We recently took part in the Global Green Industrialization Dialogue, hosted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). During the third high-level plenary, our initiative was recognized by the Head of the CEM Secretariat, Jean-François Gagné, for championing people-centered approaches to energy and industrial transitions, with a focus on gender equality, women’s participation, and youth inclusion.
The plenary was followed by a roundtable on “Finance for Change: Bridging the Gap for Women and Youth”, where the Equality Initiative participated alongside a diverse group of stakeholders from various regions and sectors. Discussions underscored the need to move beyond token representation toward meaningful engagement of women and youth as agents of change. Speakers highlighted persistent structural barriers in finance, policy, and workforce access, and called for gender-responsive investments, inclusive policy frameworks, and improved use of disaggregated data.
The roundtable also emphasized the importance of tackling root causes of exclusion, supporting local and community-driven solutions, and rethinking approaches to education, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Inclusion, it was noted, must be integrated across every level of the transition, not just as a guiding value, but as a foundation for resilient, people-centered outcomes.
