Virtual Townhall Meeting of Civil Society and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres

31 August 2020
10:00am – 11:15am EST

As in all crises, women’s civil society organizations have been at the front line of response to the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting life-saving information and public health messaging, building institutional trust and community resilience, and helping inform and engage marginalised communities. Hearing their perspectives is critical to informing effective response and recovery. Young women are particularly impacted – from education to job opportunities. They have also been those at the forefront of calling for a recovery that is more inclusive, equal, climate just, and resilient. 

Owing to the cancellation of the Commission on the Status of Women earlier this year, the Secretary-General’s annual consultation with women’s civil society was postponed. The virtual townhall will provide an opportunity in this moment for women’s civil society organization to engage with the Secretary-General on the issue of the COVID-19 crisis, sharing their experiences of the impact of the pandemic and their recommendations to the UN in addressing the crisis and rebuilding a more sustainable and inclusive future, as well as its role in protecting and promoting women’s rights and agency  within this new context. 

We welcome you to view the live webcast moderated by UN Women Executive Director,
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at http://webtv.un.org/

You may find the concept note here and the official invitation here.