Secretariat coordination by:
Overview
The Women Deliver 2019 Conference will take place 3-6 June 2019 in Vancouver, Canada and will be the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights and wellbeing of girls and women in the 21st century.
The fifth triennial Women Deliver global conference comes at a time when the global terrain for girls and women continues to shift and as progress in health, education and economic and political participation of women is urgently needed.
In the last year, global movements for gender equality have galvanized world attention, and captured the headlines and gender equality is a central theme under Canada’s G7 Presidency.
It is against this backdrop that we can and must seize the opportunity that the Women Deliver 2019 Conference presents. This is much more than a single event or moment for Canadian and international delegates to gather. It is a motivating platform to advance the conversation and the public’s engagement around gender equality and the health, rights and wellbeing of women and girls.
Women Deliver 2019 Mobilization Canada is a rallying cry for unity in gender equality and girls and women’s empowerment.
The mobilization provides partners, allies and supporters greater visibility for their work and action, as well as opportunities to expand their networks and connect with coalitions and stakeholders from various sectors and backgrounds. It facilitates cross-issue dialogue, understanding and collaboration to strengthen advocacy agendas and policy recommendations.
Why now?
The evidence is clear. When you invest in girls and women, there is a ripple effect that reaches families, communities, and nations. Whether it’s enacting laws to protect against gender-based violence, recognizing the central role sexual health and rights play in health equity, increasing the representation of women in politics or encouraging their participation in the economy, we must close the gaps that still exist around the world. Here in Canada, even though we have made significant progress, we cannot realize our country’s full potential without the full participation of everyone.
Accelerating progress toward gender equality is not only imperative for a healthy and just society, it also delivers a growth dividend for everyone. According to the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), fully closing gender gaps in work would add up to $28 trillion in annual GDP by 2025 and Canada could add $150 billion in incremental GDP by 2026.
Now is the time to be aspirational.
