The UN Women Community of Practice will hold its sixth Virtual Dialogue from 6th – 13th May, on the topic of Resistances in Training for Gender Equality. The objective of this Virtual Dialogue is to reflect on the nature and causes of resistances in training for gender equality, as well as strategies for overcoming resistances and harnessing them for transformative change (see concept note for full details).

Four substantive questions will be discussed:

1. What kinds of resistances are manifested during training for gender equality?
2. What tools and strategies can be shared for dealing with different kinds of resistances?
3. How can resistances be harnessed as an essential component of transformation in training for gender equality?
4. What kinds of resistances are manifested by the organisations in which training takes place and how can these be addressed?

Live panel discussion

The Dialogue will begin with a live panel discussion in which invited speakers will give a short presentation explaining their experiences in online training and responding to the key questions. The Moderator will then pose additional questions and COP members will also be invited to submit questions. This will take place at 9.30am EST/3.30pm CET on Wednesday 6th May.

A recording of the panel discussion will then be posted to the COP. A dedicated discussion group will continue over the following week and remain open until Wednesday 13th May. Both the panel discussion and discussion forum will be closely moderated by COP Consultant Dr Lucy Ferguson. Please see the concept note for further details.

Panel members include:

• Professor Elisabeth Prügl, Director of the project Gender Experts and Gender Expertise, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
• Dr Lut Mergaert, researcher and Director of Gender for the EU’s research and training programme, Yellow Window, Antwerp
• Professor Maitrayee Mukhodopadhyay, researcher, gender trainer, and author of the 2007 book Revisiting Gender Training, 2007, KIT, The Netherlands
• Tura Lewai, Member of UN Secretary-General's Network of Men Leaders for the UNiTE Campaign to end Violence against Women and Girls

How to participate

Participation in this Virtual Dialogue can take two forms – by participating in the live panel discussion, or contributing to the open discussion forum on the COP platform, which will remain open from 6th - 13th May. If you are not already a member of the Community of Practice, please sign up here. For more information on the Virtual Dialogue please contact tc.cop@unwomen.org.

As with previous Virtual Dialogues, the discussions will be synthesised into a report which will be disseminated throughout the Community of Practice and UN Women's communication channels.