Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed recently brought together women leaders in Manhasset, Long Island, for their fifth annual meeting to reaffirm a shared commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), women’s rights, gender equality, and the principles of the UN Charter. The gathering highlighted the importance of collective action at a time when global progress on equality and inclusion faces growing challenges.
Participants emphasized that gender equality is not only a fundamental human rights issue but also a vital foundation for sustainable development, peace, security, and inclusive prosperity. In the context of rising inequality worldwide, the women leaders stressed the need to safeguard the gains achieved through years of collective advocacy and action, while reinforcing the role of women’s leadership in creating fairer, more inclusive, and peaceful societies.
The meeting brought together women with direct experience and deep understanding of today’s interconnected global crises, allowing discussions to focus on practical, policy-driven, and solutions-oriented responses to urgent global challenges. A key priority identified was the immediate removal of systemic barriers that continue to limit women’s leadership across political, economic, and social spheres.
Discussions also addressed major global concerns linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including artificial intelligence, philanthropy, financing for human dignity, and the state of multilateralism. These conversations reflected the need for coordinated global responses to shared challenges and underscored the importance of maintaining international cooperation.
The gathering also included a meaningful exchange with young people, whose perspectives added depth to the discussions and highlighted the urgency of intergenerational collaboration. The meeting concluded with a strong and united call to protect multilateralism, increase investment, and expand women’s leadership as much as possible in order to advance gender equality and sustainable global progress.
