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Aviation, through providing connectivity between nations, creation of jobs and facilitating trade and tourism, is a key driver of economic and social development, and as such plays a key role in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While aviation is recognized as a forward-looking and innovative industry, it is yet to unleash its full potentials through a more gender-balanced workforce at all levels, especially in technical, decision-making and senior roles.

In 2018, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the South African Civil Aviation Authority organized the inaugural Global Aviation Gender Summit with the objective to discuss the challenges faced by women in aviation, and the barriers to attract, retain and promote women within the aviation workforce.

Building on the outcomes of the first Global Aviation Gender Summit in 2018 in South Africa, the Global Aviation Gender Summit 2023 is intended to be a global gathering for gender equality convened by ICAO and hosted by the Government of Spain and, on its behalf, by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, in partnership with European Commission (EC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Women, and the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It aims to bring together governments, international and intergovernmental organizations, private stakeholders, academia, influencers of change from around the world to catalyze progress, advocate for change and promote bold actions for achieving gender equality and women empowerment in aviation.

The objective of the Global Aviation Gender Summit 2023, in line with the ICAO Assembly Resolution A41-26: ICAO Gender Equality Programme promoting the participation of women in the global aviation sector, as well as the Sustainable Development Goal 5, is to gather aviation high level officials as well as stakeholders in areas of education, labour and other fields with portfolios related to gender and diversity, to:

• Reaffirm our collective responsibility for improving gender equality in global aviation, especially at leadership and decision-making levels, and to renew commitment towards this important cause in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 5, ICAO Resolution A41-26 on gender equality in aviation and ICAO Resolution A41-24 on aviation and its support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
• Explore how gender in aviation fits within the broader development context, impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on women in aviation, as well as the future challenges and opportunities in gender and air transport;
• Identify enablers and entry points for enhanced gender equality in aviation, in order to ensure gender is featured as a recognized issue in air transport policies and planning processes, particularly from a workforce perspective; and
• Share best practices and lessons learnt, programmes and initiatives aimed at overcoming barriers to attract, retain and train women in aviation at all levels.

Please refer to the Concept Note of the event for more information about the focus of the Summit.

More information regarding the logistics is available in the Information Bulletin.

Please note that all the participants of the Summit are invited to participate in a cultural activity generously hosted by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda of Spain, which will take place on Wednesday, 5 July 2023, and will include a gala cocktail followed by a private guided tour of the main rooms of the Reina Sofía Museum. For more information regarding the schedule, transport, and registration please see the information note provided in English and Spanish.

For further information regarding the Summit, please contact GenderEvent [at] icao.int (GenderEvent[at]icao[dot]int).