In spring, the Australian delegation to the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE) met with Alice Jordan-Baird MP, Federal Member for Gorton, to discuss the state of gender equality in Australia. Government Relations Fellow Chatarina Hanny Angelita Teja represented the delegation. The resulting discussion centred on workplace equality, unpaid care, mental health, workplace safety, and the representation of women in senior leadership. Alice was elected to the s

Gender Equality (IYCGE) met with Sarah Connolly MP, Member for Laverton, to discuss the state of gender equality in Victoria. The delegation was represented by Ambassador Tejasvini Adya, Government Relations Fellow Chatarina Hanny Angelita Teja, and Research Fellow Parv Haria. Our discussion centred on women's health, gender-based violence, workplace flexibility, and the barriers facing migrant and multicultural women in Melbourne's west. Sarah Connolly MP is the Labor Member

On June 24th, Martín de la Sotta met with the Chilean delegation of the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE), represented by the IYCGE Chile National Team and the Government Relations Fellow. The discussion centred on the origins and development of the “Chile Necesita ESI” movement, the structural barriers to implementing Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) as public policy in Chile, and the strategic opportunities for advancing the agenda in a complex p

On July 21st, Barbara Poggio met with Valeria Zonca, Junior Administrator, Policy Enforcement of the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE). The discussion centred on institutional strategies for equity and diversity in academia, the balance between structural and cultural change needed to address inequality, and the role of students as agents of transformation within universities. Barbara Poggio is a sociologist specialising in labour and organisations, and h

On July 15, 2026, Vineet Prakash, Coordinator of Asian Affairs at the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE), held a virtual dialogue with Alicia Ziffer, Training Centre Chief and Knowledge Management Specialist at UN Women. The discussion explored UN Women's global mandate for advancing gender equality, approaches to capacity development and knowledge management, and the importance of contextualizing global gender equality frameworks to local realities. Alici

On April 10th, Tatiana Rein met with the Chilean delegation of the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE). The delegation was represented by the IYCGE Chile Ambassador and the Government Relations Fellow. The discussion centred on the threat of dismantling of gender policies in Chile, the implementation gaps in legislation on violence against women, and the groups most exposed to the rollback of institutional protections. Tatiana Rein is a lawyer and academic

A meeting took place on April 21, 2026, with Frances McRae, the Canadian Deputy Minister of Women and Gender Equality, alongside the International Youth Council on Gender Equality. The attendees engaged in meaningful discussions about ways to improve gender equality within the Canadian government further. During the introduction period, the Deputy Minister shares her experience of being the only girl in a house with ten brothers. She specifically explained how her brothers h

Mahnoor Omer started volunteering at 16. Nine years later, she has undertaken a landmark constitutional case against the government and has been recognized as one of TIME’s Women of the Year 2026. Aliza Sultan (Government Fellow, Pakistan) and Saad Bin Sarfaraz (Ambassador, Pakistan) connected with her in April to discuss the period tax, the politics of change, and the future of Pakistan’s socio-political landscape. When Mahnoor began her activism, she realized that the o

On April 13th, 2026, the Indonesian chapter of the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE) held a dialogue with representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA). The discussion focused on national gender equality strategies, policy implementation challenges, and opportunities for youth collaboration. The IYCGE delegation was represented by Indonesia Ambassador, Madelavina Melhan; Government Relations Fellow, Ami

On April 8th 2026 The International Youth Council on Gender Equality, with Canadian Global Ambassador Elaine Wen, Government Relations Fellow Xavier Davis, and our Writing Lead, Charlize Acadia Donat, met virtually with Senator McPhedran on April 8th, 2026, to discuss youth engagement in Canadian politics, gender equality, and the evolving role of the Senate. She noted that she was speaking in a more personal capacity, and her comments reflect specific experiences throughout

On March 31st, 2026, the International Youth Council for Gender Equality (IYCGE) held a meeting with representatives from the Prime Minister’s Youth Program (PMYP), based in the Prime Minister’s Office of Pakistan. The discussion brought together the Ambassador, Pakistan, Saad Bin Sarfraz , Government Relations Fellow Aliza Sultan , and the focal representatives for the Prime Minister’s Youth Program. The meeting focused on youth engagement, gender inclusion, and opportunitie

On March 27th, 2026, Senator Jana Stewart met with the Australian delegation of the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE). The delegation was represented by the IYCGE National Team, Ambassador Tejasvini Adya, Government Relations Fellow Chatarina Hanny Angelita Teja, and Research Fellow Parv Haria. Our discussions centred on the gender pay gap, gender-based violence, and broader issues of gender equality that disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres St

On April 2nd, 2026, Senator, professor, researcher, and advocate Kristopher Wells met with Canadian Global Ambassador Elaine Wen, Government Relations Fellow Xavier Davis, and our Writing Lead, Tima Karimi. We discussed advancing gender equality, strengthening youth involvement in policy making, and addressing current issues in Canada. The conversation began with Senator Wells recounting his personal and professional experiences that shaped his advocacy. Influenced early on

On January 29, 2026, the Colombian delegation from the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE) met with representatives from Colombia’s Ministry of Equality and Equity to discuss national approaches to gender equality, youth inclusion, social equity policy, and inter-institutional coordination across diverse populations. The Ministry presented itself as a central coordinating body for Colombia’s social equity policy, supporting 14 population groups through fiv

On January 23, 2026, Niyonshuti Jean Claude, Ambassador of Rwanda at the International Youth Council on Gender Equality (IYCGE), met with board representatives from Rwanda Women Network (RWN) for a high-level dialogue focused on women’s rights advocacy, youth leadership, and community-based strategies advancing gender equality in Rwanda. Founded to respond to the realities faced by Rwandan women in the aftermath of national conflict and social transformation, Rwanda Women Net