Gender Equity Forum Communique

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Last Updated (Monday, 15 January 2024 08:56)

View the GEF communique as pdf file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ame98fUyimuRsbLynM-su4BRo2qWpNaZ/view?usp=drive_link

View the GEF teaser: https://youtu.be/kskJTFtbOso


Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs

Gender Equity Forum

September 13-15, 2023

YWCA International Guest House, Chennai, India


Communique


The Gender Equity Forum (GEF)started on September 13 to 15, 2023 as a pre-event to the 21st General Assembly (GA) hosted by the YMCA in Chennai, India. 73 participants (21 males/52 females) from 11 different countries in attendance and concluded on the 15th of September 2023. The participants of the forum came together with the collective consciousness to discuss matters of gender equity and its relevance to the YMCAs of the Asia Pacific Region.

It began with the orientation of GEF, and each day, the creative worship set the tone for the day on the main theme and sub-themes. It was a platform for sharing, learning, unlearning and understanding the concern of gender equity.

The two keynote speakers delivered their keynote speech on the theme: “Journeying Together as a Resilient Community: Transforming Lives through Vision 2030”.The keynote address discussed gender issues from a secular and faith based perspective. They highlighted the importance of inclusiveness and diversity in an increasingly homogenized world and focused on issues, especially women’s issues within India and the Asia Pacific as a whole. They also pointed out that expressions like diversity and inclusiveness are shells and hardly seen lived in action. From a faith based perspective the keynote speech invited to reinterpret the Christian scriptures to find their liberating and inclusive aspects.

Further, the six invited panelists spoke on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. They brought in additional important aspects of struggles women face in the different Asian contexts with regard to their inclusive participation in decision-making processes, equality in access to resources and equity in terms of opportunities for leadership. One of the guest panelists helped shed light on the issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in India and the progress made for their rights. The Forum further introduced the Gender Justice Policy, drafted by the Gender Equity Committee of APAY, which will be discussed and presented at the APAY Council during the GA, along with recommendations from the GEF.

The following are the affirmations and recommendations of the members of the GEF:

  • We, the members of the YMCA community and participants of GEF’23, reaffirm our commitment to Challenge 21, its mission and the pillars outlined in Vision 2030 to create a more inclusive and equitable world for all.
  • We affirm the Christian values and principles of equality, justice, equity and peace to guide our quest for an inclusive world.
  • We affirm that women’s participation and engagement at all levels of the YMCA, particularly in leadership and decision-making roles, will contribute positively to an inclusive and equitable world.
  • We recommend that there will be a Gender Equity Forum during the 22nd General Assembly of the APAY and in all forthcoming assemblies of the APAY to build momentum, highlight progress made regarding issues related to gender and discuss pressing issues pertaining to gender.
  • We recommend the balanced and combined representation and participation of youth, women, men, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community in all future programs, meetings of APAY, YMCAs.
  • We recommend the presence of leaders and executives at all future GEFs.
  • We recommend the approval of the Gender Justice Policy by the APAY Council.
  • We further recommend the development of concrete action plans and monitoring systems to fulfil the goals in line with the policy.
  • We recommend that National Movements within the APAY seek to further sensitise themselves, the communities and address issues related to women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
  • We also recommend that the National Movements within the APAY network with likeminded individuals, organisations and movements to achieve the set goals for inclusiveness and gender equity.

Finally, the GEF affirms our shared humanity, which shall be reminded of in all our endeavours and activities for the YMCA and beyond so that inclusiveness and equity are lived.


The communique was issued by the participants of the GEF 23 at the end of Day 3.