Six major funding promises from the 2021 Generation Equality Forum

Author Brennan Doherty
The Forum, held recently in Paris, ended with nearly $40 billion USD in commitments from the public, private, and civil society sectors.

Why It Matters

Surviving and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t just involve vaccines or public health measures. It also includes responding to domestic violence, high rates of female unemployment, and other gender-specific aftershocks — and those require serious investment.

Feminist activists, world leaders, and the heads of both civil society organizations and private businesses marked the end of the 2021 Gender Equality Forum in Paris last week with a bold five year plan to improve gender equality across the globe by 2026 — and nearly $40 billion USD in financial commitments. 

“Together we have mobilized across different sectors of society, from north to south, to become a formidable force, ready to open a new chapter in gender equality,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the executive director of UN Women, in a statement last week. “The Forum’s ecosystem of partners — and the investments, commitments and energy they are bringing to confront the greatest barriers to gender equality — will ensure faster progress for the world’s women and girls than we have seen before.” 

Feminist advocates have long said that the COVID-19 p

Our social impact coverage and insights enrich thousands of change makers like you everyday. Sign up for a free account with Future of Good to continue reading this series.