WOMEN FORUM UNVEILED EXCLUSIVE BAROMEYER ON GENDER EQUITY & G20 CALL TO ACTION

USPA NEWS - The G20 Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic Representation is a special initiative that aims at accelerating women’s leadership and empowerment in the private sector by leveraging its unique alliance among business leaders and governments across the G20 countries. Launched during the 2019 G20 Summit in Japan and established during the 2020 Saudi Presidency, G20 EMPOWER includes 27 Members from G20 and guest countries. Over the course of 12 months during the Covid-19 crisis, the gender gap grew by 36 years – this means that at the current rate, it will take us 135 years to reach gender parity. At the Women’s Forum, we are convinced the G20 countries have the responsibility to lead by example when it comes to fostering women’s empowerment and impactful leadership. G20 countries account for 60% of the world's population, represent more than 80% of global GDP and 75% of global trade.

A #SHECOVERY FOR ALL: TOWARDS A ZERO GENDER GAP BY WOMEN FORUM UNDER G20 ITALY----------------- For the first time, we conducted our Women's Forum Barometer on Gender Equity in G20 countries and presented the results at our Women's Forum G20 Italy in Milan. The tool measures the difference between perception and reality when it comes to gender equality.  « We urge that gender criteria are systematically adopted in international development assistance and that an equal representation is achieved at all levels of public and private governance. Our recommendations are achievable, concrete and pragmatic. In conceiving them, we have adopted a very simple but effective principle. We are not asking for new financial resources: but rather we strongly believe that existing funds should be reorganised and driven for the better. We have closely worked with the Italian G20 Presidency, in particular in the framework of the G20 Conference on Gender Equality chaired by Professor Elena Bonetti, Italian Minister of Gender Equality and Family, and drawing inspiration from the G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration, committing to a Roadmap towards and beyond the Brisbane Target. In this context, we also acknowledge the precious contribution from OECD, including the engagement to reduce the gender gap in labour market participation by 25% in 2025: it is an example of its visionary ambition. » Chiarra Corazza the Special representative for G7 & G20, for Women’s Forum

We cannot fight inequalities without an informed view of reality. DISCOVER G20 BAROMETER--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Because of the key strategic role of the G20 countries in this fight, we have launched the G20 Call to Action, ‘A She-Covery for All’. Addressed to the G20 Leaders and presented at the Women’s Forum G20 Italy in Milan this week, our recommendations are made the occasion of the first-ever Italian Presidency of the G20. Watch the launch session here. We are promoting the best initiatives developed by champions of gender equality -- public and private stakeholders who are already successfully making a difference to guarantee that, in every field, women and men join their diverse perspectives and strengths to tackle global challenges.We are calling on the G20 Leaders to mainstream a gender dimension in their Agenda and acknowledge women as active contributors in bringing transformative solutions and building back better.  THE TEN (10) WOMEN’S FORUM RECOMMENDATIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 84% of the population in G20 countries thinks that closing gender gap and designing an inclusive economic recovery should be a priority for their country. The zero gender gap ambition will be achieved only if gender is mainstreamed in all policies, strategies and investments. We call on the G20 Leaders to integrate mandatory gender indicators, highlighted in this Call to Action, as criteria of performance, attractiveness and competitiveness of countries, public administrations, local authorities, companies, universities and investment funds, including in all international rankings. We call on the G20 Leaders to create a permanent dedicated task force within the OECD monitoring the implementation and the impact of the measures in favour of gender equality decided by the G20 and put in place by each government. This task force will be in charge of tracking progress on a regular basis, in connection with the G20 bodies, promoting best practices according to a ‘Name & Fame’ approach HERE ARE THE 10 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR G20 ITALY------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Dedicate 3% of the 15% of the global corporate tax, decided by the G20 in 2021, to invest in gender equality in STEM education 2. Build lifelong STEM training programmes for women in the workforce in all sectors 3. Create a specific tax credit for companies implementing an inclusive Artificial Intelligence 4. Establish the International Women Climate Fund 5. Support companies respecting gender equality in public procurement by granting them extra points 6. Allocate 10% of national health budgets to the research related to female-specific diseases 7. Establish a compulsory gender equality index at the national level in order to achieve equal pay and fair career opportunities 8. Adopt a mandatory and fully paid paternity leave of two weeks, including two days prior to the delivery date 9. Allocate at least 50% of the international development assistance resources to projects targeting gender equality, in the framework of a national strategy for a feminist diplomacy 10. Reach at least 40% women representation in all public and private governance bodies by 2030. Source: Women Forum