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Gabriela Ramos (Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO) opened the discussion and presented UNESCO’s new Flagship Programme against Gender Stereotypes. She spoke to the devastating effect the pandemic has had on domestic violence around the world and how, while we may feel we are becoming accustomed to the new statistics, they represent a dramatic human failure. She also stressed the role of gender stereotypes in further accentuating the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic, which overburdened women with care and domestic work and threatened their unstable livelihoods.

The consultation welcomed 114 participants from around the world, including: Algeria, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cameroun, China, Croatia, Egypt, France, Holy See, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Northern Macedonia, the Philippines, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sulaimani, Switzerland, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America.

It was moderated by Tim Shand (Co-founder and Director of ShandClarke Consulting Ltd, expert in women’s empowerment, masculinities, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and consultant for UNESCO’s new Flagship Programme). Jana El Baba from UNESCO’s Office in Cairo was the discussant of this webinar.

Lina AbiRafeh (Executive Director of the Arab Institute for Women (AiW) at the Lebanese American University, Lebanon) highlighted the ways in which COVID-19 has offered both huge challenges as well as opportunities in the advancement of gender equality. She urged for critical examination of message dissemination, such as the exclusive messaging around homes being safe spaces, when so many women are unsafe in their own homes.

Aminetou Bilal (Technical Advisor in Charge of Communication, Ministry of Social Affairs, Child and Family Affairs, Mauritania) spoke to how climate change in the region is felt most strongly by women. She also pointed out that women’s participation in decision-making was not equivalent to feminist policymaking for women and men alike perpetuate harmful cultural norms and mindsets. This is why, she stressed, human rights education from an early age is key.

Anmar Khalid (Human rights activist, International Coordinator of Y-PEER International Network, Member of the Generation Equality Youth Taskforce, Iraq) focused on the importance of sexuality education and breaking the silence women are forced to maintain around their bodies and sexualities. An issue of confidence and dignity, he emphasized how this silence negatively effects not just women and girls, but entire communities.

Hania Sholkamy (Associate Professor, Social Research Center, American University in Cairo, Egypt) argued that stereotypes have been mislabeled as reality when, in fact, they are the result of the scarcity and inequality that exist in people's lives. She advocated for the enabling of feminist agendas that are inclusive and address the masculinity crisis of which violence is only a symptom.

Salma Jrad (Influencing and Gender Coordinator, Oxfam, Tunisia) brought attention to digital safety and the transfer of violence against women to online platforms. Online spaces, she argued, highlight and perpetuate the hierarchical social norms that are present in physical spaces.

Alanoud Alsharekh (Researcher on Youth and Gender Demographics, GCC Security, Bi-Cultural Trends, Specialist on Arab Feminist Theory and Advocate for Women's Rights, Kuwait) examined the intersection of religion and gender. She spoke of the importance of women’s pride and happiness with their identity as Muslim women, and the need to protect this identity from being used to justify acts of violence and discrimination against them.

As part of UNESCO’s Flagship Programme against Gender Stereotypes, this was the final edition of a series of six regional expert consultations that aimed to take stock of the current challenges and solutions and draw a roadmap for UNESCO’s upcoming efforts to address the issue of gender stereotyping. This series targeted decision-makers, the academic and scientific communities, NGO communities, international civil society, media and private sector.