Global Citizenship Forum Holds Gender Equality Event At UN

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Representatives of several advocacy and media organizations gathered at the United Nations Sept. 29, to discuss issues related to “UN sustainable Development Goals – Beyond Gender Equality.”

Organizers told Desi Talk 130 people attended the event held in the UN dining room. It was hosted by the Global Citizen Forum (GCF) in association with Universal Peace Federation, ITV and the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI).

The event was hosted by the Global Citizen Forum (GCF) in association with Universal Peace Federation, ITV and the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI). The event was held in honor of a delegation of 45 women business leaders of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce of India, the leading business chamber of that country, which participated with a view to bolstering Indo-American relations, a press release from GCF said.

Those present included industrialist Bhupendra Kumar Modi, PhD, founder of GCF; Taj Hamad, PhD, vice president – Universal Peace Federation; Aparna Reddy president, FICCI Ladies Organization; Preeti Malhotra, founder-director, GCF; and Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, founder and chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and past President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, AAPI. The event also included representatives and ambassadors from the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the UN and was supported by the Permanent mission of Grenada to the UN.

“GCF was formed with the objective of going beyond gender, religion and nationality,” Modi said at the occasion, adding, “With this event we highlight the significance of women leaders and their contribution to business, trade and bilateral relations. I think the United Nations is changing and it’s crucial that more women get on this global platform and I’m happy that the GCF can help facilitate that opportunity.”

Dr. Parikh, in his address to the audience also underlined his commitment to gender equality – not only in the field of medicine but also media – with emphasis on women journalists to percolate an equitable perspective.

Reddy, highlighted the significant work of FICCI in India and its effort to document the gender ratio in India’s formal sector.

Adding to that Malhotra noted that “any effort to bring gender equality requires courage. The women need to be courageous enough to ask for equality, the men must be courageous enough to share equality and the policy makers must be courageous enough to grant equality.”

The event was also addressed by Dr. Taj Hamad who emphasized that “men and women have an equal space in society and the contributions of both are equally significant for any effort of peace and understanding in the world.”

The event is the latest in a series organized by GCF to promote its objective of “one world beyond gender, religion and nationality.” GCF has held several such events across the globe.