Promoting gender equality together

The platform for internationally operating organizations in Bonn is intended to enable exchange and cooperation on issues of equality between the sexes. Its founding members include the United Nations Organizations in Bonn, the state of North-Rhine Westphalia, City of Bonn, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Deutsche Welle (DW) and the UN Women National Committee Germany. In the months ahead, Gender@International Bonn will already be active at international events - for example, at the Bonn Conference on Global Transformation (May 12-13, 2015, in Bonn) as well at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum (June 22-24, 2015, in Bonn).

Gender equality is a central issue for the UN, says Bradnee Chambers, the current Chair of the Heads of Agencies of the United Nations Organizations in Bonn (UNBonn). "It is part of the vision of equality found in the UN Charter and is part of the mandates and everyday work of all the 18 UN Organizations in Bonn," he said. The UN representative referenced the effects of climate change in this regard. Especially women and girls are among those most affected, for example, by floods, droughts, devastated landscapes and livelihoods, given the precariousness of their livelihoods and the burden of securing shelter, food, water and fuel - tasks that largely fall to them.

In addition to the United Nations, many organizations in Bonn are working on solutions for challenges facing the global community. Tanja Gönner, Chair of the Management Board of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), used the occasion of the founding of the network to make a promise: "GIZ will become the eighth German company to sign the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles. We hope that many other companies will join us."

DW Director General Peter Limbourg further stated that gender equality and sustainable development "are among the key issues in DW's programming and its commitment to media development worldwide. As Germany's international broadcaster and a media organization with its headquarters in Bonn, Deutsche Welle is a natural partner for this initiative that aims to enhance Bonn as a platform for gender topics on a global scale."