched an inspiring sharing of experience and insights across the leaders and reflected diversity as a key principle (5 different regions of the world were represented).

Participants emphasized the crucial need for an innovative, collective and inclusive platform to address the structural inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. They welcomed the opportunity to be part of leading an Action Coalition, as a vehicle to drive transformative action. In this sense, one participant highlighted that “the goals set by the Generation Equality Forum appear crucial now more than ever, to address the structural barriers to gender equality”. 

Many leaders at the virtual Town Hall contributed interventions which articulated their willingness to be actively engaged in the design of the Action Coalition Blueprints. One leader highlighted that they will: “put [our ] institutional weight to make Generation Equality that game changing force for women and girls that we have just been hearing about”, and another that they will “commit with each and every one in making the Gender Equality Forum a success in the name of the millions of women and girls around the world.” 

Participants in the Town Hall meeting reflected on their unique role as leaders of the Action Coalitions and shared the high “sense of responsibility” many are feeling, particularly in terms of representing “[all] the constituencies that are putting faith in us”. 

Voices also called for inclusive, intergenerational, and inter-regional Action Coalitions. In this respect, the representative of the Beijing+25 Youth Task Force reminded the Town Hall participants that their contribution is necessary, adding that “[They] are Generation Equality, realizing women’s rights and goals for an equal future.” 

Finally, leaders shared their perspectives on the key barriers to gender equality in each of the six Action Coalition themes, including for example: digital gaps, unpaid care, access to land and productive resources, gender bias, entrenched norms and stereotypes.

2. Public announcement of the Leadership Structures 

The Virtual Town Hall gathering was a momentous opportunity for emergent leaders to connect and generate positive energy on the opportunity that lies ahead in building a clear pathway of concrete results on gender equality. 

Many leaders are keen to ‘officially’ announce their role in the Generation Equality Action Coalition Leadership Structures. In service of this ambition, UN Women will provide a global communique to publicly announce the Leadership Structures on 01 July 2020. This will be disseminated through digital media and in three languages (English, French, Spanish). 

Leaders of the Action Coalitions will be provided with information and communication materials in advance and will be requested to actively contribute to this first important communication around the Action Coalitions’ Leadership Structures. We eagerly hope that you will take the opportunity to activate each of your on-line platforms to shout-out about your positive energy in leading a Generation Equality Action Coalition!

3. Upcoming steps: co-design of the Action Coalitions’ Blueprints 

Technical discussions to shape the Action Coalitions’ Blueprints will be held between July 2020 and October 2020. 

During these virtual workshops, the Action Coalitions’ leaders will be invited to: i) set the methodological approach and values for design of Action Coalitions’ blueprints and discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the theme (first workshop); ii) discuss and agree on the overarching vision, and set of priority actions (second and third workshop); iii) discuss and agree on key measures of success for each of the defined actions (fourth workshop). 

Specific detail regarding the agenda and preparation for participation at the first virtual workshop will be shared in advance. Technical documents including an assessment of the impact of COVID on each Action Coalition theme; a landscape analysis; and inputs from the Paris Design Sprint held in February 2020, will be shared in advance of the workshops, alongside other supporting documents to equip leaders to prepare for the meetings. 

Additional detail will be forthcoming regarding the operational logistics and leadership representation at the mini-virtual workshops. Should you have questions, further information can be provided upon request to the Action Coalition Secretariat (actioncoalitions@unwomen.org).