Japan Society: The Time is Now – Feminist Leadership for the Next Era of Multilateralism | Event Recap
UNA-W Leaders Attend UNGA81 Side Event on Feminist Leadership
During UNGA81 High-Level Week in New York, UNA-W Vice President Nikolina Gelmanovski and Secretary Thellenza Krasniqi attended “The Time is Now: Feminist Leadership for the Next Era of Multilateralism,” a high-level side event convened by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) at Japan Society on September 21.
Held against the backdrop of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, the event brought together leaders from governments, UN agencies, feminist movements, and civil society for a forward-looking discussion on feminist leadership, gender equality, human rights, and the future of multilateralism.
The conversation featured Maria Antonieta Alcalde, Director-General of IPPF, and Amat Alsoswa, former Minister and Ambassador of Yemen for Human Rights, in conversation with author and advocate Jessica Valenti. Special remarks were offered by Baroness Harriet Harman, Special Envoy for Women & Girls of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Assistant Minister Sugiura Masatoshi, Director-General and Ambassador for Global Issues at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A central theme of the discussion was the need to look beyond protecting hard-won progress and imagine what a more just, inclusive, and accountable multilateral system can become. As the international community gathers for UNGA81, the conversation underscored the importance of ensuring that women and feminist voices are meaningfully represented in shaping global priorities and institutions.
