New IIED discussion series focuses on gender at international events

At last year's UN climate talks, international negotiators adopted a Gender Action Plan designed to incorporate gender equality and women's empowerment into the climate change discourse. 

But at the same event there were allegations of sexual harrassment, and colleagues commented on the missing voices of women at the talks.

In response to this paradox, and as part of our ongoing work on gender mainstreaming, IIED is organising a series of discussion seminars on the gender equality dimensions of key international events.

The discussions will bring together experts who have attended the events and who work in the gender sphere to look at how each forum supports or inhibits progress towards gender equality.

These experts will look at both the form and the content of international gathering, focusing on opportunities and gaps that need to be addressed.

First discussion: the World Urban Forum 

The first seminar on Thursday, 22 February will review the World Urban Forum (WUF9), which takes place in Malaysia from 7-13 February 2018. This event is convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and is the world's premier conference on urban issues. An estimated 20,000 policymakers, local and national government leaders, NGO staff, practitioners and academics are expected to attend.

We will hear from panellists who have attended WUF9, as well as other experts in the urban and gender field. Panellists will share their observations, and there will be a question and answer session with the audience, as well as an opportunity for networking.

Speakers:

Chair: Liz Carlile, director, IIED Communications Group

Panellists:
Caroline Moser, emeritus professor, urban social anthropologist and social policy specialist
David Dodman, director, IIED Human Settlements Group 
Alex Norodom, coordinator, IIED Human Settlements Group 
Further panellists TBC