More than 30 years ago, all United Nations member states agreed that women had an equally important role to play in sustainable development as men. However, globally women represented a minority of decision makers. That is why at the UN “Earth Summit” in 1992, it was decided that women from civil society would be given their own seat in the process, alongside other important but overlooked groups such as youth and indigenous peoples. We have since the beginning helped to facilitate this space, called the ‘Women’s Major Group’ on sustainable development.

The Women’s Major Group is a self-organised network with between 500 and 1000 organisations from over 100 countries, which continuously provides input into the global policy processes on Sustainable Development. We gave substantial input into the monthly negotiations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which were agreed in 2015. We support grassroots women leaders to participate in the policy process and speak in the United Nations halls. We help develop policy interventions and to organise meetings with government delegations. Through our WomenPower2030 program, we support local women organizations in 70 countries to engage in the national implementation of the global commitments for Sustainable Development including the global goal on Gender Equality. We support the bi-annual elections of the Organising Partners of the Women’s Major Group. Currently we co-facilitate the European and Central Asian region’s “Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism” and some of our 2025 statements can be found here.