WOMEN’S FORUM MANIFESTO FOR THE G7 SUMMIT
The world needs women’s leadership. At a time when we are seeking to overcome disruption and division, create inclusive societies, and drive sustainable growth, women’s full participation in our governments, workplaces and communities has the greatest potential to achieve solutions. By some estimates, achieving gender equality globally could add $28 trillion to global growth and 240 million jobs by 2025. Which is why this year’s G7 Summit has embraced gender equality and women’s empowerment as one of its key themes.
Which policies should G7 nations adopt in order to contribute to greater equality and empowerment for women, in order to create a stronger, safer and more inclusive world? To find out, the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society started by asking women leaders from all over the world at this year’s Women’s Forum Canada meeting. The Forum on the theme of Bridging the gap: a call to the G7 for inclusive progress, hosted May 10 and 11 in Toronto, brought together more than 700 delegates from business, government, academia and non-government organisations. This group of global leaders focused on how women’s leadership can help shape an inclusive society, focusing in the areas of the role of business; women’s economic empowerment; climate resilience and technology; and the future of work.
We call on G7 nations to focus their efforts on the following policy areas, drawing from the insights of female leaders from around the world to inform their priorities, initiatives, and agendas for empowering women. Believing that diverse perspectives, not just gendered approaches, result in the best ideas, we have also included recommendations from more than 100 youth leaders and activists aged 16-24 who attended the Youth Forum held May 9 and co-hosted by Women’s Forum and the charity WE.
Read the full Manifesto here