Promoting Equitable Gender Norms to Foster Democratic Resilience

The second Summit for Democracy is a key opportunity to recognize and incorporate gender equality across all democracy-building policies and initiatives. To support this goal the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, the governments of Sweden and Romania, and International IDEA formed a Cohort on Gender Equality as a Prerequisite for Democracy. In collaboration with the U.S. government, the Cohort is working across policy and practice to elevate gender equality considerations throughout the Summit and provide concrete recommendations for governments and civil society partners to build greater democratic resilience.

Ahead of the second Summit for Democracy, the Cohort will host a high-level event at Georgetown University to highlight the need for sustained efforts to address discriminatory gender norms that hinder the full and meaningful political participation and leadership of diverse women and girls. The event will also spotlight a new Network for Gender-Inclusive Democracy that USAID is bringing together to accelerate women’s political participation and serve as an entry point to advance the recommendations of the Gender Cohort. It will also showcase efforts by the U.S. Department of State to advance the Presidential Initiatives for Democratic Reform, including through programs like SHE WINS and SHE PERSISTS which integrate women into peace building efforts in particularly vulnerable regions around the world.