Action Coalitions: A Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality Draft- 30 March 2021 Executive Summary The Generation Equality Action Coalitions are mobilizing governments, women’s, feminist and youth- led organizations, international organizations, and the private sector to: catalyze collective action; spark global and local conversations among generations; drive increased public and private investment; and deliver concrete progress on gender equality across generations for girls and women. Six specific themes are being addressed by the Action Coalitions: i) Gender Based Violence; ii) Economic Justice and Rights; iii) Bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR); iv) Feminist action for climate justice; v) Technology and innovation for Gender Equality; vi) Feminist movements and leadership. Each Action Coalition is led by a group of partners or leaders who have been working together to co- design Blueprints for action. Each blueprint articulates an ambitious agenda that will accelerate progress towards gender equality in this UN Decade of Action. Additional stakeholders are joining the Action Coalitions as Commitment Makers . Why are the Action Coalitions catalytic? Gender equality is not just a goal: it is critical to the survival of the planet, realizing the rights of all girls and women, and building new economic and social systems that include, and 7work for, everyone. This effort is all the more urgent now as COVID-19 has laid bare critical gaps in equality that have left millions of women and girls – particularly those who are most marginalized –behind. Progress on key gender equality indicators has stalled, and no country has yet achieved full gender equality. COVID-19 has exacerbated this lack of progress, deepening women’s poverty and increasing rates of violence. The pandemic is straining health systems, widening socio-economic gaps, and shifting strategic, political, and funding priorities, all of which disproportionately affect women and girls. In this light, the Generation Equality Action Coalitions are an extraordinary platform, both in their approach and level of ambition. Action Coalitions leaders have been working together to build an acceleration plan on key areas that matter to women’s and girls’ lives. Each of the action coalitions address issues that are among the most intractable barriers to equality— from violence, to climate change, and economic systems that leave women and girls behind. They also identify actions that, if implemented and fully funded, can lead to lasting and transformative change and help to ensure that women, girls and gender diverse people everywhere can fully enjoy their human rights. What are the core principles of the Action Coalitions? Intersectionality, feminist leadership and transformation are principles that underpin how the Action Coalitions operate and what they aspire to achieve. All Action Coalition Leaders and Commitment Makers are encouraged to reflect these principles within their own organizations, governments, institutions, and companies, as well as in their collective work. Intersectionality: Action Coalitions seek to incorporate an intersectional lens to their work, shedding light on the multidimensionality of people’s lived experiences in which multiple axes of identify and oppression intersect. An intersectional approach requires recognizing and analyzing prevalent power dynamics and systems of inequality, and meaningfully and intentionally working to counter them.i Feminist Leadership: Feminist leadership aims at the explicit and intentional redistribution of power and responsibility in a way that is inclusive, participatory, and mindful of issues of gender, age, race, social class, sexual orientation, ability and other intersecting identities. This involves a continuous commitment to keep vigilant about – and challenge – the (re)production of practices and behaviors that deter collaboration, proactive listening and that benefit a few at the expense of others.ii Transformation: Generation Equality Action Coalitions seek transformation-of structures, systems and power—both in terms of concrete change and also in terms of overall ways of being and working. In so doing, the Action Coalitions seek to build a collective vision through dynamic approaches of co- creation, centering on dialogue and shared perspective. Youth voices and leadership are critical to the transformative vision of the Generation Equality Action Coalitions. What concrete Actions are being put forward? Action Coalition leaders have come together to define a targeted set of actions that are concrete, game-changing, measurable and require multi-stakeholder collaboration. The actions have been informed by a rigorous analysis of threats and challenges to women’s and girls’ human rights, as well as evidence about what strategies and tactics are effective in securing change. The following draft actions drive the this Acceleration agenda: Gender-Based Violence More states and regional actors ratify international and regional conventions and public and private sector institutions strengthen, implement and finance evidence-driven laws, policies and action plans to end gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity. In so doing, 550 million more women and girls will live in countries with laws and policies prohibiting all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls by 2026. Scale up implementation and financing of evidence-driven prevention strategies by public and private sector institutions and women’s rights organizations to drive down prevalence of gender-based violence against women, adolescent girls and young women in all their diversity including in humanitarian settings. In so doing, increase by 50% the number of countries that include one or more evidence-driven prevention strategies on gender-based violence against women and girls in national policies by 2026. Scale up implementation and financing of coordinated survivor-centered, comprehensive, quality, accessible and affordable services for survivors of gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity including in humanitarian settings. In so doing, more women and girls will live in countries with multi-sectoral action plans on GBV which include provision of police, justice, health and social sector services by 2026. Enhance support and increase accountability and quality, flexible funding from states, private sector, foundations, and other donors to autonomous girl-led & women’s rights organizations working to end gender- based violence against women and girls in all their diversity. In so doing, progressively improve and increase international funding by 50% to Women’s rights organisations, activists and movements including those working to address gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity by 2026 Economic Justice and Rights By 2026, increase the number of countries with a comprehensive set of measures including through investments in gender-responsive public and private quality care services, law and policy reforms and the creation of up to 80 million decent care jobs to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work and reward and represent care workers, while guaranteeing their labour rights. Create an enabling legal and policy environment and engage women to expand decent work in the formal and informal economy to reduce the number of working women living in poverty by 2026. Expand women’s access to and control over productive resources through increasing access to and control over land, gender-responsive financial products and services, and the number of firms owned by women by 2026. In doing so, ▪ Secure access to ownership and control over land and housing is increased for 7 million women; ▪ The gender gap in women’s financial inclusion is reduced to 6% by increasing both formal and informal financial inclusion; ▪ The number of women's economic empowerment national programs integrating digital financial services and participation through gender-responsive platforms is increased by at least 50%; ▪ The number of firms owned by women is increased by 25%. Design and implement gender-responsive macro-economic plans, budget reforms and stimulus packages so that the number of women and girls living in poverty is reduced by 85 million including through quality public social protection floors and systems by 2026. Bodily Autonomy & Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Increase delivery of comprehensive sexuality education in and out of school reaching 50 million more children, adolescents, and youth by 2026. Within a comprehensive SRHR framework, increase the quality of and access to contraceptive services for 50 million more adolescent girls and women; support removal of restrictive policies and legal barriers, ensuring 50 million more adolescent girls and women live in jurisdictions where they can access safe and legal abortion by 2026. Through gender norms change and increasing knowledge of rights, empower 260 million more girls, adolescents and women in all of their diversity to make autonomous decisions about their bodies, sexuality and reproduction by 2026; enact legal and policy change to protect and promote bodily autonomy and SRHR in at least 20 countries. Increase accountability to, participation of and support for autonomous feminist and women’s organizations (including girl-led and Indigenous organizations), women human rights defenders and peacebuilders, strengthen organizations, networks and movements working