On the occasion of a Champions meeting on the eve of International Women's Day on 5 March 2020, IGC-Vienna launched an extension of the IGC Representation Impact Group. IGC Impact Groups are led directly by Champions and designed to create a strong mandate and deliver change in a specific field of influence.
With a view to supporting the implementation of the Gender-Responsive Assemblies Toolkit developed by the Representation Impact Group in Geneva, UNIDO presented the two main objectives of the Group, namely:
- To pilot an artificial intelligence-based machine learning software to analyze the share of speaking time of men and women at events of Vienna-based entities.
- To adapt the Chief Executives Board-endorsed Model Code of Conduct to Prevent Harassment, including Sexual Harassment, at UN System Events to the Viennese context in a view to provide interested Vienna-based entities, on a voluntary opt-in basis, with a mechanism to provide centralized guidance on the grievance, investigation and remedy processes.
The Vienna Representation Impact Group will be co-led by UNIDO Director-General Li Yong, the Ambassador Pirkko Hämäläinen of Finland and Ambassador Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel of Afghanistan.
“Representation – ensuring women can equally and safely participate in assemblies – is definitely an issue of common concern”, Director-General LI Yong stressed.
Assemblies, such as roundtables and conferences, frequently consist in large displays of gender imparity in terms of both attendees as well as panelists. They often also witness occurrences of harassment and abuse, with women participants especially affected, Ambassador Hämäläinen underlined.
To round off the presentation of the Representation Impact Group, Ambassador Ebrahimkhel concluded that she expects its outcomes to significantly contribute to women’s empowerment and that the Representation Impact Group will work together with other Gender Champions in achieving this common goal.
Alongside the Representation Group, the Viennese Gender Champions also endorsed the Nuclear Industry Impact Group to be led by the Ambassador Heidi Hulan of Canada and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi.