Pacific UN Leaders Reaffirm Commitment to the UN’s Gender Equality Acceleration Plan
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Suva, Fiji — In a united show of leadership, senior UN (United Nations) officials from across the Pacific convened to reaffirm their collective commitment to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The high-level breakfast Talanoa was held to have focused discussion on the Pillars of the Gender Equality Acceleration Plan (GEAP), and to ensure that Heads of Agencies have a fuller understanding of the UN’s flagship initiative to accelerate progress on gender equality across the UN system.
The GEAP, launched by the UN Secretary-General on 8 March 2024, sets out five core pillars: A Clarion Call, Gender-responsive leadership, Accountability for gender equality results, resources, and action for gender equality everywhere. The dialogue marked a key step in localising the GEAP’s global ambition to the Pacific context.
Pacific UN leaders emphasised that ownership begins at the top
“Leadership on gender equality cannot be delegated. The Gender Equality Acceleration Plan calls on every Head of Agency to act—not only within programmes, but within our institutions. This is a collective test of our commitment, and we must lead by example,” said UNDP Pacific Resident Representative Munkhtuya Altangerel.
The discussion underscored the necessity for all UN agencies—not just those with explicit gender mandates—to take ownership of the agenda. Resident Coordinators and agency heads were reminded of their reporting responsibilities under the GEAP’s leadership pillar.
To ensure effective implementation, UN Country Teams will operationalise the GEAP using tools such as the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard and Country Gender Equality Profiles. These profiles will directly inform gender equality results in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. A working group led by UN Women, UNFPA, and UNESCAP will assess the work and process to develop gender fact sheets per country as a first step towards full profiles.
“Ambition without funding is rhetoric. To realise the GEAP in the Pacific, we must match commitments with investment—this includes deepening donor engagement and ensuring gender is resourced across all programmatic lines,” said UNFPA Country Representative Bidisha Pillai.
“We cannot speak of gender equality while sidelining the voices of the most affected. Civil society must not be a symbolic presence—they are our partners in accountability, and their insights must be meaningfully engaged in informing the GEAP’s implementation,” said UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office Officer in Charge Hulda Ouma.
The role of civil society in shaping and monitoring the GEAP was a central theme. The UN partners agreed that civil society must be treated as strategic partners—and not only engaged in supporting the implementation of programs. Discussions included enhancing engagement through civil society reference or advisory groups and joint forums.
Key takeaways from the dialogue
- Gender equality leadership must be seen at the highest levels and efforts cannot be delegated mainly to the Gender Theme Group. Gender Equality leadership must be cultivated at all levels of the organization.
- Civil society must be engaged as strategic partners, not just event participants or implementers.
- Tools like the Gender Equality Scorecard and Country Gender Equality Profiles should be leveraged to drive real transformation, not just compliance.
- Expand joint programming into non-traditional sectors and strengthen partnerships beyond the UN system.
- Foster inclusive workplace cultures by promoting spaces where staff can share concerns and their experiences, receive mental health and psychosocial support, and gender-responsive leadership.
The Pacific UN system reaffirmed its collective resolve to accelerate gender equality as a core driver of peace, development, and justice. Guided by the GEAP, agencies pledged to work collaboratively - ensuring that efforts are inclusive, measurable, and rooted in the diverse realities of the region. Gender equality is not a parallel agenda - it is the path to a more just and resilient Pacific future.
As the Pacific UN system moves from dialogue to delivery, all eyes will be on how these commitments translate into real, measurable change across the region.