The Vienna-based Champions meeting is a biannual event aimed at creating space and time for dynamic and transformative conversations between heads of permanent missions, international organizations, and civil societies.
Since current meetings are taking place virtually, for this session, the Vienna Hub of the International Gender Champions (IGC) piloted a new format and used small breakout rooms to facilitate the type of peer-to-peer exchanges that in-person sessions offer.
The IGC Vienna Hub's June 2021 Champion-level meeting was centered around Champions' 2021 IGC commitments and areas of interest of the Vienna-based Champions to drive urgent action and accountability for gender equality.
The Vienna-based Champions were invited to discuss how to advance systemic and societal change through their gender-related activities and commitments and to share best practices and possible challenges in accomplishing their 2021 IGC commitments.
During their breakout sessions, Champions had a chance to brainstorm together on thematic topics corresponding to their personal IGC commitments and areas of interest and expertise, including:
- promoting an enabling workplace environment supportive of diversity and inclusion,
- prevention of harassment, including sexual harassment, and gender-based violence,
- gender parity initiatives, particularly the equal representation of women and men in under-represented fields, such as in STEM, security and peacekeeping, and
- responding to resistance on gender equality initiatives.