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The regional event on “Advancing Generation Equality Forum Commitments in the Europe and Central Asia: Action Coalition #5 on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality" is jointly organized by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (UN Women) and by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in partnership with the United Nations (UN) Regional Issue-Based Coalition on Gender Equality (IBC-GE). It will take place virtually on Monday, 4 July 2022 from 09:00 to 11:40 CEST.
The regional event will be held within the framework of the regional series on the Generation Equality Forums (GEF) and in support of the priorities of the Action Coalition (AC) on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality (AC TIGE), co-led by ITU and UNICEF. The AC is part of the six ACs formed under the GEF held in Mexico (29-31 March 2021) and Paris (30 June-2 July 2021) convened by UN Women to address issues that are among the most intractable barriers to equality.
The digital revolution is one of the major shifts that have taken place since the Beijing Conference, having profound effects on gender equality and women's rights in all spheres of life. By singling out innovation and technology as one of the six AC themes, the world is urged to look at technology as one of the key areas in which achieving gender equality can transform our world and recognize the catalytic role technology can play in helping achieve all the other ACs' objectives by accelerating progress.
More than 10 partners from Europe and Central Asia (ECA) have made commitments under the AC on TIGE to (i) bridge the gender gap in digital access and competencies; (ii) invest in feminist technology and innovation; (iii) build inclusive, transformative, and accountable innovation ecosystems; (iv) prevent and eliminate online and tech facilitated GBV and discrimination. Across the regions, public and private sector leaders have announced their support to increase the representation of women in STEM by 2026 through STEM programs.
This event aims to bring together leaders, commitment makers, civil society, and women's rights organizations to discuss how to maintain and further channel the commitments and resources from the GEF to address remaining gender equality gaps across the ECA region. It will provide a platform for the exchange of regional results and successes, enabling commitment-makers to learn from each other while inspiring others to act and replicate good practices. This event will also be the occasion for policy and decision-makers, as well as for young female leaders to put forward and discuss recommendations for fostering the empowerment of women and girls in the digital world and their involvement in the STEM field. Overall, it will aspire to forge new commitments, including collective commitments, building on the momentum of the GEF.
