CSW70 Side Event: Intergenerational engagement for advancing young women's leadership
Intergenerational engagement for advancing young women's leadership
CSW70 Side event
13 March 2025, 11:30 am – 12:45 pm EST
Venue: CR-2, Conference Building, UN Headquarters, New York
Organizers: Inter-Parliamentary Union, UN Women, International IDEA, United Cities and Local Governments
Co-sponsored by: European Union Delegation, Portugal and Sweden
Background
Structural, socioeconomic, and cultural barriers, rooted in unequal power relations and discriminatory norms, hinder women’s and in particular young women’s participation in public life. As of 1st January 2026, just 28 countries are headed by a woman. Women make up 22.9 per cent of cabinet members heading ministries (2025), 27.1 per cent of national legislators, and 35.6 per cent of local legislature (2025). According to the IPU 2025 Report on Youth Participation, the proportion of young women Members of Parliament (MPs) has declined since 2023, with women aged 30 and under accounting for just 1.2 per cent of MPs worldwide (down from 1.4 per cent) and those aged 40 and under only 6.9 per cent (down from 7.9 per cent). Gender balance is stronger among younger MPs, with with women making up 42.8 per cent of MPs aged 30 and under and 36.2 per cent of those aged 40 and under, compared with just 27.2 per cent across all ages and 21.1 per cent for those over 40.
Organised in the context of the Review Theme of CSW70 which looks back at the 65th session (2021) focused on "Women's full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls", this side-event will focus on the topic of intergenerational engagement to support and increase the participation of young women to public life, leadership roles and politics. The CSW65 Agreed Conclusions recognized that “young women are particularly underrepresented in public life” and recognized that “early exposure to women leaders as role models, as well as to legislative and policymaking spaces, motivates young women and girls, broadens networks and strengthens their opportunities to become fully engaged citizens”, “that measures are needed to enable young women and girls to successfully grow into leadership positions in public and private spheres by ensuring their full and equal access to education, technology and skills development, leadership and mentorship programmes, increased technical and financial support, and protection from violence and discrimination”.
In direct response to these identified gaps and priorities, the European Union is funding an initiative implemented by UN Women, International IDEA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). Launched during CSW68 in 2024, the WYDE | Women’s Leadership initiative is a collaborative global effort working to advance women’s full and effective political participation, representation and decision-making at all levels, especially those most often left furthest behind. Over three years, WYDE | Women’s Leadership is leveraging collective action, partnerships, coordination, knowledge, and resources at global level to advance women’s- and young women’s - political participation and decision-making through social norms change, networking and global advocacy. One of its key strategies is the rolling out of intergenerational dialogues and exchanges for building critical skills, facilitating networking of young women in politics and decision-making. These dialogues also strengthen intergenerational solidarity between women’s rights organizations and women in politics, encouraging an intersectional perspective to their respective work.
The side-event will present an opportunity to hear first-hand about the successes and challenges of intergenerational engagement and to learn from the WYDE programme.
Objectives
The in-person side event will bring WYDE Women’s Leadership partners as well as representatives from the EU together with Members of Parliament, local governments, women’s movements, civil society organizations, experts and women leaders, including from youth groups, with the objectives to:
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Highlight the impacts and needs to bring more young women into politics
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Hear from the successful experiences and best practices of intergenerational exchanges, alliances and mentoring
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Present new tool promoting young women’s access to leadership and representation (iKNOW Politics Young Women’s Empowerment Portal)
where and when
Date and time: 13 March 2026, 11:30 am EST – 12:45 pm
Venue: CR-2, Conference Building, UN Headquarters, New York.
Live streaming: UN WebTV
Registration: (for UN Grounds passholders only) through this link.
NB: Registration does not guarantee access to a UN grounds pass.
Agenda and Speakers
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Time |
Session and speakers |
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11:30 -11:44 |
Welcome (14 min)
Moderation: Abosede George-Ogan, Founder/Executive Director ∙ Women in Leadership Advancement Network, Nigeria
Opening remarks (3 min each):
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11:44-11:45 |
Voices across generations for young women’s leadership - Video (1 min) | ||
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11:45 – 12:35 |
Panel discussion: Intergenerational Collaboration to advance Young Women’s Leadership (40 min)
This panel will examine how intergenerational collaboration can advance young women’s political leadership and highlight effective practices from across public and political life. It will also address key obstacles to women’s participation, with a focus on gender‑based violence, including technology‑facilitated violence against women and girls and discuss strategies to overcome these barriers.
Moderated discussion (30mn):
Questions & Answers Session (10 min)
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12:35 – 12:40 |
Presentation of iKNOW Politics Young Women’s Empowerment Portal (5 min)
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12:43-12:45 |
Closing by moderator |
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BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS |
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Cross Kwansing is an award-winning strategist and a leader in sustainable development. Her dedication was recognised with the Kiribati Order of Merit, and she is a distinguished Obama Foundation Leader and an Ambassador for Women Deliver. As the founder of the Tungaru Climate Alliance and a founding director of Kindling Kiribati – Small Business Development, she has developed impactful programs and projects addressing challenges related to women's economic empowerment, adaptation and mitigation efforts in climate change, water and sanitation, the environment, health care, education, and business. Her dedicated interest in social impact, poverty eradication, capacity building, Pacific aid, and sustainable development opportunities in Kiribati also led her to numerous consultancy roles as a local technical expert in the country's development sector in recent years. She currently serves as Minister of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs, increasing her commitment to advancing these crucial sectors within Kiribati. |
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Abosede George-Ogan is the Founder of the Women in Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN) and a tri-sector leader with over 20 years of experience across the non-profit, private, and public sectors. She has advanced health, education, and economic outcomes in more than 30 Nigerian states and five West African cities. Her career spans ActionAid International Nigeria and senior CSR and Sustainability roles at Keystone Bank, FirstBank, and Samsung Electronics West Africa. As the pioneer Director of Strategy, Funding, and Stakeholder Management at the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, she helped drive job creation and economic empowerment in Lagos. A Harvard Kennedy School alumna, Abosede holds degrees from Igbinedion University, the University of Reading, and Harvard Kennedy School. Through WILAN Global, she aims to inspire gender-balanced leadership and equip 100,000 African women with leadership skills within a decade. |
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Rumbidzai is International IDEA's Principal Adviser, Democracy and Inclusion. She is a democracy and gender equality advocate and practitioner with several years of progressively responsible engagement in the political participation and representation areas on gender equality and women’s empowerment, political systems, political parties, electoral systems and processes, gender in constitutional processes and outcomes, gender and political financing, parliamentary strengthening and performance through working at national, regional and international levels in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe. Prior to joining International IDEA, Kandawasvika-Nhundu was responsible for the capacity development and support programme on gender mainstreaming in the law-making, representation and oversight functions by members of parliaments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as well as the training of SADC Parliamentarians’ Elections observer missions on observing electoral processes from a gender perspective in several countries in Africa. |
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With extensive experience in international relations and crisis response, Julia Koch-de Biolley is the Head of the Task Force for Equality at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels. She has a strong background in international diplomacy, particularly in the Middle East, where she served twice as Deputy Head of Delegation for the EU: in Lebanon (2017-2020) and in the West Bank and Gaza (2010-2013). Beyond diplomacy, Julia has significant experience in crisis management, having worked with Médecins Sans Frontières in Africa and the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). Her expertise spans emergency response, humanitarian coordination, and political affairs. Julia also is a trained Systemic Coach and has worked in organizational and human resource development, having held advisory roles in resource and HR management at the EEAS. Throughout her career, she has held key positions in political affairs, crisis response, and career development at the German Foreign Ministry, the European Commission and the European External Action Service. |
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Cynthia López Castro served as a Member of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies (2018–June 2024) and was elected Senator in June 2024. Since March 2023, she has been President of the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, leading efforts to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment globally. She holds a PhD in Public Administration, a master’s degree in government and politics from George Washington University, and a Public Leadership certificate from Harvard Kennedy School. She is currently pursuing a master’s in Anticorruption at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. Elected at 28 as a local Member of Congress (2015–2018), she helped draft Mexico City’s Constitution and championed youth political participation, including lowering the candidacy age to 18. In 2022, she received the IPU’s first Cremer-Passy Prize.
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With more than two decades of leadership in global development, Sarah Hendriks is the Director of the Programme, Policy and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women, where she drives international efforts on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Previously, she led the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s first-ever gender equality strategy, mobilizing $170 million for women’s economic empowerment and building an $80 million portfolio on gender data and integration. Sarah also served as Director of Gender Equality & Social Inclusion at Plan International, where her strategic leadership generated over €500 million in new resources for adolescent girls’ development and global initiatives such as the State of the World’s Girls report. Earlier in her career, she worked with organizations including Women and the Law in Southern Africa, World Vision International, and as a consultant for Global Affairs Canada, GIZ, and the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. Named among Apolitical’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy, Sarah is recognized as a leading voice in international negotiations and women’s empowerment.
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Bina Maseno is a political affairs, gender and governance specialist, movement builder, and Executive Director of Badili Africa. Her work focuses on dismantling barriers that exclude young and grassroots women and reimagining political leadership as accessible and collective. After contesting for office at 22 and experiencing violence and exclusion, she shaped Badili Africa’s feminist, ecosystem approach to political participation. She is Ms. President Nairobi County 2022 and a speaker across platforms including Obama Leaders, Goalkeepers, and African Union forums. Under her leadership, Badili Africa has reached 8,000+ young women through civic education models. She amplifies women political mobilizers through advocacy, documentary storytelling, and co-led the 2025 book A Political System that Excludes on structural barriers to women’s political power.
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Councillor Chioniso Michelle Murinda is an elected official serving on the Chegutu Rural District Council in Zimbabwe, where she chairs the Environment Committee. She leads environmental governance, climate resilience, natural resource management, and sustainable rural development across 29 wards. As a member of Zimbabwe and UCLG delegations to the Commission on the Status of Women, she brings local government perspectives to global gender equality and sustainability discussions. With expertise in governance and peacebuilding, she advances gender-responsive leadership in legislative processes, community planning, and environmental stewardship. Her work supports localization of the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas, translating global commitments into community impact. She is Global Co-Chair of the African Women Leaders Network Youth Caucus, promoting intergenerational leadership and women’s political participation. She holds degrees in Peace, Conflict and Governance and International Studies and is currently a PhD candidate. |
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With extensive experience in diplomacy and multilateral affairs, Rui Vinhas is the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations since June 2024. A graduate in Law from the University of Lisbon, he began his diplomatic career in 1992, serving at the Portuguese Mission to the UN in New York (1997–2000), where he was Vice-President of the UN Disarmament Commission during Portugal’s Security Council mandate. He later advised both the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000–2002) and the President of the Republic (2003–2005). His career includes postings as Deputy Head of Mission in Madrid (2005–2010), Director for the Americas, and Deputy Director-General for Foreign Policy, where he coordinated the Ibero-American Conference and the Alliance of Civilizations. Minister Plenipotentiary in 2013, he represented Portugal at the EU Political and Security Committee (2015–2017), before becoming Director-General for European Affairs (2017–2021) and Political Director until 2024. In December 2023, he was designated G20 Sherpa. |
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- ^ WYDE | Women’s Leadership is part of the Women and Youth Democratic Engagement initiative (WYDE), funded by the European Union, that seeks to empower and strengthen the rights, and participation in public and political life of youth and women as key actors of development and change.
- ^ https://www.ipu.org/resources/publications/infographics/2025-09/youth-participation-in-national-parliaments-2025-infographic
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Register in advance to attend in person. The event will also be live streamed on UN Web TV.