Background
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face unique vulnerabilities that significantly challenge the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite notable progress towards gender equality, SIDS face distinctive challenges that hinder gender equality and women’s empowerment. What is needed is a strategic, gender-responsive, human-rights based and SIDS-appropriate approach that overcomes innate obstacles and transforms vulnerabilities into tools of resilience, innovation, and equality. In May 2024, the international community will gather to review SIDS’ sustainable development progress and propose a new decade of partnerships and solutions to supercharge their path to resilient prosperity, and gender equality needs to be at the center of this.
The SIDS Gender Equality Forum is being organized prior to the SIDS4 Conference to provide a dedicated space for persons from across all SIDS regions, from various stakeholder groups, from multiple sectors to look at gender equality and SIDS- through:
MOVING the SIDS story forward from SIDS3 in Samoa to SIDS4 in Antigua and Barbuda by putting gender equality in the center of the next ten-year action plan and the many processes taking place in that time.
EXPLORING key gender equality and SIDS themes, aligned with the SIDS4 priority areas, with thought leaders and participants via a series of structured ‘Tours’.
ENGAGING participants to better get to know SIDS stakeholders and their roles in driving gender equality through an innovative ‘Island Hopping’ experience.
EXPOSING participants to important channels for gender equality and empowerment of women in SIDS through a ‘marketplace’ of products and processes.
JOINING dedicated spaces for networking, sharing and planning collaboration with others throughout the journey of the Forum.
CLOSING the Forum with a high-level convening for commitment and a call to action.
For more information, please consult the event webpage: SIDS Gender Equality Forum (GEF) | UN Women and UN Women Caribbean | UN Women
