President Ramaphosa leads South Africa’s participation at the Generation Equality Forum, 30 Jun to 2 Jul 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead South Africa’s participation at the virtual session of the Generation Equality Forum: Economic Justice and Rights Action Coalition to highlight country’s commitment to gender equality.

The Generation Equality Forum (GEF) is a global gathering to accelerate gender equality actions and mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

It is convened by United Nations(UN) Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, in partnership with co-leaders from the Global South and Global North, Civil Society and the Private sector.  The virtual Generation Equality Forum will be held on 30 June to 02 July 2021 in Paris.

South Africa will participate in the hybrid virtual session to discuss global commitments and actions to be taken by stakeholders to promote economic justice and rights for women on 01 July 2021, scheduled for 17:00 –19:00 hours (CEST).

The engagement will be moderated by UN Aids Executive Director Ms. Winnie Byanyima, and opened by Executive Director of UN Women, Ms Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka.  Other dignitaries joining the event will include Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez; ILO Director-General, Mr Guy Ryder and American Philanthropist Melinda Gates.

South Africa will leverage on the momentum of the Paris meeting, in order to highlight the country’s commitments to gender equality and amplify its domestic priorities at the global level.  It will also use the opportunity to recognize the importance of intersectional youth leadership and provide feedback on the work of the multi-stakeholder Forum.
 
South Africa is a co-leader of Generation Equality Forum’s Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights and the President will use the engagement to articulate strong support for the jointly developed global acceleration plan which has a catalogue of commitments to support women in the care economy; ensure decent work for women; create access to and control of productive resources including financial inclusion; and promote gender-responsive inclusive economies.

The country has participated actively in the negotiations for the Global Acceleration Plan (GAP) of the Economic Justice and Rights Action Coalition, which presents a clear action plan of commitments and actions that stakeholders must take to advance economic justice and rights.

During the engagement, the EJR Action Coalition members will also launch the Economic Justice and Rights Global Acceleration Plan, with an intention to give leaders of the action coalition an opportunity to state their commitments reflecting clear actions to be implemented over the next 5 years.

The set of innovative and multi-stakeholder Action Coalitions (ACs) includes Gender Based Violence; Economic Justice and Rights; Bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR); Feminist action for climate justice; Technology and innovation for Gender Equality; Feminist movements and leadership. The Action Coalitions also work hand-in-hand with a global Compact on Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action.

The Gender Economic Forum kicked off in Mexico City in March and will culminate in Paris from 30 June to 2 July 2021, to be attended by Heads of State, as well as high- level representatives from every sector in society, to showcase commitment announcements for gender equality with concrete, tangible action from governments, corporations and civil society.

The GEF in Paris will present the final Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality, including the six Action Coalition Blueprints, as well as drive all stakeholders towards identifying, defining and laying the roadmap for implementing bold, game-changing commitments.

Members of the media may apply to attend all virtual sessions of the Generation Equality Forum at this link https://media.forumgenerationegalite.fr/media/steps/step1.htm before 27 June at 11:59 p.m. CEST (Paris time)

The SA engagement on 01 July 2021 will also be live streamed on all Presidency Digital Platforms and President Ramaphosa is expected to deliver his remarks from 17h30.

Media enquiries:
Tyrone Seale
Acting Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa
E-mail: media@presidency.gov.za