NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) marks a crucial opportunity to put gender equality at the center of the global discussions towards Sustainable Development.

UNGA79 will take place from 10th to 30th September 2024, under the theme, “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations”.

Heads of State and Government will explore solutions to intertwined global challenges at the Summit of the Future, to advance peace, security, and sustainable development. World leaders are expected to adopt the Pact for the Future, which will include a Global Digital Compact where the importance of gender equality will be front and center.

As the 30th anniversary of the visionary Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action approaches, UN Women will convene partners at UNGA 79 to strengthen and deliver on the commitments made to advance equal rights for women and girls.  UN Women will also present The Gender Snapshot 2024 report, with the latest data on gender equality across all SDGs.

Key events 

As some details are still being confirmed and there may be last-minute changes on location/timing for the events we advise you to look at the online version of this media advisory, which we will update regularly.

Media Launch of Gender Snapshot 2024

When: Monday, 16 September 2024, 12.30 pm

Where: UN headquarters’ press room, New York, and UN Web TV

UN Women and UN DESA will launch the 2024 edition of Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot to the media. This year’s report points out the latest trends and challenges on the achievement of gender equality across all the Sustainable Development Goals. It also points out the urgency of accelerating progress on gender equality to achieve the SDGs. UN accredited media are welcome to attend the briefing in person, or online, and the video will also be available post-launch on UN Web TV. The official launch event for Members States and other stakeholders will take place on September 21 at 6 pm, by invitation only.

Inclusion = Income: The Business Case for Progressive Advertising

When: Tuesday, 17 September 2024, 8.30 am to 10 am

The Business Case for Inclusive Advertising is an industry-first, global study which proves that inclusive advertising content drives both shot and long-term sales. The study, to be launched at this event, was conducted by Oxford University’s Saïd Business School academics Dr Felipe Thomaz and Prof Andrew Stephen and is based on data from Unstereotype Alliance members Bayer Consumer Healthcare, Diageo, Geena Davis Institute, Kantar, Mars, Mondelez International, and Unilever. Please visit Unstereotype Alliance’s website to see the report findings.

Pay of the Future: Achieving Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value

When: Wednesday, 18 September 2024, 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm

To celebrate International Equal Pay Day, this high-level event and reception seeks to energize and accelerate collective action around policies, initiatives and tools that are reducing the gender pay gap. The event will highlight multi-stakeholder and whole-of-society approaches that are effecting change, in line with the reinvigoration of multilateralism seen at the Summit of the Future. The reception will provide an open, inclusive and informal space to engage and encourage discussion, giving participants the opportunity to strengthen avenues of exchange, collaboration and mutual support and action around achieving equal pay for work of equal value.

Beijing+30:  Towards a Gender Equal World

When: Saturday, 21 September 2024, 2.30 pm to 3.45 pm

As we come closer to the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, UN Women is taking stock on the implementation so far of this blueprint on women’s rights. The event will bring together governments, civil society organisations and youth groups, the UN system, the private sector, philanthropy and all other multi-stakeholder actors, to share, inspire commit, and act. It will be co-hosted by Mexico, Kenya, and Denmark and others. Registration for in-person attendance: For those who do not have a valid UN ground pass to enter the UN premises, registration for a special event pass is open until 6 September 2024 through this link. The event will take place in Conference Room 2, UN Headquarters, New York.

Advocacy, Coalition Building and Transformative Feminist Action (ACT) to End Violence Against Women Programme Launch

When: Tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, 24 September 2024

The EU and UN Women will launch the Advocacy, Coalition Building and Transformative Feminist Action (ACT) to End Violence Against Women Programme, a new groundbreaking initiative designed to strengthen global and regional advocacy, coalition building, and transformative feminist action to end violence against women and girls. The launch event will emphasize the critical role of women’s rights movements in ending violence against women and girls, call for increased and sustainable funding for these efforts, address the rising challenges posed by anti-rights movements, and discuss strategies to combat technology-facilitated violence against women human rights defenders. Find out more about ACT here.

Annual meeting of the UNGA Platform of Women Leaders

When: Tuesday, 24 September 2024, 1.15 pm to 2.30 pm

More than ever, women’s leadership is critical to addressing existing and emerging crises. It has been proven that women’s participation and leadership in political processes fosters inclusive decision-making and amplifies diverse voices ultimately leading to a more sustainable and resilient world for us and future generations to come. The Platform of Women Leaders event will explore the importance of women’s equal participation in decision-making in ensuring peace, socio-economic opportunities, sustainable development and human dignity. The meeting will also offer an opportunity for women leaders to amplify their messages on issues of global concern.

Generation Equality during the Summit of the Future: mobilizing, catalyzing and accelerating multi-stakeholder partnerships

Three years into implementation and following the 2023 Midpoint, Generation Equality’s engagement will center on the launch of the 2024 Accountability Report on 19 September and substantive dialogues – held in-person and online between 22 September and 3 October 2024 – leveraging the latest evidence and data to chart a way forward for Generation Equality by connecting and amplifying voices from across the Generation Equality stakeholders across the globe. Please see the report findings here.

10th Anniversary of the HeForShe Initiative

When: Tuesday, 24 September 2024, 7 pm to 9 pm

The HeForShe Summit will take place in conjunction with the high-level week of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79) which will centralize the discussions around multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow, namely the Summit of the Future. The HeForShe Summit will aim to contribute to this context through positive role modeling for masculinities supporting gender equality across all SDGs as a key accelerator for the achievement of a shared vision by 2030. The Summit will also serve as a pivotal moment leading up to the global review of gender equality progress, culminating in the Beijing+30 review in 2025. The event will be a private, in-person Gala Dinner, featuring speakers like Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway, President of Spain H.E. Mr. Pedro Sanchez, CEO and Founder of Global Citizen, Hugh Evans as well as prominent private sector leaders. A public event video will be released afterward. By invitation only. Find out more about the HeForShe Initiative here.

Further to the flagship side events, UN Women will also co-organize 12-15 side events that align with the Beijing Platform’s critical areas and mobilize constituencies looking ahead to Beijing+30.