WASHINGTON DC | September 15, 2022 – On the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) and The Rockefeller Foundation released key recommendations from political, nonprofit, and business leaders to advance gender equity.
Women leaders, including current and former heads of state, warn that “the rights of women and girls around the world are threatened; this moment of crisis requires us to both hold the line and continue to advance gender equality with cohesion and resolve.”
In a call for urgent action on gender equity, they state that “women’s progress is not a zero-sum game. It is a fundamental precursor to economic productivity, peace, and prosperity.”
The women leaders offer guidance for accelerated progress based on a 2022 Global Women Leaders Summit at The Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center in Italy – documented in summary briefings . The 2022 Global Women Leaders Summit was chaired by Secretary Hillary Clinton and organized by The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and The Rockefeller Foundation.
Key recommendations to support women’s leadership amidst democratic pushback, and the need for inclusive climate action and the development agenda include:
- Fostering conditions for women political leaders to succeed, including by establishing support networks for women political leaders and heads of State to equip them with strategies for navigating pushback. Women leaders should use their platforms to elevate other women leaders’ successes and call out attacks.
- Catalyzing private sector action for inclusive climate financing. Governments, businesses, foundations, and civil society should establish a climate financing regime that increases access to capital for women’s organizations working in climate adaptation and resilience (including sustainable models in energy farming, solar fields, clean cookstoves, and mini grids). Corporate carbon offsets can be targeted to women-led organizations and local climate leaders, and support developing countries in their clean energy transition.
- Promoting women’s leadership in all levels of climate action. Governments should ensure gender parity in all levels of climate change decision making, including COP delegations and high-level negotiations. Policymakers should engage women in the design, delivery, and assessment of inclusive climate interventions, particularly in renewable energy, land ownership and tenure, and sustainable natural resource management. This includes partnering with local women-led initiatives to identify needs and provide access to technology, trainings, and support networks.
- Systematizing gender-responsive conflict and crisis responses. Governments and international organizations should center women in the design and execution of humanitarian aid and recovery efforts. Women are essential to effective aid delivery and should be both leaders and beneficiaries of crisis response.
“We are fortunate to have the participation and insights from trailblazing women who’ve spent decades advancing progress for women and girls,” said Ambassador Melanne Verveer, executive director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. “At this critical time, we look forward to partnering with The Rockefeller Foundation to bring some of these ideas to life in subsequent programming.”
This work is supported as part of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Connected Leaders Platform (CLP) which supports breakthrough solutions and collective action. The CLP attracts leaders, facilitates connections, and supports integration of the network’s resources, skills, and perspectives to drive major change.
“The Rockefeller Foundation has a proud history of connecting amazing leaders and helping them change the world. With its bold goal of ending gender injustice once and for all, the Global Women Leaders Summit will be remembered as a meeting where trailblazing leaders realized a turning point in building a more equitable future,” said Zia Khan, Senior Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation.
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About The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security (GIWPS)
Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace & Security seeks to promote a more stable, peaceful, and just world by focusing on the important role women play in preventing conflict and building peace, growing economies, and addressing global threats like climate change and violent extremism. We engage in rigorous research, host global convenings, advance strategic partnerships, and nurture the next generation of leaders. Housed within the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown, the Institute is headed by the former U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at giwps.georgetown.edu and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @giwps and Instagram @georgetown_wps.
Media Contact
Sarah Rutherford
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sarah.rutherford@georgetown.edu
About The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We work to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal and sustainable. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to health care and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.
Media Contact
Wyatt Goodwin
+1 212 852 0000
wgoodwin@rockfound.org