Building Democracies through Gender Equality and Women’s Leadership
Â鶹´«Ă˝ Office for Partnerships hosted a roundtable discussion, Building Democracies, on 19 March 2025 at the UN Headquarters, during the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). The event brought together civil society partners dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s leadership, marking the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), and 30 years since the Beijing Declaration. The roundtable reinforced the link between democracy and gender equality, emphasizing the power of local initiatives in shaping global change. Participants highlighted the need for collective action to advance women’s leadership and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide.
Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, emphasized the importance of SDG 5 in achieving gender equality. She highlighted UNDEF’s long-standing commitment to women’s leadership and community-driven initiatives advancing the Beijing Platform for Action. She also shared insights from the global initiative Women Rise for All and the We the Women global survey.
Julie Ballington (UN Women) presented the latest Women in Politics map, noting slow progress—men still outnumber women in leadership roles by more than 3 to 1, and only 25 countries have a female head of state or government. Annika Silva Leander (International IDEA) discussed findings from the 2024 Global State of Democracy report, underscoring ongoing barriers to women’s political representation.
CSO partners showcased impactful grassroots projects supported by UNDEF:
• Azeb Bihon (Union of Ethiopian Women and Children Associations) – Climate justice and women’s leadership in Ethiopia.
• Emmanuela Azu (Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Nigeria) – Advocacy for safe schools.
• Dr. John Kalage (HakiElimu, Tanzania) – Civic education for youth engagement in democracy.
• Emem J. Okon (Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Nigeria) – Women’s participation in policy changes in the Niger Delta.
Other UNDEF-supported CSOs also shared their insights:
• Lina Torres (Movilizatorio, Colombia) – Indigenous communities’ participation in COP conferences.
• Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Cameroon) – Preventing hate speech and political violence.
• Vicky Mogeni (Global Campaign for Education, South Africa) – Youth leadership in the SDG 2030 Agenda.
