Debate - Gender parity: Game changer or gamble?

Gender parity is designed to reduce gender gaps in all sectors, from access to education and parliamentary elections to women’s economic empowerment. But what does parity mean and how does it work in practice? On International Women’s Day 2016, the inaugural Geneva Gender Debate will consider the motion:

This house believes betting on gender parity as the game changer is a risky gamble.

Proposing the motion:

• Kate Gilmore, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR
• Stuart Halford, Senior Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, The Sexual Rights Initiative

Opposing the motion:

• Elisabeth Prügl, Professor and Director of Programme on Gender and Global Change, the Graduate Institute, Geneva
• Arancha González, Executive Director, International Trade Centre

Moderator: Scott Weber, Director General, Interpeace

Introductory remarks: Michael Møller, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva
Amb. Pamela Hamamoto, Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations at Geneva