International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent

The side event, organized by Italy will provide the opportunity to engage in dialogue on the multi-faceted aspects of surrogacy, their link with violence and exploitation of women and children including girls, and the impact of such practice on gender equality. The side event is expected to generate greater awareness of surrogacy as a form of exploitation and violence against women and girls, while at the same time strengthening support for international action towards its abolition. In addition, the event will underline the importance of reflecting on, and working towards, the adoption of an international legally binding instrument that explicitly prohibits all forms of surrogacy. Related Documents:  Concept note Watch Surrogacy as a Form of Violence Against Women and Girls: Need for Global Action! Meetings & Events

  Call to Action to support data collection that is disaggregated by race and gender to inform targeted, just policies.

Call to Action to protect rights defenders, activists, and community leaders from violence and suppression.

Gender data gaps continue to hinder progress toward equality for women and girls of African descent. While data on intimate partner violence exists, critical gaps remain, especially in areas like online abuse, humanitarian crises, and intersecting issues such as race, disability, and migration. In many African countries, limited funding and weak gender statistics systems make these experiences invisible in policymaking. Without disaggregated, context-specific data, prevention and response efforts fall short. To truly advance gender equality and meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , we must invest in robust, intersectional gender data systems that center the realities of women and girls of African descent and inform transformative action.  Learn about the way to close the gender data gap