PRESS RELEASE: Asia-Pacific Feminists call for inclusion and accountability in GEF

September 10, 2021 – 92 intersectional feminist civil society (CS) organizations based and working in Asia and the Pacific have released an open letter* seeking inclusion and accountability in the Generation Equality Forum (GEF) process. Addressed to UN Women, the statement cites the “lack of engagement and resources provided for the region in the GEF and its development”.

The Generation Equality Forum which culminated in Paris last June 30-July 2 did not feature any government representatives from Asia-Pacific nor did it have enough representation from groups like sex workers and trans people. 

“We fear that the de-prioritization of the largest region in the world will result in missed opportunities to advance the gender equality agenda,” said Natassha Kaur of the International Planned Parenthood Federation East & South East Asia and Oceania Region (IPPF ESEAOR). 

The statement also cited concerns about the lack of accessibility of the GEF online platform. “We were faced with barriers that are not only due to the technology-related challenges but also because of the timing and language”, said Marevic Parcon of the Philippine-based Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR).

The feminists provided recommendations as to ways forward for the GEF process. These include establishing regional communities that collaborate with regional UN offices and support engagement of intersectional feminists and women in all their diversity; establishing a strong and effective accountability framework at regional, national and global levels; engaging with intersectional feminists and civil society groups to properly resource and implement a robust and inclusive accountability framework that evaluates transformative impact at the grassroots level; and strengthening engagement with multi-stakeholder groups across the region as the GEF process continues to be planned and implemented.

Climate Justice also merited its own recommendation with the feminists asking for “urgent fundraising” to fund a global campaign to increase political will on climate change, ecological and gender equality. The Asia-Pacific region is the most vulnerable to climate-related disasters, disproportionately affecting women and marginalized groups, according to the statement.

“Notwithstanding our concerns, as intersectional feminists, we ask UN Women to provide space for CSOs to strengthen the GEF commitments. We will continue to engage in good faith but we will seek increased accountability and transparency in content, structure, and process,” said Alexandra Johns of the Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, a Bangkok-based SRHR network. 

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*Japanese, Hindi, Chinese and Bahasa Translations may be accessed here.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Philippines: Shiphrah Belonguel <shiphrah@wgnrr.org>

Thailand: Alexandra Johns <Alexandra@asiapacificalliance.org>

Malaysia: Natassha Kaur <natassha@ippf.org>