What are you looking for?

The Generation Equality Forum’s first major event was hosted in Mexico City from the 29^th to the 31^st of March. The three days were filled with fruitful discussions and action plans for improving the lives of women and girls world-wide. In addition to the progress made at the Forum, cultural activities such as concerts, film festivals and art exhibitions took place, where activists and artists could express themselves and what gender equality means to them. The cultural events coincided with the passing the torch ceremony, the conclusion of the GEF in Mexico City. The passing the torch ceremony set the stage to pass the Forum’s torch to Paris, the next destination of the GEF. This ceremony was a significant commitment-making moment. Youth and civil society launched a 2026 vision, the Government of Mexico mobilized a group of 20 member states and the global alliance for care was launched together with UN Women and the National Institute of Women of Mexico. The passing the torch ceremony was the moment to establish a path towards securing a legacy of equality as the Forum was ready to embark its way to Paris.

Photo: UN Women/Fabrice Gentile

While the Forum had concluded in Mexico, Mexico’s participation was far from over. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean took part of the Global Alliance for Care Work, an initiative whose purpose is to create a wider visibility to Latin American and Caribbean countries in order to overcome structural constraints. They were represented during the Generation Equality Forum in Paris in a virtual event called “Global Alliance for Care Work: Exploring and sharing commitments and good experiences,” which was organized by the National Women’s Institute of Mexico (INMUJERES) and UN Women Mexico. This initiative began during the GEF in Mexico and was concluded in Paris. Notable participants included Phumzile Mlambo-Ngucka, Executive Director of UN Women; Nadine Gasman, President of the National Women’s Institute of Mexico; Antonia Morillas González, Director General of the Institute of Women of Spain; Marcela Guerrero Campos, Costa Rica’s Minister for the Status of Women;  María Inés Castillo, the Minister of Social Development of Panama, among other international officials, representatives of women’s movements, the private and public sector, and civil society. The purpose of the initiative was to promote women’s economic autonomy, creating and learning about care systems, transforming traditional gender roles, and accelerating the economic recovery equally on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conclusion of this initiative in Paris was a positive contribution Mexico made in the Forum. However, Mexico’s participation did not stop there.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador participated remotely in the opening ceremony of the Forum in Paris.
Photo: UN Women/Fabrice Gentile

Mexican Officials also participated in the closing ceremony of the GEF in Paris, and the commitments of the Government of Mexico continue with their commitments as founding members of the Global Alliance for Care and the Action Coalition of Economic Rights.