Dear John, 
 

It’s that time of year again: the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is on in New York City, and this year also includes a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with an SDG Action Weekend, including the Generation Equality Midpoint Moment, an SDG Summit ahead of the General Debate and several other high-level meetings and summits.

Why does Equality Now take part in events like UNGA, SDG Action Weekend, and the SDG Summit?

There is still a long way to go to fulfill the SDGs, including SDG 5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” to ensure a better, sustainable future for not just women and girls but for everyone. The combination of these three important fora creates a unique opportunity for advocacy and networking. Equality Now is leveraging this opportunity by co-hosting and participating in major side events, as well as participating in the SDG Action Weekend and meeting with UN member states. 

The UN focus on the SDGs shows that UN officials and member states know that time is running short to fulfill the promise of the SDGs. This is why Equality Now is pulling together key partners and working with the many coalitions we are a part of to ensure our advocacy messages are heard by UN member states, and reminding governments that the deadline for fulfilling the SDGs is drawing near, so they have no time to waste.

Where will Equality Now and our partners be during this time?

Equality Now works with several global and national coalitions, and as part of these groups, we are taking part in two important events:

• "Accelerating Action toward Equality in Law for Women and Girls by 2030"
  When: Thurs., September 14, 2023, 10:00 AM - 11:45 AM EDT
  Where: Virtual. Register here for virtual attendance.

• "Mapping Progress, Charting the Future: Utilizing Legal Tools to End FGM/C in the United States"
  When: Thurs., September 14, 2023, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EDT
  Where: Scandinavia House, in-person only. Register here for in-person attendance.

We look forward to connecting with you at the UN General Assembly, but if you can’t join any of the events, we hope you’ll read more about why we take part in these events and how they align with our approach to changing laws and creating a more just world for women and girls.
 

In solidarity,

Antonia Kirkland
Global Lead, Legal Equality and Access to Justice, 
Equality Now