On October 26th and 27th, UN Women’s HeForShe Alliance partners gathered in Paris, where they were welcomed in the space of UNESCO Institute, for the second 2023 HeForShe Lab Session. This in-person gathering brought together senior Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) leaders, and Sustainability champions from across the HeForShe Alliance, marking a pivotal moment for strategising and propelling HeForShe’s mission. 

UN Women Côte d'Ivoire recently hosted a seminar in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Ivorians Abroad to commemorate the International Day of Women in Diplomacy. The event served as a powerful showcase of the important role played by HeForShe advocates in advancing gender equality and women's empowerment within the field of diplomacy. 

"We are very happy and proud to see GAIS continuing to stand for HeForShe. It is incredibly important that more sports organizations take a proactive approach to gender equality issues. We hope and believe that our collective efforts to change attitudes, behaviors, and norms will contribute to a more equal society, free from violence and discrimination." - Louise Waller, UN Women Sweden 

In celebration of Vietnam’s Women's Day, UN Women Vietnam convened a thought-provoking and inspiring discussion, championing the cause of gender equality. The conversation was moderated by Journalist Richard Lui and featured several champions for gender equality.  

In a world grappling with rising misogyny and alarming statistics indicating that 9 out of 10 people are fundamentally biased against women, now is a time when gender equality is more crucial than ever. Conversely, suicide has emerged as the leading cause of death for men under 50, painting a stark picture of the struggles men face in contemporary society. The recent HeForShe Summit was a pivotal event where leaders converged to delve deep into the factors that shape current narratives around masculinity. 

At the recent HeForShe Summit, leaders from both the public and private sectors came together to address the growing concerns surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and the imperative need to develop this technology to prioritise safety and inclusivity. The panel discussion titled "Disrupting Bias in Artificial Intelligence" explored AI's ability to create innovative opportunities and its propensity to exacerbate existing gender inequalities and stereotypes.  

At the HeForShe Summit held on September 21, 2023, UN Women unveiled the #RespectfullyDisruptive theme, with leaders issuing a resounding call to action to disrupt global inequalities. Their call underscored the essence of the "Respectfully Disruptive" theme—a recognition that the status quo must be challenged, and that we must chart a new course towards gender equality. Central to this transformation is the inclusion of men as active partners in the journey.

“The HeForShe Alliance Impact Report 2023 is an inspiring demonstration of leadership by example. It shows the true meaning of being respectfully disruptive in pursuit of gender equality.

In a world marked by increasing resistance to women's rights, leaders from various sectors, including government, business, non-profits, and academia, came together at UN Women's HeForShe Summit to reaffirm their commitments, share innovative solutions, and enhance collaboration across sectors in the pursuit of gender equality.