What is UNGA?
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the United Nations. Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations. The Assembly meets in regular sessions from September to December each year, and thereafter as required. It discusses specific issues through dedicated agenda items or sub-items, which lead to the adoption of resolutions.
This year, in parallel to UNGA, States and civil society organizations will be taking part in the Summit of the Future, a high-level event bringing world leaders together “to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.” World leaders will convene at the United Nations to adopt the Pact for the Future, which will include a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations as annexes.
Where will Equality Now be during this time?
While many of the events at UNGA are reserved for registered attendees, there are some parallel events that are free and open to the public. Equality Now will be joining UNGA and the Summit of the Future for several events.
Please find events that Equality Now will be involved in below.
GDC Civil Society Strategic Discussion Space
Thursday, September 19, 2024, 8.30am to 12pm (Eastern Daylight Time)
A moment for Civil Society Organisations to critically discuss the final text for the Global Digital Compact and engage in a strategic discussion around its implementation and follow-up mechanisms.
A Near Future Without Child Marriage
Friday, September 20, 2024, 3pm to 5pm (Eastern Daylight Time)
In this spirit of reflection and forward momentum, this side event will convene key stakeholders to celebrate a decade of progress in advancing the agenda to end child marriage. It will also serve as a platform to share ideas and outline next steps for the Accelerator Roadmap to 2030, a strategic initiative designed to amplify collective efforts to end child marriage at global, regional, and national levels.
Co-hosted by Girls Not Brides, Equality Now, Global Citizen, UN Women, and UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage.
Representation Matters: More Women to Power – More Power to Women
Monday, September 23, 2024, 3pm to 5.30pm (Eastern Daylight Time)
Cherie Blair, Equality Now Advisory Board member and founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, will join other women leaders from around the world in an evidence-based discussion on the importance and impact of women’s political representation, and Women Political Leaders (WPL) will present the latest edition of their flagship report.
Women’s Leadership in Addressing Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss
Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 10:30am to 12:30pm (Eastern Daylight Time)
Equality Now’s Mona Sinha and Sandra Ramírez will be taking part in a morning of discussion and educational panels on women’s leadership in addressing climate change, sustainability in fashion, the critical role of Indigenous women in environmental protection, the impact of climate change on violence levels, women’s safety, and more.
440 West 14 Street NY, NY 10018 – Register here
UN Global Compact Leaders Summit
Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 8am (Eastern Daylight Time)
During the UN General Assembly high-level week and alongside the 2024 Summit of the Future, this year’s UN Global Compact Leaders Summit will again convene business leaders, UN officials, Government leaders, SDG stakeholders and civil society professionals from across the globe committed to raising the bar on sustainability. The 2024 Leaders Summit will provide global sustainability leaders the tools, network, knowledge, and inspiration needed to scale the impact of private sector contributions to the 2030 Agenda. In the spirit of continuous improvement and scaling the collective impact of business towards the SDGs, the UN Global Compact will challenge the private sector to commit to the ambitious Forward Faster targets and guide companies to deliver progress towards their targets year after year. Mona Sinha will be taking part on behalf of Equality Now, speaking on the “Gender, Digital Technologies and the Role of Business” Roundtable.
Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Equality Now Global Executive Director Mona Sinha will be speaking at the closing session of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting. Timed to coincide with the U.N. General Assembly, CGI brings together business, government, and civil society leaders to drive progress on climate resilience, inclusive economic growth and recovery, health equity, the full participation of women and girls, and humanitarian response efforts to crises around the globe.
If you cannot attend UNGA and Summit of the Future events in person, follow our social media channels (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook) or check back here for live updates about all things UNGA. We are looking forward to an exciting two weeks of exploring ways to globally advance equality and the empowerment of women and girls!