By Rusen Kumar
NEW DELHI (India CSR): The 8th Gender Equality Summit (GES) 2025 began today with a powerful inaugural session, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, industry experts, and gender advocates to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5): Gender Equality.
Organized by the UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI), the summit is a premier platform for discussing gender equity, womenโs empowerment, and policy innovations that can drive systemic change. This yearโs theme, โPathways to Partnerships and Collaborative Action: Bringing South Asia Together for SDG 5,โ underscores the need for global and regional cooperation in closing gender gaps.
Delivering the welcome address and an overview of the summit, Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Vice President-Northern Region, UN GCNI, Co-Founder of ReNew, and Chairperson for Sustainability, emphasized the urgent need for a collaborative approach to achieving gender equality.
Transformative Action
In her opening address, Vaishali Nigam Sinha set the tone for the summit with a passionate and data-driven call to action. She welcomed the distinguished guests, expressing gratitude to Minister Savitri Thakur, Ambassador Benedikt Hoskuldsson, and UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp for their contributions to gender equality.
“As the founding chair of the Gender Equality Summit, it is my honor to welcome you all to this landmark gathering. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing SDG 5 and ensuring that gender equity is not just a conversation but a movement that drives real change.”
She highlighted Indiaโs remarkable progress in womenโs empowerment, crediting transformative government initiatives for bringing economic and social opportunities to women across the country.
Commitment to Gender Equality
Sinha acknowledged key policies and initiatives that have shaped Indiaโs journey towards gender equity:
Jan Dhan Yojana: Over 16 crore women have benefited from financial inclusion, gaining access to banking services and financial literacy.
Lakhpati Didi Program: Empowering 10 million rural women by equipping them with financial independence and entrepreneurial skills.
Womenโs Reservation Bill: Ensuring increased representation of women in governance, reinforcing their role in leadership and decision-making.
Gender Budgeting: A 20-year-old government initiative ensuring that financial planning and policies prioritize womenโs welfare and empowerment.
“Women are no longer just beneficiaries of development; they are leading it,” Sinha declared, emphasizing that gender equality is fundamental to national and global prosperity.
She commended Minister Savitri Thakur for her leadership in implementing progressive policies that create opportunities for women across various sectors.
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Global Challenge
Reflecting on the summitโs origins, Sinha reminded attendees that in 2017, the estimated time to close the global gender gap was 100 years. However, new data suggests that the gap has worsened to 134 years, making immediate intervention necessary.
โWith only five years left to achieve the Agenda 2030 goals, and with global progress at just 17%, partnerships have never been more critical.โ
She urged corporations, governments, and civil society organizations to move beyond isolated efforts and instead collaborate at scale to drive measurable impact.
She emphasized that while corporate and government efforts are making an impact, systemic change requires collective, sustained action.
Bridging the Global South and Global North
Sinha underscored the need for stronger regional cooperation, particularly between South Asian nations, where gender disparities remain pronounced.
She recognized the contributions of Ambassador Benedikt Hoskuldsson, highlighting Icelandโs leadership in gender equityโa country that has held the top position in the Global Gender Gap Index for 14 consecutive years.
Additionally, she acknowledged Shombi Sharpโs role in fostering inclusive policy frameworks globally, stressing that collaboration between international organizations and regional stakeholders is the only way to drive meaningful, long-term change.
โYour presence here reflects a new world orderโone where women not only dream but lead and inspire action.โ
Report on Gender and SDGs
A major highlight of the summit was the launch of the report titled:
โGender & SDGs: Accelerating Progress with Forward Fasterโ, a data-driven roadmap outlining strategies to achieve SDG 5 by 2030.
Sinha described the report as a critical resource for policymakers, corporate leaders, and development practitioners, showcasing proven models for advancing gender equality.
She also referenced the UN Global Compactโs Faster Forward Initiative, a coalition that:
Engaged 1,700+ companies across 99 countries.
Mobilized nearly half a trillion dollars towards gender equality.
โThis is the power of partnerships. This is proof that when we work together, we can rewrite the narrative.โ
Actions for Gender Equity
Vaishali Nigam Sinha called upon leaders, policymakers, and organizations to commit to three concrete actions:
- Set Measurable Gender Equity Targets
Commit to clear, time-bound goals for increasing womenโs participation in leadership, entrepreneurship, and governance. - Invest in Women-Led Enterprises
Women entrepreneurs still struggle with access to capitalโcreating dedicated funding mechanisms is crucial. - Challenge Unconscious Bias
Gender norms are deeply ingrained in society and workplaces.
Leaders must advocate for policies that redefine leadership and opportunity for women.
Quoting Savitri Bai Phule, Sinha concluded:
“Empower a woman, and you uplift an entire community.”
Call for Action
Sinha closed her address with a strong message:
“The time to act is NOW. The responsibility lies with each one of us in this room. Are we doing enough? And if not, what more can we do?”
She urged everyone to go beyond discussions and commit to action.
“A more equal world is a more prosperous world. Letโs commit to building that world together.”
With the momentum set by the inaugural session, the Gender Equality Summit 2025 continues with high-impact sessions focused on economic empowerment, policy frameworks, womenโs leadership, and South Asian regional cooperation.
About Auhtor
Rusen Kumar is a seasoned journalist and the Managing Editor of India CSR, a leading platform for corporate social responsibility insights. With a focus on global sustainability challenges, he consistently writes on topics including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues, and other emerging sustainability trends.
