UN Women National Committees explore new opportunities chart new avenues to advance gender equality through HeForShe

The 2026 Annual Meeting in Rome brought together UN Women National Committees from around the world to exchange experiences, strengthen collaboration and explore new opportunities to advance gender equality, including through HeForShe.

Rome, Italy, 8 October 2026 – Representatives from UN Women’s global network of National Committees gathered in Rome from 6 to 8 October for the 2026 Annual Meeting, strengthening collaboration and exploring new opportunities to advance gender equality. Among the discussions, HeForShe offered a platform for National Committees to connect global advocacy with locally driven action, recognising the essential role men and boys can play in challenging harmful social norms and advancing lasting change.

Hosted by the Italian National Committee, the three-day meeting brought together representatives from 10 National Committees in person, from Australia, Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom, with colleagues from Japan, New Zealand and Spain joining virtually. Participants exchanged experiences and explored priorities spanning corporate partnerships, youth engagement, digital giving, artificial intelligence, the Women’s Empowerment Principles and Women, Peace and Security.

Connecting HeForShe’s global reach with local action
The HeForShe team discussed with National Committees opportunities for national HeForShe activations, highlighting the importance of engaging men and boys, and building multisectoral partnerships in advancing gender equality and challenging patriarchal masculinities.

Discussions charted three pathways for action: mobilising people and cross-sector partnerships, using the Barbershop Toolkit 2.0 to facilitate conversations about masculinities and gender equality, and engaging young people through university partnerships.

These initiatives will create spaces for to reflect on inequitable social norms, challenge them and become active advocates for gender equality.

The participants strategized around the upcoming campaign for the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, mobilising their networks to challenge gender-based violence and promote accountability.

Beyond the HeForShe discussions, the meeting featured updates on UN Women’s communications and campaigning priorities for 2026–2027, the latest Gender Snapshot findings and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Participants also looked ahead to International Women’s Day and the 71st session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 2027. 

Reflecting on the meeting, Darya Majidi, President of the Board of the Italian National Committee, highlighted the importance of solidarity and collaboration across the network:

“Bringing together the 13 National Committees and UN Women HQ in Italy was a powerful reminder that when women unite, our collective voice becomes stronger. In a time when we are witnessing a resurgence of patriarchal models, we need solidarity, courage, and a new digital sisterhood, using AI and technology to accelerate equality.”

Strengthening the movement through collective action
With 13 National Committees worldwide, the network plays an important role in supporting UN Women’s mission through fundraising, advocacy and public engagement. The Annual Meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen connections across this network and identify new ways to advance shared priorities.

For HeForShe, the discussions reaffirmed the importance of working with National Committees to engage men and boys as partners in gender equality. Through cross-sector collaboration, practical tools such as the Barbershop Toolkit 2.0 and partnerships with universities and businesses, the movement can help create more opportunities for people to challenge harmful norms and contribute to lasting change.

By connecting global advocacy with local action, HeForShe and UN Women’s National Committees can continue to build collective momentum towards a more equal world.