Sparking Conversations About Gender Equality through Dance

Nargis Shirazi, a Women Deliver Young Leader, organizes a surprise performance at Kampala’s biggest shopping center to spark conversations on barriers to gender equality. The 20-minute flash mob features salsa, hip hop, and breakdancing.

Ignite WD2019 Youth Extravaganza

Maureen Oduor, a member of the first class of Women Deliver Young Leaders, hosts a one day theater performance event where youth presenters use song, dance, storytelling, and drama to talk about education, gender based violence, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Breaking Down Gender Stereotypes with Inter-generational Dialogue

Women Deliver Young Leader Emman Babatunde Ajidagba hosts a panel event where young people, female parliamentarians, and traditional leaders discuss how to break down gender stereotypes and empower girls and women across the country.

Attendees participate in three intergenerational panels — the first on female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, the second on women’s political participation and decision-making, and a third on putting a gender lens on universal health coverage.

Assessing Barriers to Gender Equality with a Multi-Sector Approach

Muhammad Shahzad Khan is a Women Deliver Young Leader hosting a panel discussion and networking event for women leaders to discuss gender equality in Pakistan. The event brings together 50 women leaders — including political leaders, elected officials, entrepreneurs, and human rights advocates to highlight their contributions to advancing gender equality.

Highlighting the Power of Female Entrepreneurs

Women Deliver Young Leader Gvantsa Khizanishvili organizes a panel to highlight the achievements of female entrepreneurs in Georgia and spark conversations on women’s economic empowerment.

The event features speakers from the region, including Natalia Jaliashvili, the Head of the Human Rights Secretariat with the Government of Georgia, and Erika Kvapilova, UN Women’s Country Representative in Georgia.

In addition, five female entrepreneurs and business owners discuss challenges they have faced in their respective fields and propose solutions for driving change.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Project

IRFI traveled to Kpaduma Village to seek permission to build lavatories and construct boreholes, with the goal of eliminating the practice of open defecation and preventing contamination of top soil and water bodies, thereby preventing gastrointestinal diseases and outbreaks of cholera and worm infestations. The visit also included the donation of food, non-food items, and essential medicines. Since the visit, the lavatories have been constructed! Not only has this contributed to potable water, and with it a drastic reduction in the incidences of worm infestation and outbreaks of diarrheal diseases, in the community, but women now have a private and safe place to engage in menstrual hygiene management.

Fostering an Enabling Environment for Gender Equality and Girls’ Rights

Girls in the Southwest region of Burkina Faso have formed community groups to struggle against gender based violence and abuse. Twelve such groups of about 12 members each monitor happenings in the region, listen, watching and seeking information about cases of FGM, sexual abuse, beatings, and threats against girls and children, and alert the proper authorities to hold perpetrators accountable. They also closely follow up on each case to help provide care, redress, and any appropriate measure to assist victims.

FemParl 4 – Beirut and Cairo

From February 3-7, the Embassies of Canada to Egypt and to Lebanon co-hosted an event that brought together a group of 11 women parliamentarians and leaders from the Middle East and North African region for interactive, capacity-building, leadership training‎, networking, social media advocacy and knowledge sharing.Throughout the four-day program, delegates interacted with Ministers, representatives from international organizations, academia, media, local civil society organisations and the private sector.‎ Delegates came from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Occupied Territories, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen.‎ In Cairo (Feb 4-5), the focus of the program was‎ on governance, communications and economic growth, and in Beirut (Feb 6-7), on gender equality, women’s empowerment and Women, Peace and Security.

High Level Launch of the Interagency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings

This session, hosted by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN, marks the Geneva launch of the 2018 Inter-Agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings (IAFM). It generated high level institutional buy-in for sexual reproductive health as a core pillar of humanitarian response, and raised awareness about the manual in the broader humanitarian community.

Expert Roundtable on the Launch of the Interagency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings

Hosted by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN, the Roundtable session marks the Geneva launch of the 2018 Inter-Agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings (IAFM). The discussion centered on building awareness of the IAFM and its opportunities among donor and humanitarian partners, overcoming barriers to implementation, and identifying further action needed.

Leadership training, capacity building, and networking for young women leaders in the South and South-East Asian region

FemParl was created by Canadian missions in South Asia to support advocacy efforts of young women leaders in the region by providing them a platform to engage with each other and other influential women leaders and by building their capacity to advocate for greater gender equality in their countries and the region.

The fourth iteration of FemParl will be hosted by the High Commission of Canada, New Delhi between February 20 and 22, 2019 in Delhi. The program will focus on leadership training, capacity building and networking for young women leaders in the South and South-East Asian region.

Education and Gender Equality

Ten years have passed since the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative was launched in Iraqi Kurdistan, focusing on the principle of gender equality in education. The United Nations initiative, launched in April 2000, seeks to narrow the gender gap in primary, secondary, and higher education, and to ensure that all children complete primary education by 2015, with girls and boys receiving free and quality education on an equal footing. In light of this initiative, we conducted a monitoring and evaluation process on this subject under the title ‘Education between Complexities and Unresolved Problems). This part of the initiative has been devoted to the issue of education and gender equality. We then held a conference in Erbil, which was attended by the Minister of Education, the Minister of Higher Education, and NGOs.

Learning & Exchange Program for Sustainable Self-Development Communities

Plan International Thailand organizes community management projects (CMP), which include a learning and exchange program focused on the implementation of community enterprise projects and features 25 women from 11 communities in Chaingmai and Chiangrai. The aim was for leaders to learn about sustainable self-management, product design, marketing, and new technologies from successful community enterprises such as Chiwavithi (herbal cosmetics), Jogo Learning Center (a savings group for community welfare and sustainable self-management), Phaew Weaving Group (focused on innovations in clothing and textile design) and Bann Ya San Homestay (travel management), and to then apply this knowledge to develop their own projects. This female and youth-led CMP project works to promote the economic and social potential of women to participate in thinking, making decisions, solving community problems, poverty and gender inequality.

Government of Canada launches national committee

On March 4, the Government of Canada launched a national committee to engage Canadians in taking action on gender equality as part of the lead up to the Women Deliver 2019 Conference, which Canada will host in Vancouver. The committee will work to increase awareness and encourage discussions on gender equality, diversity and inclusion by taking part in activities and engaging with Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

#ÉlporEllaRD (#HeforSheDR) Campaign Award Ceremony

On March 5, the Canadian Embassy in the Dominican Republic relaunched the #ÉlporEllaRD (#HeforSheDR) with the support of UN Women, the Ministry of Women, and the Vice Presidency of the Dominican Republic. The winner of the Gender Equality Champion Award, Elaine Féliz, was recognized for her long career of educating young people and families on gender equality in the Dominican Republic. The event was attended by the Minister of Women, Janet Camilo, the OAS representative in the DR, Araceli Azuara, the UN Women representative, Catalina Gutiérrez, and representatives such Doctor Luís Vergés. The host of the event, Ambassador of Canada Shauna Hemingway, thanked the attendees for their presence and spoke about the importance of Canada’s feminist foreign policy, the importance of equity and the support that men can provide to women and girls to develop its full potential.

Promote Gender Equality to Inspire Love

47 primary schools in the Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Kon Tum provinces of Vietnam have launched a series of communication events for the Girls Get Equal campaign. This event series is organized by Plan International Vietnam’s Gender Responsive Schools Project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training and the Department of Education and Training. Since the end of February 2019, thousands of students, teachers, and parents across Vietnam have come together to learn about gender equality and about gender-based violence in schools, including physical violence, mental violence, and sexual violence, and to discuss how to create a safe, friendly and equal school environment for all students.

Young Activists Advocate for Better Learning and Security Conditions with Alice Albright

Eight young feminists from Burkina Faso met with the CEO for the Global Partnership for Education to discuss girls’ education in the country and to plead for better learning and security conditions, as schools have been especially hard hit by the prevailing insecurity crisis. This problem compounds the gender-based violence that is already affecting the lives of young girls and women, particularly in the rural areas.

Safety for Girls = Safety for Everyone

This event kicked off Plan International Vietnam’s journey for the Girls Get Equal campaign. It launched the ‘Year of Action for Women and Children’s Safety’ led by the Vietnam Central Women’s Union, and actively voiced important messages for gender quality with ‘Safety for girls = Safety for everyone.’ Participants included Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other senior Vietnamese leaders, as well as representatives organizations working in the area of women’s and children’s rights.

Menstrual Hygiene Management: Empowering Women Through Sustainable Pads

This 2-day event, hosted by the IRFI (Intensive Rescue Foundation International), took place in Kano State, Nigeria on the 6th and 7th of March, 2019. Day-1: The official Launch of the MHM seminar, during which speakers highlighted the importance of sustainable menstrual materials, hygiene, infrastructure, and disposal units in the life of menstruating girls and women. The event introduced the women in attendance to washable reusable menstrual pads, and 300 young girls and women were gifted with the high quality washable and reusable menstrual pads. Day-2: 22 young girls and women were taught how to make high quality washable reusable Menstrual pads.

Women in Science, Health, and Innovation: Leadership Looking to the Future

As part of the celebration of the International Women’s Day around the world, the Consulates General of France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as the University of British Columbia are organizing a panel discussion on “Women in Science, Health and Innovation: Leadership Looking to the Future.” Various researchers and speakers will discuss the greatest changes in North America and Europe for women in health, science and innovation, historical and incentives barriers in engineering and physical sciences, the agenda for the coming years in terms of gender, medical research and innovation and how women in the past have set the path for women today in academia and entrepreneurship.

Hostility to Hope: Gender Based Violence at Home and Abroad

This interactive art exhibit walks visitors through stories of GBV (Gender Based Violence) and the women who persevere and thrive in spite of it. The exhibit begins by showcasing struggles and hardships like female genital mutilation, domestic violence, sexual assault, and child marriages. As the visitor continues to move from one piece to another, the tone and mood will change. You will observe women surviving, becoming empowered, and in turn helping their own community and other women. In addition to showcasing powerful pieces of art from artists such as Paul Bettings and Ella Baron, this event will also include short videos and speeches from people who have seen the effect of gender-based violence in various countries.

PAROBiz Huntsville Conference & Awards

This motivational event includes educational workshops, inspiring keynote speakers, and speed mentoring & business development activity sessions. It also includes a one of a kind tradeshow featuring local businesses and entrepreneurs, engaging networking opportunities, and a luncheon awards ceremony honoring women in Northeastern, Eastern, South Eastern, and Central Ontario (excluding the Greater Toronto Area) who have made positive contributions in their community.

Turn it Up and Disrupt

A festival celebrating gender equity, creative mobilization, and the art of positive change!

Queens on Queen

Join us at the new Queen St. Fare to celebrate International Women’s Day, an important milestone in the lead up to the Women Deliver 2019 Conference. The event is hosted by Crestview Strategy, alongside Sun Life Financial, Lyft Ottawa, Equal Voice, UN Women and The Women’s Empowerment.

2019 Girls Festival in Celebration of International Women’s Day in Kampala

Reach a Hand Uganda (RAHU) will hold a full day Girls Festival in Kampala in celebration of International Women’s Day. Together with like-minded organizations that champion women’s and girls’ empowerment, they will use this platform to: empower and inspire young girls and women to speak up about the issues affecting them; challenge contemporary attitudes towards schooling, employment and sanitation; and educate on topics such as Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and sexual and reproductive health.

Girls Who Know Jamaica Presents: Knowing Together: Balance for Better

Girls Who Know Jamaica is a youth-led initiative that strives to raise awareness about the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescent girls. In light of the International Women’s Day, the forum will facilitate this raising of awareness. The aim of the forum is to bring both male and female counterparts together in an effort to build a better Jamaica. We hope to empower youths to take the lead in learning about their own health and rights and to encourage comfortable dialogue between all participating parties. Our guests will be able to engage in dialogue with health professionals and a variety of experts about their experiences.

Pro Mujer Empowerment Workshops for Women on International Women’s Day in Guatemala

In celebration of International Women’s Day and our partnership with Wakami, Pro Mujer will deliver workshops for up to 40 women from rural and indigenous communities. The workshops will equip women with information, tools, and tactics to feel more empowered in their daily lives.

Rising Strong’s 2nd Annual International Women’s Day event

Rising Strong’s second annual International Women’s Day event features guest speakers, performances, dancing, and a silent auction. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre.

Women of Gold – the Women You Always Wanted to Be

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Sagar Hospitals is organizing a panel discussion on gender parity followed by a series of cultural events.

International Women’s Day – Plan International Thailand

Plan International Thailand, together with the Mae Fah Luang Women’s Network, the Thad-Thai Sub district Administrative Organization and Mae Fah Luang District, Chiang Rai province, organized an event on International Women’s Day around the topic « Power for Woman starts with Power for Girls.” The event consisted of activities such as a panel discussion on « The path to leadership,” a special talk on “Anti-Child Marriage,” a lecture on the Women’s Role Development Fund, and International Women’s Day awards and performances from various groups. It also included an exhibition on Plan International Thailand’s work on supporting women via the Community Management Project, Youth Entrepreneurship Development Project, etc., all focused on the importance of working to eliminate bias, violence and discrimination on the basis of gender. Overall, the event reinforced the importance of leadership development for young women and girls so that they can overcome obstacles in life, become self-reliant, and grow to be important leaders in the community.

At work, in Transit, Online: Solutions to Address Gender-based Violence

Join us on International Women’s Day for an engaging panel on challenging the barriers to gender equality.

Women’s Economic Empowerment and Equal Opportunity: Barriers and Drivers

As part of the International Women’s Day celebration and in honor of the Women Deliver 2019 Conference, Simon Fraser University presents a mobilization event to unpack the factors that impede and promote gender equality. Women from various sectors will join the panel to share their personal and professional experiences in the context of broader inequalities as well as factors that influenced their lives and careers.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: A Panel Event in Celebration of International Women’s Day

The SFU Beedie School of Business’s is proud to cultivate innovative and socially responsible leaders. In celebration of International Women’s Day, it is excited to host a panel event on empowering women entrepreneurs.

‘Championing Choice & Safety: A Woman’s World in Three Parts’

International Women’s Day Event ‘Championing Choice & Safety: A Woman’s World in Three Parts’. Options for Sexual Health and Battered Women Support Services are pleased to partner to present the world premiere of ‘Her Story (In Three Parts),’ a short film anthology by local writer/director/actor Camille Hollett-French. These films explore issues of abortion, incarceration and sexual violence through the eyes of three young women in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, and dialogue panels after each film will allow for challenging conversations elevated by subject-matter experts and individuals with lived experiences.

Women in the World Conference

Campus clubs across the University of Ottawa have come together to present a series of speakers, workshops, and networking sessions focused on women’s empowerment and how individuals can make a difference!

‘Empower Me’ Women’s Day Brunch

This brunch, hosted by the Southern Africa Embrace Foundation, features a morning of inspirational talks from female experts in different fields on a variety of topics that are relevant to the modern-day woman and her health. Topics will include gender equality (SDG5), women’s empowerment, youth empowerment, women’s health, leadership and much more.

Project VIVE: Sales, and the Prevention of Violence Against Women

This workshop is specifically focused on women in vulnerable conditions in Mexico, and it seeks to empower them through training in sales, seeking promotions, customer service and life skills. Proyecto VIVE is implemented by Red de Asociaciones y Fundaciones Empresariales and The Trust for the Americas, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS), in partnership with the ManpowerGroup Foundation.

Las Kory Warmis: Healing from Violence through Performance

Las Kory Warmis features bold and compelling performances that explore women’s stories of abuse and survival. This grassroots troupe breaks the silence on the different forms of violence women face in Bolivia, and around the world, every day. Gender-based violence directly threatens women’s empowerment everywhere. It erodes quality of life, destroys families and impairs the potential of our communities. According to UN statistics, one in three women worldwide have experienced violence at some point in their lives. In Latin America, Bolivia poses a stark challenge. It holds the highest rates of violence against women in the region, with 9 out of 10 Bolivian women falling victim to violence and 34 percent of girls suffering sexual abuse before age 18. In this context, the performance troupe Las Kory Warmis, or “Women of Gold,” emerged and succeeded in creating a space where survivors feel empowered to share their personal stories in hope that their voices will help others.

Young Girls Mentored by Women Leaders

Girls in the process of completing their higher education were offered an opportunity to choose mentors among female professors, physicians, bankers, NGO leaders, and others, all in leadership positions. This =initiative was part of a campaign which aimed at boosting female leadership in Burkina Faso. Out of 200 candidates, 42 were in turn chosen by women holding high positions who agreed to mentor them.

Young Women Leaders Summit DR

This is the first-ever Summit for Young Women Leaders in the Dominican Republic (DR), inspired by Canada’s Y7 Summit in 2018 and by the Canadian-born “G(irls)20” initiative. Following a two-day program featuring key influencers, policymakers, and youth leaders in the DR, the delegates will produce a short communiqué presenting their vision for the future of women’s empowerment in the DR and identifying the leadership tools and opportunities that young women need to pursue goals in areas such as education, entrepreneurship, development, rights and good governance. The Summit will provide the local tools and network to empower women and girls in the DR to aspire to leadership positions. Summit broadcasts and materials will be made available to thousands of young Dominicans across the country.

Women’s Engineering Day at UBC

Girls in grades 10 – 12 explore why engineering is an amazing career for women who want to change the world, to improve the environment around us and the lives of others, and who like teamwork and problem-solving. These girls will experience what it is like to solve real engineering challenges, learn about different types of engineering, talk to current students, hear from recent alumni, and tour the UBC campus.

Proper Vision for Women’s Empowerment

Vision problems negatively impact productivity – especially among working rural women seeking to fight gender inequality and achieve economic self-sufficiency in highly vulnerable “batey” communities in the Dominican Republic. Many of these women are financially unable to afford a pair of eye glasses or preventive eye care. From March 30 – April 4, the Batey Relief Alliance, in partnership with Canadian multinational GILDAN and the Lions Club Santo Domingo Piantini, is hosting a “Blindness Prevention Mission Trip” with 27 optometry specialists, faculty, and students from the New England College of Optometry to deliver free vision consults, prescriptions eyeglasses, sunglasses, and eye drops to more than 800 women and their families living in the impoverished community of Guerra, Santo Domingo. The purpose is to prevent blindness and blindness-related diseases among the female population. To complement their optometry treatments, each patient also receives free nutrition, micronutrients and preventive health education around water, sanitation and hygiene.

Gender Inequality, Do the Math: 1-1=0

The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) is hosting the Embassy of Canada in the Dominican Republic’s art exhibit, “Caminos en Tiempo de Mujer,” created with Dominican artist Eddaviel. This exhibit showcases images of women who have used their talents and accomplishments to fight injustice and exclusion. The event is expected to attract more than 1,000 people, including women, school children, teachers, local leaders, and activists living in the country’s highly vulnerable sugarcane plantations and rural communities (composed primarily of Haitian immigrants) known as “bateyes. » The batey populations, particularly women and girls, suffer inordinately from gender inequality, economic isolation, and extreme poverty, often perpetuating a circle of poverty.

Creating Safe Spaces for Women to Thrive

As part of the WD2019 global dialogue, Wonderful Women Network Foundation held a community discussion with 500 attendees on what we can do together to promote opportunities that strengthen women’s rights and bridge the inequality gap. Attendees also talked about sexual and gender based violence and sex trafficking, under the guidance of a lead panelist who was herself a survivor of domestic violence. The core objectives of the event were to address gender-based violence by providing safe spaces for survivors or at risk victims, reporting confirmed cases to appropriate authorities, to encourage speaking out, and to provide mentoring, rehabilitation, counseling, and therapy. Attendees made up a diverse group of people across different age groups and socio-economic and cultural affiliations, and had the opportunity to voice their own experiences. Common themes emerged around the many reasons such abuse goes un- or under reported, and productive discussions were had on addressing the root causes of GBV, ending the ‘blame game’ against women and removing cultural and misogynistic barriers that tend to undermine women’s voices, and on providing safe spaces where individuals’ voices can be heard.

Empowering Women to be Resourceful Independent of Marriage

Jacqui Iwu is hosting a workshop focused on empowering African women to escape poverty through means other than marriage. Her workshop will focus on strategies for financial independence.

Digital Connectivity Workshop for Girls in Guatemala

Pro Mujer in Guatemala is addressing the digital gender divide by leveraging local partnerships with Sheva and SERES to provide mobile training opportunities in digital literacy and connectivity for girls in 2019. Through Sheva’s “Connected Training,” designed for use by women and girls, we will celebrate International Girls Day in ITC and our participation in the EQUALS Global Partnership and train up to 40 girls (ages 14 -17) in Tecpán, Guatemala over two sessions in April of 2019. By leveraging alignment, resources, and expertise, this partnership will equip girls in Guatemala with new digital abilities and broaden their mastery of smartphones and mobile apps to help them grow as young women and leaders in their communities.

Promoting Financial Inclusion and Healthy Habits among Women in Bolivia

Pro Mujer, a leading women’s empowerment organization in Latin America, is holding a month-long series of trainings for its 123,000 women beneficiaries across Bolivia. The series of events will take place across 9 cities with the aim of promoting positive financial habits, a healthy lifestyle, and above all, celebrating women’s solidarity. Pro Mujer beneficiaries will be recognized for their positive contributions to the organization and to their communities. Cities include: Oruro, La Paz, Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, Tarija, Sucre, Potosí and Cochabamba.

Prevention of Violence against Women at Pro Mujer Nicaragua

In collaboration with local and international partners, Pro Mujer in Nicaragua is providing two sessions of workshops and resources to women at the Pro Mujer Center in León on Friday, April 5th at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. The workshops are designed to support and educate women on this sensitive topic. Attendees will be provided with resources, including legal counsel and psychological services.

Dialogue with Delegates of the National Assembly and Children

On April 7th, 2019, at the National Assembly office in Quang Tri province, the event, this dialogue took place for the first time, in practice with article 77 of the Children Law of 2016. This activity was a part of the cooperative program between the National Assembly Delegation of Quang Tri Province and Plan International Vietnam, which promotes children’s participation in building and planning policies that affect them, especially children in ethnic minorities and remote areas. This event was a component of the 247 Journey for the Girls Get Equal campaign.

The Power of Partnerships

Watch the livestream on Twitter or Facebook

In the lead up to the Women Deliver 2019 Conference in Vancouver, Canada House will welcome Women Deliver CEO/President Katja Iversen, UK Secretary of State for International Development and Minister for Women and Equalities Penny Mordaunt, Women Deliver Young Leader Olaoluwa Abagun andHead of Donor Government Relations at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Europe Joe Cerrell, for a conversation on the Power of Partnerships to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. The discussion will be moderated by Alison Holder, Director of Equal Measures 2030.

Women & Food: Culture, Identity & Globalization

At Salem College, the first women’s college in the United States, powerful women have been breaking, making, and consuming bread together for 250 years. In celebration of Women Deliver, we are hosting an evening of conversation, inspiration, and delicious eats around the idea that food, gender, and culture have always been interwoven. During this event, Salem women will share a delicious Indian meal with a leading local chef, learn more about global women chefs, celebrate the role of food in driving Power, Progress and Change, and discuss the realities of food as a lens for globalization and gender equality.

Health for All: The Journey to Empower Every Woman and Child to Thrive

To highlight World Health Day, and as part of the Women Deliver 2019 Mobilization Canada, Canada’s global health community is hosting “Health for All: The Journey to Empower Every Woman and Child to Thrive”. Immerse yourself in the lives of women and children around the world through a curated art exhibit showcasing the health and nutrition initiatives being delivered by Canadian organizations and learn more about our bold vision for a world where every woman and every child has the opportunity to thrive. Through the photo exhibit and supplementary multimedia, available throughout the night, you’ll have the opportunity to see Canadian contributions at every stage of a woman’s life, from the first 1,000 days to her years as a community leader and elder. You’ll also see the important contributions of Canadian-led advocacy and multilateral initiatives, which are foundational to improvements in global health and nutrition.

West and Central Africa Regional Youth Forum 2019

The Youth Forum, organized by Plan International, is an opportunity to create an open space for young activists and leaders from various countries in the West and Central Africa region to meet, learn, share, and network for positive, transformative change around gender throughout the region. It brings together representatives of the Children and Youth Advisory Boards from 12 WACA Hub countries, as well as representatives from Regional Youth movements, including the West African Network of Young Female Leaders (ROAJELF), the African Movement of Working Children and Youth (AMWCY), the Social Change Factory (SCF), and numerous other young activists from various countries.

Empowering Rural Women using the BornFyne Mobile App: A Community Dialogue in Cameroon

The first in a series of three Satellite Events, this community dialogue will be hosted in Bali, Cameroon. Local women and other community members will come together to share their experiences using the BornFyne mobile app, an app which provides pregnant women with quicker access to doctors and medical care. The discussion will focus on how power hinders or drives progress and change.

Dialogue intergénérationnel sur la relève du mouvement féminin au Sénégal

L’Ambassade du Canada au Sénégal organise une rencontre pour encourager le dialogue intergénérationnel sur la relève du mouvement féminin au Sénégal. Cet événement, dont l’Ambassadeur du Canada au Sénégal Mme Lise Filiatrault sera l’hôte, réunira des femmes sénégalaises, certaines étant des intervenantes de longue date et d’autres issues de la nouvelle génération. Ces discussions permettront des regards croisés entre les générations de femmes participantes, sur les progrès, obstacles, et les opportunités en matière d’égalité des genres et renforcement du pouvoir des filles et des femmes au Sénégal.

Take Back the Streets – Walking to End Street Harassment of Women and Girls

UN Women Papua New Guinea and the Active Cities Development Program (ACDP) join with the leaders of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to reclaim the streets of the city for women and girls. Led by Governor Powes Parkop, UN Women Country Head Susan Ferguson, and Active Cities Development Program Director Fazilah Bazari, Behavioral Change Youth Coordinators, the walk brings thousands of men and boys and women and girls to stand together « sanap wantaim » against street harassment. The five mile walk is filled with inspiring messages and drama and performances against harassment and violence.

Webinar: Gender Equality in Agriculture: Leveraging voluntary sustainability standards for women’s empowerment

Gender equality in agriculture remains a challenge. Unequal power structures in rural households mean women often have difficulty accessing food for themselves, even though they are usually the ones responsible for preparing food for their families. This problem persists and has created significant challenges for women’s nutrition, food security and health in developing countries. Women have also historically faced challenges having the same access to productive agricultural resources as men. Unequal property rights and poor working conditions have also been major challenges for women working in this sector. These challenges are the focus of the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s (IISD) report, Leveraging Voluntary Sustainability Standards for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture: A Guide for Development Organizations Based on the Sustainable Development Goals. During the April 17 webinar, experts Kathleen Sexsmith, author of the report and Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology at Pennsylvania State University, and Cristina Larrea, Sustainability Standards Workstream Lead at IISD, will highlight some of these concerns and explore how leveraging voluntary sustainability standards can support gender equality and women’s empowerment in agriculture.

A Conversation about Gender Equality and the Women Deliver 2019 Conference and Mobilization with Senator Nancy J. Hartling

The Hon. Senator Nancy J. Hartling with the Social Justice Committee of St. Paul’s United Church host a strategy dialogue around community mobilization, gender equality, and the Women Deliver 2019 Mobilization and Conference.

Tunis Forum on Gender Equality

In partnership with the Government of Tunisia and the Swedish International Development Agency, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) organized the Tunis Forum on Gender Equality that took place April 24-26 2019. The Tunis Forum took place one year before the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as one year before the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 which set the standard for women, peace and security. The Tunis Forum also took place before the first Global Sustainable Development Report, which will be presented to the autumn summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and was an opportunity to integrate and connect the key elements of these processes and highlight the important role that civil society can play. The Tunis Forum explored the role of women participating in local government, working towards more sustainable and inclusive cities. The Forum also explored the role of innovation and technology in encouraging women’s economic empowerment. The Tunis Forum was a follow up to the Stockholm Forum held in April 2018. The agenda for the Forum has been built in a similar spirit of co-creation, as a result of an open online discussion. The results of these discussions can be found on the Forum website.

#GirlsGetEqual Campaign Launch in Zimbabwe

Plan International Zimbabwe is officially launching the #GirlsGetEqual campaign on the 25th of April 2019. The launch will be officiated by the First Lady of Zimbabwe at the National Art Gallery and will include the kickoff of a weeklong art exhibition featuring photos, drawings, and paintings by girls, young women, and men. Each piece of art will express the themes of #GirlsGetEqual: Power, Freedom & Representation. Influential individuals accepted as Girls Get Equal champions will attend the event, where they will make pledges of action to help Zimbabwean girls achieve equality.

Bridge the Gap – A Dialogue on Women’s Rights in the Maldives

This panel discussion is organised by Uthema Maldives with funding from the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Its objective is to have an open and honest discussion on the challenges women face in order to be active in public life, using available evidence and the lived realities of women. These discussions informed a position paper on the issues highlighted in the panel discussion and policy recommendations. We invite you to read this paper on women’s participation in public life in the Maldives here.

In the Maldives, women’s representation in parliament is currently at only 5.8%, women’s labor force participation is at just 42.2%, and women make up the bulk of the informal work sector. The Household Income and Expenditure Survey (2016) found that women spend double the time in caring roles (6 hours by women and 3 hours by men) and have a 20% gender pay gap in their main job. The Maldives now has a new government under the leadership of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who, during his 2018 presidential campaign, pledged to increase women’s participation in all decision-making positions in the government. Notably, President Solih’s cabinet of 22 consists of 7 women, which brings women’s inclusion in the cabinet to 33%. Currently, the Maldives is gearing up for the parliamentary elections in April 2019. Despite progressive legislation, including the Gender Equality Act (2016), challenges remain for women who wish to become elected officials. Despite all the pledges, women contesting for parliament has not increased.

Celebrating Girls and Women in ICT: Expand Horizons, Change Attitudes

Representatives of Pro Mujer, ITU, UNICC, UNICEF, the NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, and WITNY come together at Cornell Tech in honor of International Girls in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Day at Cornell Tech in New York City. This event matched middle school aged girls from a low-income neighborhoods in NYC with women in tech to work together on a design thinking activity, and then incorporated college-aged women in tech into the groups. All three “generations” then worked together in mixed groups. The goal was to expose young girls at a critical age for their interest in STEM studies and careers to amazing women in tech in a variety of types of organizations and roles.

Who Run the World, Girls!!!

This event, organized by Public Health Ambassadors Uganda, aims to increase knowledge, awareness, and understanding around gender equality, girls’ bodily rights, HIV prevention, and school related Gender Based Violence towards young women and girls. It will also create a platform where young women and girls can speak confidently about issues related to bodily rights and different forms of violence focusing on school related GBV. Activities will include: Peer-to-peer sessions via student led Focused Group Discussions (FGDS); a viewing of “The SASA,” a documentary film that explores the connections between violence, HIV and power in the lives of women and girls and presents a powerful call to action to prevention this violence and prevent HIV; a plenary discussion that will engage students, teachers, opinion leaders and more; “edutainment” sessions using spoken word poetry, short skits, musical performances, and inspirations talks. “The SASA” is a creative collaboration by Raising Voices and the People’s Picture Company, and it is included in the SASA! Activist Kit for Preventing Violence against Women and HIV.

Fit for Future Project Launch

As part of International Girls in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Day, Plan International Vietnam, working with REACH, FPT Polytechnic College launched the « Fit For Future » project on April 25th, 2019. This project aims to encourage and support girls and women as they study and build careers in the ICT field.

Youth Encounter: « What’s Up with your Rights? » (¿Qué onda con tus derechos?)

This event aims to establish a sexual and reproductive rights youth network. It is organized by Plan International Honduras, Go Joven, Coiproden and the platform Right Here, Right Now.

It’s Never Too Late to Go Back to School

This workshop, organized by Innocent Grant, affiliated with Volunteer Services Overseas, will bring together women and girls from Dar es Salaam. It will raise awareness on adult education, reflect on its challenges and opportunities, and share inspiring success stories of women who went back to school as adults. The event will also include deeper discussions around the barriers that girls confront in completing their education in a timely manner, including early or unintended pregnancy, and with it, difficulty finding a job and poverty. It will also address Tanzania’s continuing struggles to achieve its goals for increasing adult female literacy rates.

G Day

G Day is an event series that celebrates the transition between childhood and adolescence in tween girls ages 10 to 12 and includes parents and other supportive adults in girls’ lives. G Days are day-long social-emotional learning experiences that support the development of positive self-esteem and healthy peer and family relationships in a community context. Girls participate in diverse fun, creative, interactive activities that encourage connection, compassion and confidence. Adults connect with professional educators in workshops focused on supporting girls at this critical life stage. Together, we share stories and experiences, build community and collectively become “the village” that it takes to raise a child. The final phase of the day is where the girls are welcomed by the adults in their symbolic new state. Depending on the space being used, we craft a unique celebratory song or activity, followed by dancing and dessert!

Vancouver School Screening of ‘In The Name Of Your Daughter,’ a documentary celebrating the world’s bravest girls

Spearheaded and championed by a group of Collingwood High School Students in Vancouver, this is a screening of the heartwarming documentary ‘In the Name Of Your Daughter, celebrating the brave Tanzanian girls who risk their lives to defy their destiny and follow their dreams. The documentary that audiences world-wide have called ‘Powerful,’ ‘Moving,’ and even ‘Life-Changing,’ tells the story of girls who have to make the most difficult choice of their young lives: submit to female genital mutilation and child marriage, or run away from home. And it’s also the story of Rhobi Samwelly, herself an FGM survivor, who risks her own life to protect the girls in her Safe House and, ultimately, reconcile them with their families. The film’s director, Giselle Portenier, will be on hand for a Question and Answer session.

Women: Our Grassroots Experience

Learn how health care providers overcome gender biases in their workplaces in this interactive event, which seeks to shed light on the negative gender dynamics in rural health centers. Through a series of short, TED-style talks from providers and trainers, the audience will learn how female health workers deal with gender bias. After the presentations, Dr. Amina Aminu Dorayi, the SHOPS Plus project family planning technical director and gender specialist, will lead a discussion to encourage female health workers to participate in social dialogue and to try operational practices that have succeeded in other settings. Participants include representatives from USAID, other RH/FP implementing partners, Federal Ministry of Health, Plateau State Ministry of Health, FCT Health and Human Services Department, Plateau State PHC Board, and FCT Primary Healthcare Board. This event is by invitation only.

Salon Breakfast Discussion on Women in Investment

The Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles, in partnership with HSBC, BlackRock, and the CVCA, will be hosting a Salon Breakfast Discussion on Women in Investment. This event will feature executives from HSBC and BlackRock as well as an audience of family offices, investment professionals from across the California and Canada to discuss initiatives, trends, and resources that are available to support women entrepreneurs and women in the investment sector.

Regional Conference and Workshops on Innovative Gender-based Policy-Making

This conference will focus on sharing best practices and challenges around gender equality in policy-making in Panama and the region. Participants will include Panama’s Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Isabel de Saint Malo, and experts from Global Affairs Canada (Deirdre Kent, DG for International Assistance Policy, and Nell Stewart, DG for Gender Equality), as well as officials from Central America and the Caribbean on Gender Based Analysis (Plus) Policy-Making. The event is provided by the Canadian Foreign Service Institute (CFSI).

End of Taboo. Period.

Hosted by HER Pakistan, the film screening of Oscar-winning documentary Period. End of Sentence. will serve as a conversation starter around menstruation and associated taboos in Pakistan. The event will provide a platform to break the silence and start a public conversation about menstruation in Pakistan. HER Pakistan is a women-led organization striving to empower and educate Pakistani girls and women about menstruation and ensure access to appropriate information and facilities through service, education and advocacy.

Digital Connectivity Workshop for Girls in Guatemala- Part II

Pro Mujer in Guatemala is addressing the digital gender divide by leveraging local partnerships with Sheva and SERES to provide mobile training opportunities in digital literacy and connectivity for girls in 2019. Through Sheva’s “Connected Training,” designed for use by women and girls, we will celebrate International Girls Day in ITC and our participation in the EQUALS Global Partnership and train up to 35 girls (ages 14 -17) in Tecpán, Guatemala over two sessions. By leveraging alignment, resources, and expertise, this partnership will equip girls in Guatemala with new digital abilities and broaden their mastery of smartphones and mobile apps to help them grow as young women and leaders in their communities.

Petit déjeuner avec Mme Lise Filiatrault, Ambassadeur du Canada au Sénégal, pour souligner le lancement de la campagne Deliver for Good au Sénégal

Au lendemain du lancement de la campagne Deliver for Good au Sénégal, l’Ambassade du Canada au Sénégal a réuni les partenaires de Women Deliver afin de discuter de leurs perspectives pour l’année à venir sur cette mobilisation national ainsi que des synergies et défis potentiels, et de l’impact attendu.

Consultative Dialogue on Domestic Child Labor

The Kafka Welfare Organization is organizing a consultative dialogue on the too often unsung issue of domestic child labor in Pakistan. In partnership with Women Deliver, it is a continuation of the Child Maids campaign that aims to end violence against child maids employed in Pakistan.

WorkHerDream Walk for Equitable, Quality, and Safe education

The Work Her Dream Organization will have its 2nd annual walk in Eldoret, Kenya to raise awareness on the importance of ensuring that all girls, including teen mothers, have access to quality education – and safe education as well. Work Her Dream plans to equip the guidance and counseling departments of schools within Uasin Gishu County to be child friendly, creating a safe environment for learning and promoting mental health. Part of the proceeds received from donations and registration fees will also go to pay school fees for the 130 girls that the organization supports. It will also create awareness about Work Her Dream’s “safe space,” located in the Kamukunji slum in Eldoret, where the organization trains young girls on ASRH (Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health) and MHM (Menstrual Hygiene Management) issues as well as in technical and soft skills training. The “safe space” includes boys from the community who join the cause and who make a pledge to protect girls and women and to stop gender based violence in their community. The walk will bring other stakeholders together to engage in a dialogue around improving girls’ access to education and on encouraging citizen participation in ensuring no child is left behind.

International Women’s Day Speed-Mentoring Event

The Canadian embassy in Jakarta brought together two generations of female professionals to participate in a “speed mentoring” session followed by food and stand-up comedy. It was a fun, informal afternoon of networking, as well as an opportunity to help forge strong professional ties and share stories of success between the women leaders of today and tomorrow.

Women Deliver from Copenhagen to Vancouver

To celebrate the passing of the torch of the Women Deliver conference from Copenhagen to Vancouver, Canada’s Ambassador to Denmark, H.E. Ms. Emi Furuya and Denmark’s Minister for International Development, H.E. Ms. Ulla Tørnæs, are pleased to host a discussion on gender equality and women’s empowerment with H.R.H. The Crown Princess (Kingdom of Denmark). The event will include speeches from Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess, Development Minister Tørnæs, Anna Cecilia Frellsen (Maternity Foundation), Bjarne B. Christensen (Sex og Samfund) and Laveza Khan (a Canadian Women Deliver Young Leader). Ambassador Furuya will conclude the discussion, receiving the Women Deliver torch from Denmark, outlining Canada’s priorities to advance women’s and girl’s rights and empowerment and welcoming Danish delegates to Canada the following month. A discussion and reception will follow.

Inter-generational Dialogue on the Role of Individual Power in Promoting Gender Equality in Nimule, South Sudan

The event power brings holders together around an oval table discussion. Attendees will include the commissioner of Pageri County, Executive Director of the county, The Head chief of Nimule, local counsel representatives, traditional leaders, and young women. The goal is that, by the end of the discussion, power holders will be able to commit to change – specifically, to provide a platform to promote gender equality in Nimule and to understand the roles they play as the custodians of culture and traditions in shaping the future of the various women and young people in the society.