Special Recognition of the First Lady

The Forum will particularly highlight the strategic role of First Ladies as agents for peace and development, recognizing women’s capacity to influence social transformation, promote human dignity, strengthening families and communities, and champion initiatives that advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

We would be deeply honored to welcome First ladies of UN Member States attending UNGA81 as a distinguished First Ladies participant and voice in this high-level conversation, alongside other women leaders and international stakeholders.

Presentation and Book Signing

As part of the special program, the Forum will also feature the: PRESENTATION AND BOOK SIGNING OF EMPTISTORY of Esteemed Women. The presentation will celebrate the contributions, leadership, courage, service, and enduring legacies of distinguished women whose lives and work inspire generations and advance the cause of peace, development, and social transformation. The inclusion of EMPTISTORY of Esteemed Women reinforces the Forum’s central conviction that documenting, honoring, and amplifying women’s leadership is essential to building a more peaceful, equitable, and sustainable world.

The Forum's mission is to amplify women's leadership across four critical pillars:
Peace building & Conflict Prevention championing women's roles as architects of durable peace at every level of governance and diplomacy;
Sustainable Development ensuring gender-responsive approaches are embedded in national development plans, economic policy, and climate action;
Gender Equality & Inclusion Advanced SDG 5 through policy advocacy, grassroots mobilization, and high- level accountability frameworks;
Global Governance & Multilateral Partnerships fostering South-South and North-South cooperation to build institutional capacity for women's leadership worldwide.

Aligned with the landmark frameworks of the Beijing Platform for Action, UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Forum is a catalyst for transformative action where aspiration becomes achievement, and ambition becomes a force for lasting change.

EMPISTORY OF ESTEEMED WOMEN — 2ND EDITION BOOK SIGNING
A defining highlight of the evening will be the official 2nd Edition Book Signing Ceremony of EMPTISTORY of Esteemed Women a landmark anthology that immortalizes the extraordinary journeys of trailblazing women leaders from across the globe. This commemorative volume honors women who have broken barriers, reshaped institutions, and inspired generations through courage, service, and unwavering commitment to the common good.

The EMPISTORY of Esteemed Women series is far more than a book it is a living testament to the transformative power of women's leadership in every sphere of society: politics, diplomacy, science, culture, peace-building, and humanitarian action. Each narrative within its pages is a beacon, illuminating the path for the next generation of women leaders who will inherit and remake our world

Honoring 10TH Anniversary of First Ladies Becoming Peace Forum

The Africana Women Working Group (AWWG) at the United Nations was established approximately a decade ago as a dedicated civil society platform committed to amplifying the voices, leadership, and lived experiences of African and Africana women within the multilateral diplomatic system. Founded under the visionary stewardship of Prof. Ada Juni Menakaya, Senior Adviser to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Pan African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation to the United Nations, and Coordinator for the AWWG at the United Nations, the Working Group emerged at a critical juncture in international affairs when the demand for inclusive, gender-responsive participation in peacebuilding and sustainable development had never been more urgent. From its inception, the AWWG positioned itself as a bridge between the formal UN system and the broader community of African and Africana women whose contributions to peace, dignity, and development had long been underrecognized in multilateral spaces.

As a landmark initiative under the AWWG, the First Ladies Becoming Peace Forum (FLBPF) was established to convene, in an unprecedented manner, First Ladies of nations, spouses of heads of state, senior diplomats, civil society leaders, and United Nations officials in a structured annual dialogue centered on women, peace, and sustainable development. Timed deliberately around the United Nations International Day of Peace observed annually on 21 September the Forum created a high-visibility platform wherein the unique diplomatic reach and moral authority of First Ladies could be channeled into substantive policy advocacy. Each annual Forum sought not merely to celebrate women in leadership, but to translate that leadership into concrete outcomes aligned with the most pressing challenges on the multilateral agenda.

Over ten years, the First Ladies Becoming Peace Forum has undergone a profound institutional evolution from an intimate dialogue series convening a select group of leaders to a high-level global platform formally recognized within the UN system. Throughout this trajectory, the Forum has remained unwaveringly anchored in its normative foundations: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security; the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals; and the foundational principles of the United Nations Charter peace, dignity, equality, and the sovereign equality of states. These frameworks have not merely served as reference points; they have constituted the substantive architecture within which the Forum's programming, declarations, and advocacy initiatives have been conceived and executed.

Most recently, the 2025 Forum convened under the theme "First Ladies Becoming Actions for Peace: Ambition for Women as Key Players in Promoting Sustainable Development," held at the Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission Auditorium in New York. The event was situated within the broader context of the UN80 Better Together program of the United Nations' centerpiece initiative marking the eightieth anniversary of its founding, affirming the enduring relevance of multilateralism and collective global action. The 2025 Forum exemplified the AWWG's commitment to convening spaces where inspiration meets accountability, and where the participation of First Ladies catalyzes genuine policy momentum. It is upon this decade-long foundation of dialogue, advocacy, and action that the Tenth Anniversary Forum is poised to build.

PURPOSE

This concept note serves to formally articulate the significance, organizational structure, and programmatic aspirations of the Tenth Anniversary of the First Ladies Becoming Peace Forum, to be convened in September 2026 in New York, on the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week and the International Day of Peace. It is addressed to UN member states, international organizations, partnering civil society bodies, and all stakeholders invested in the advancement of women-led peacebuilding and the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The note provides the conceptual and operational framework within which the anniversary event will be planned, executed, and documented as a milestone contribution to the multilateral peacebuilding ecosystem.

The Tenth Anniversary Forum seeks to accomplish three overarching purposes: first, to consolidate and celebrate a decade of women-led peacebuilding accomplishments under the AWWG's convening mandate; second, to mobilize renewed and deepened commitments from First Ladies, heads of government, and global leaders toward gender-responsive peace and sustainable development frameworks entering the post-2030 period; and third, to formally launch the WATERHer Initiative a transformative, gender-responsive framework addressing the urgent nexus of water security, climate resilience, and women's governance leadership — as the Forum's landmark programmatic legacy for its second decade.

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Concept:

The EMPTISTORY Conference on Saturday, August 2,2025, through the theme “TODAY'S WOMEN IN MINISTRY: FROM Bitter to Better” will explore the journey of transformation from pain, emotional hurt, and bitterness to betterment, focusing on personal growth, healing, and empowerment. Whether facing personal challenges, emotional wounds, or spiritual struggles, the Abuja Chapter EMPTISTORY Conference will provide guidance to women on a journey from bitterness to breakthrough, offering hope, encouragement, and practical tools for overcoming adversity and emptiness in times of equipping, collaborating, and transformation. The purpose is to enable us as women in ministry:

• Be released from bitterness, overcoming past hurts, resentment, and negative emotions by forgiving oneself and others
• Embrace healing and restoration to find wholeness and renewal through faith, community, and support.
• Empowerment and growth develop skills, confidence, and resilience for personal and spiritual development
• Acknowledge the sovereignty of God's ownership and control
• Stewarding resources by inculcating the spirit of “Better” by managing resources wisely for God's purposes
• It will commit a bond-tie to the Kingdom race to explore ways in which women can be changed in moving from bitter to better in challenging times.

Secondly, to transform from bitter to better, we need to “put off the old man” and embrace our spiritual foundation rooted in Christ Jesus, recognizing the importance of building faithfully in the presence of God within our ministry.

Thirdly, to transform from bitter to better, we need to put on the “new woman” to reflect on the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and affirm the need for a positive attitude in advancing from bitter to better through the realities of humanity.

Fourth, to transform from bitter to better, we need to “renew the mind” to integrate spiritual accelerators that bring the rudiments of prayer models, EMPTISTORY, multicultural sensitivity, and interspiritual collaboration.

The EMPTISTORY Women conference will work on transforming women in ministry from bitter to better through:

• Inspiring us to embark on a journey of transformation
• Providing us with practical insights and strategies for personal growth and rebuilding
• Fostering a supportive community for sharing experiences and encouragement. Outcome:

The outcome from the EMPTISTORY Women Conference will bring transformation in the lives of women in ministry by

• Advancing emotional intelligence to enable learning on how to manage emotions and respond to challenges in a healthy way
• Encourage and deepen spiritual growth by strengthening our faith to develop a more resilient faith through trials and challenges
• Finding purpose and meaning and discovering God's purpose and plan for their lives as kingdom stewards
• Impact forgiveness and reconciliation in relationships, including relationships in ministries
• Inculcate the attitude of serving others through learned models and experiences to serve
• Encourage EMPTISTORIES to share stories of transformation and redemption.

The conference will encourage Ruth Sisters’ Fellowship International to embark on a journey of transformation and trust in God's power to bring good out of difficult experiences in our lives to become better at building character generation.

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The objective of “Our Voices Because We Are Involved: Invest to Prevent Gendered Based Violence on Women and Men” on Ending Gender Based Violence Against Women in Ministries” will further the vision of Ruth Sisters’ Fellowship International and partners along
• Honor and acknowledge Women and Men Ministers in Faith-Based Organizations and their leadership in the 16 Days of Activism, in preventing and ending violence against women and men Ministers and Kingdom Stewards
• Apply human rights-based approach and focus attention on women in religious organization in advancing the “Leave No One Behind” in efforts to prevent and end violence faith-based Ministries and community organizations

• Recognize that Faith-Based Organizations in society has an important role to play in ending violence against women and must work together in multi-sectoral ship to address the various aspects of violence against women in Ministries.
• Nurture critical transformative pathways of gender roles, organizations, and practices, while seeking to create or strengthen equitable gender norms and dynamics for fundamental, lasting changes for women in Ministries.
• Recognizing the progress made since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, time is now to create platforms to elevate voices of women in ministries who are building generations for then kingdom in shaping the future.
• Re-energize action on “Our Voice Because We Are Involved!

The objective of “Negotiation Skills and Competitive Decision Making ” is to close the gender gap through discussion
initiatives to promote innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality in consideration of:
• Develop digital tools and services to address the needs of all women and girls, across sectors and geographies, especially for their education, health, economic empowerment, and engagement in public life, and ensure women and girls have access to digital literacy and skills throughout their life course.
• Mainstream gender in digital policies to remove barriers to equal access for all women and girls, including those living in poverty, in rural,
maritime, or remote areas, with disabilities, Indigenous women and girls, migrant women and girls, and older women.

• Foster a policy of zero tolerance for gender-based violence that occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology and ensure that public and private sector entities prioritize its prevention and elimination.
• Mainstream a gender perspective in the design of emerging technologies and adopt regulations to ensure they are subject to adequate
safeguards to combat new risks, gender stereotypes and negative social norms, data privacy breaches and improve transparency and
accountability.
• Promote policies and programs to achieve gender parity in emerging scientific and technological fields and create supportive workplaces and education settings, including through gender-responsive education, distance learning solutions and interdisciplinary approaches combining the teaching of social sciences and scientific fields.
• Develop gender-responsive innovation that challenges gender stereotypes and negative social norms, including through the
development of digital content, awareness campaigns and teaching competencies for positive engagement on digital technologies that engage, educate, encourage, and empowers youth, including young men and boys, to become agents of change for gender equality.

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In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared the third Tuesday of September as  International Day of Peace. This day coincided with the opening day of the annual sessions  of the General Assembly. The purpose of the day rests to strengthen the ideals of peace and
harmony around the world.
Since 2010, Our organization with UN ECOSOC NGOs on Gender Equality, the Africana Women Working Group at the UN, have continued to advance the course of women in leadership positions through our program, First Ladies Becoming High Level Forum on SDG16 and Targets to bring global awareness on the most needed roles of Fist ladies of Nations on women and peace.
In the words of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres “Peace is needed today  more than ever.War and conflict are unleashing devastation, poverty,and hunger, and driving tens of millions of people from their homes. Climate chaos is all around. And even peaceful
countries are gripped by gaping inequalities and political polarization.”Women especially First Ladies of Nations have significant role to play, and we are committed to this course towards our passionate commitment achieving a peaceful society.
In responding to this year’s theme ,Africana Women Working Group at the affirms Gender Priority Strategy GPS, Prioritizing Peace for World Women” as a call to action that recognizes collective responsibility to foster peace and justice among women. Fostering peace contributes to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals . This will help to create a culture of peace for all. Africana Women Working Group at the UN will explore strategies on how to advance the theme through discussion and conversation by First Ladies on “Gender Priority Strategy GPS, Prioritizing Peace for World Women” .
The purpose is to discuss Women’s Role as key players of GPS (Gender Priority Strategy)
This entails;
● Review of Gender Actions on SDG 16 and Targets
● Women working to address, the challenges and gaps in advancing gender equality.
● Generation Equality and Ambition for First Ladies linked to promoting Sustainable Development
● Conversation with First Ladies and their key role as key players for GPS, Gender Priority Strategy in promoting global peace.
● Gender Priority Strategy GPS Action Model on Gender Actions for Peace
The outcome from the event will ignite action to further the GPS on peace and justice for women by partnering with First Ladies in becoming pillars for sustainable world.Peace is possible in our lifetime by global citizens working in unity and harmony. Since the
establishment of the United Nations and the creation of the Charter of the United Nations, the member states have a responsibility to work towards achieving the agenda for 2020 of Leaving No one behind.
Life is better in a world where peace exists and, today, we look to those who have been peacemakers and peacekeepers to learn what we can each do individually to make the world a more peaceful place as well as advancing the Gender Priority Strategy as women.

Underlying Concept

The past four EMPTISTORY Women International Fire Conference had rooted on exploratory, information and education in positioning of women and Kingdom stewardship to the tenets of sustainable ministry based on the import of Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children^[a] of Israel”. Ruth Sisters’ Fellowship International has not relented in committing to the import of Acts 9:15 with the purpose of building character generation for the kingdom.

The EMPTISTORY Women International Fire Conference series in the past four years highlighted the need for prioritizing our spiritual journey through.

• Women in a Perilous World
• The Power of I AM: Women the Harbinger of Peace in A Perilous World
• “Women in Ministry and Canon of Stewardship”
• Kingdom Stewards and the Ultimate Sacrifice

God had a purpose for the creation of women including the overall purpose for humanity. As the world is changing, these purpose and responsibilities tend to change direction that hinder the role of women in the kingdom as well as human growth and development.

A recall to Act 9:15 harkens to God’s clarion call to today’s women reminding us that in spite of the present global warming, climate change, wordily desire, broken homes and marriages, domestic violence and all forms of violence against women, the strive for gender equality and presence of women in decision making, the growing vices among women themselves, the role and responsibilities of women in ministry and work of God; and the terrifying situation of today’s world has called for attention towards  rethinking of the purpose of God for women and a wake-up call for women’s return to the purpose of God on women to overcome our physical and spiritual emptiness for our generation.

The 5^th EMPTISTORY Conference from August 9-11, 2024, through the Theme “Anchored and Empowered for the Kingdom” will address commitment to overcoming emptiness in time of equipping, collaborating, and transformation. It will commit a bond-tie to the Kingdom race to explore ways in which women can be altered to better understand self through sharing the gospel in challenging times.

Secondly, Anchored and Empowered for the Kingdom will reflect on need to embrace our spiritual foundation rooted on Christ Jesus and the importance of building faithfully with presence of God into our ministry.

Thirdly, Anchored and Empowered for the Kingdom will reflect on the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and affirm the need for positive attitude in advancing the kingdom stewardship through realities of the Beatitudes.

Fourth, Anchored and Empowered for the Kingdom will integrate spiritual accelerator to bring the rudiments of prayer models, EMPTISTORY, Multicultural sensitivity and interspiritual collaboration.

Time has come for women to not only re-examine the thinking about self and bring into light the true purpose of God for their creation but also to consolidate our anchor in Jesus effectively.

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 CSW68 SESSION SIDE EVENT  HIGH LEVEL INITIATIVE

Concept

Emerging technologies have the potential to help achieve a large number of the Sustainable Development Goals, and may contribute greatly to improvements in the well-being, education, health and livelihoods of women and girls. Innovation and digital tools provide opportunities for greater access to information, education and skills and opens possibilities for increased employment and business opportunities. They allow for services that improve access to health, legal and financial services, and allow traders to access global markets for their products. Digital access also helps raise women and girls’ awareness of their rights, increase their civic engagement and expression of ideas and opinions, their participation in creative and cultural practices, leisure and in connecting with peers.

Since the Beijing Women Conference in 1994 and the establishment of UN Women for Gender Equality, concerted efforts have been made and put in place to position world women on the 12 thematic issues of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. More commitment was geared towards women in leadership, in decision making, executive and political positions across the world. Again, social, and cultural issues negatively affecting women were also brought to book with actions yielding positive results across the world.

However, while the digital revolution brings immense potential to improve social and economic outcomes for women, it also poses the risk of perpetuating existing patterns of gender inequality. A significant digital gender gap remains, limiting the equitable realization of the benefits of digital transformation across high-, low- and middle-income countries. The CSW67 priority theme brings a unique opportunity to revisit the gendered impacts of innovation and technology and to identify recommendations that will allow for a more inclusive and equitable digital evolution.

Recognizing the unprecedented opportunities as well as the challenges of rapid innovation and technological development for gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as the importance of innovation to benefit women and men equally, UN Women has included innovation as one of the “drivers of change” in its Strategic Plan 2018-2021. However, expanding gender equality requires access to connect women globally through digital education and skills, as well as access to available technologies that could enable women to information, digital services, economic growth, and employment as well as increase in technological careers.

 The Gender Equality commitment of the UN-Women has driven the train on women and girls in many ways addressing gender concerns rooted on the critical issues as obtained from the BDPA in1994. UN Women concerted efforts including wealth of experience, capability, and techniques for overcoming the issues and barriers to women’s advancement in technology and innovation have endeared novel approaches and challenging existing ways of doing things to developing solutions that add value for women and girls affected by humanitarian and development challenges.

 The efforts and many more of UN Women initiatives have set the pace for Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and have called for strategic measures to advance the pace.

With the new normal, efforts were intermeshed towards innovation and digitalization.  Conforming to issues on gender equality, and the thematic issues of the BDPA and its goal on gender equality requires transformative changes, integrated approaches, and innovative solutions. Innovations on gender equality strategies and implementations create opportunity to facilitate technological change in establishing platforms for social, business, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment among women. Through education, digital education is provided through e-learning platforms to break trends and improve knowledge and information opportunities.