New York, 24 September, 2025 – The International Gender Champions (IGC) released today the second edition of the Gender-Responsive Assemblies Toolkit. The Toolkit, which was originally drafted in 2018, has been updated by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Women at the Table, and the IGC to take into account new, progressive measures launched across international organisations, including the adoption in 2024 of General Recommendation 40 by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
The 2025 edition of the Toolkit was launched on the occasion of the parliamentary event organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at the opening High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly. "Gender parity in representation is a democratic and human rights imperative that must be applied at all levels. It takes bold leadership, intentional steps and collective resolve," said Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the IPU and Chair of the IGC Global Board, on the occasion of the launch.
Assemblies are an important part of the work of any organisation, especially those that are international and multilateral in scope. Assemblies set strategic direction and create forums for robust debate and effective agreements. These gatherings bring together world leaders and decision-makers from across the geopolitical spectrum, most of whom are men. And it is their decisions that have an impact on the lives of all people at the national level.
This Toolkit – which contains concrete, up-to-date examples and guidance - remains a useful tool for transforming the way organisations plan, conduct and follow-up on their Assemblies, so that they can ensure their deliberations are informed by diverse perspectives, and their decisions are legitimate and effective. The Toolkit highlights both good practices and lessons learned on what can and should be done to achieve consistent, measurable progress on the road to parity and gender responsiveness.
The Toolkit demonstrates three key areas of focus before, during and after assemblies:
1. Creating an enabling and inclusive environment for meaningful and substantive participation by women and the advancement of gender equality;
2. Including gender equality in participation and governance;
3. Advancing gender equality in deliberations and decisions.
The International Gender Champions (IGC) is a global leadership network that comprises over 300 prominent decision-makers committed to dismantling gender barriers in all sectors. The Gender-Responsive Assemblies Toolkit was developed by the IGC, the IPU, and Women at the Table. Inputs and best practices were provided by the ILO, IPU, ITU, IUCN, OHCHR, UNDRR, UNEP, UNFCCC, UNOG, WHO, WIPO, and WMO.
For more detailed information, please visit the IGC’s website, www.genderchampions.com.
Media contact:
Hannah Reinl
Project Manager, International Gender Champions Secretariat
[email protected]
+41 22 730 96 09
