CIFAL Atlanta, the City of Atlanta, Fulton County Government, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) will be co-hosting the "Gender, Governance and Economic Empowerment Forum" in Atlanta, Georgia from September 30- October 2, 2009.

As part of the Global Leadership Initiative on Gender Equality in Cities (2006-2009), launched by City of Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, this 5th International Forum will look to "promote gender equality and empower women," one of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) enacted by the United Nations. This event is sponsored by Fulton County Government, Hunton & Williams LLP, Spelman College, Agnes Scott College and Delta Air Lines, in collaboration with UN-INSTRAW, Metropolis Women International Network and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Program Background

In September 2000, the United Nations General Assembly of 189 nations, established gender equality as one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in an effort to eradicate poverty by 2015.  In 2005, UNITAR chartered CIFAL Atlanta to develop and lead a program for its worldwide network of 12 centers in support of the UN MDGs addressing the issue of gender equality with a focus on government. The Initiative has been recently launched in the African Region and will soon be deployed in Asia: in August 2008, CIFAL Durban hosted the African Forum as a landmark not only marking progress as the halfway mark to the targets of the MDGs, but also as the halfway mark to the Global Leadership Initiative on Gender Equality in Cities. The African Forum was the fourth workshop in the series and the first international workshop of the Initiative.

A Unique Format

A comprehensive gender equality best practice sharing forum for government leaders.  Utilizing UNITAR's unique Knowledge Management methodology, each city delegation will complete a self-assessment survey prior to the forum in an effort to measure their level of gender equality competency. This process facilitates best practice sharing as it assists in identifying potential "learners" and "sharers" for each best practice area and aids CIFAL Atlanta in pairing delegates for maximum knowledge exchange.

Interactive sessions will be held on the first day of the forum. Action-oriented results and findings will be presented on the second day of the program during a plenary session.  Some of the workshop's best practice areas include:

• Raising awareness and providing gender training
• Increasing women's participation in electoral politics
• Engendering government appointment policies
• Building partnerships between non-governmental institutions
• Engendering the local budgeting process
• Securing equitable access to education
• Providing gender-sensitive services, including gender-based violence and public health services
• Developing a mentoring system for women leaders
• Developing monitoring and evaluation tools to measure progress
• Promoting economic opportunities and participation for women

Participant Profile

The Honorable Nancy A. Boxill, a Fulton County Commissioner, will chair this year’s forum and lead a select group of high-ranking government officials from cities across the Americas, who will come together with members of NGOs, academia and the private sector, to exchange information and best practices on integrating gender into public policy formulation and implementation at the government level. 

Hotel

Hilton Atlanta Hotel 255 Courtland Street N.E. Atlanta, GA 30303

Venue

World Trade Center Atlanta
303 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30308

For further information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact:

Francesca Cesa Bianchi
Program Director, Social Development
Phone: 404.446.4174
Fax: 404.446.4173
Email: fcesabianchi@cifalatlanta.org

Additional Resources

CIFAL Atlanta - Gender Equality Initiative - Executive Report 2006|2007
CIFAL Atlanta 2007|2006 Proceedings and Event Photos
CIFAL Durban - Gender Equality in the African Region (August 27-29, 2008) - Proceedings