A high-level gathering at the United Nations is putting a renewed spotlight on the role of inclusive leadership and positive masculinity in advancing gender equality worldwide.
During the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network, in partnership with the World Madam Foundation, convened a widely attended side event at United Nations Headquarters in New York on March 18.
Titled “Advancing Gender Equality through Inclusive Leadership and Positive Masculinity,” the event drew senior UN officials, policymakers, civil society leaders, and members of the global African diaspora. Held in Conference Room 11 and streamed on UN Web TV, the session reached full capacity, with additional attendees turned away—highlighting the urgency and global interest surrounding the issue.
Opening remarks were delivered by Jocelyne Kabengele Lukundula of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Soyol Bayaraa, representing the United Nations Population Fund. Anni Huang followed with an institutional statement on the importance of cross-sector collaboration.
The panel discussion, moderated by Elizabeth J. Stroble, chancellor Emerita of Webster University, featured a diverse group of voices including Dakota Grant, Zewditu Mulugeta, Mintwab Zelelew Tefesse of the United Nations Development Program, and Vickie Casanova-Willis.
A central theme throughout the discussion was the need to actively engage men and boys as partners in eliminating violence and discrimination against women and girls. Speakers emphasized that gender equality cannot be achieved in isolation, but requires shared responsibility and systemic change.
“Gender equality will not be achieved without inclusive leadership, and it will not be sustained without engaging men and boys as part of the solution,” said Dr. Djibril Diallo, president and CEO of ARDN, said in a press release.
The event also highlighted the Red Card Campaign, a global initiative aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to mobilize communities worldwide—particularly in the lead-up to the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.
The gathering is part of ARDN’s broader annual engagement at the United Nations, which includes CSW in March, Africa Day in May, and the Africa Open for Business Summit held during the UN General Assembly in September.
As global conversations around gender equity continue to evolve, events like this underscore the growing recognition that inclusive leadership and cultural shifts in masculinity are critical to driving lasting, meaningful change.
The African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN) is a United States-based nonprofit organization headquartered in New York, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and engaging a global community of over 250 million people of African descent across more than 80 countries. ARDN has partnership agreements with several agencies of the United Nations and works to advance inclusive and sustainable development through strategic global partnerships.