At WUF6, the Huairou Commission will host a Grassroots Women's Academy, coordinate several events and training sessions, and work to ensure a strong women's presence across all of the event's main dialogues. We believe that achieving equity, sustainability and prosperity in cities will only be possible if the global agenda adopts the perspective of women.  Women are a growing population majority in many cities and vital actors in all of them.  In this era of unprecedented urbanization, the collective knowledge and experience of women is critical to the exchange of ideas at WUF6, in order to further the development of truly safe and equitable cities. 

The Huairou Commission is proud to be continuing its historic partnership with UN-HABITAT at WUF 6. We are the lead partner for the second Gender Equality Action Assembly (GEAA). In addition to a high level dialogue on the subject of economic empowerment in cities, the GEAA will also feature the launch of the UN-HABITAT Advisory Group on Gender Issues (AGGI).  The Huairou Commission has been instrumental in establishing this Advisory Group, which is the first and only institutional advisory body on gender issues within the UN system. In addition, the Gender and Women's Roundtable will bring together a diverse group of experts, researchers, professionals and activists to explore strategies and programmes for sustainable and integrated women's economic empowerment in cities.

WUF 6 Grassroots Women's Academy - To ensure the vital adoption of women's perspectives in urban development, the Huairou Commission and partners will support the WUF6 Grassroots Women's Academy: "Designing and Delivering Urban Prosperity that Works for Women" fromAugust 29 - 31, 2012. GROOTS International and local partners in Naples, Italy will facilitate the Academy, which will be a space where approximately 50 grassroots leaders and NGO partners will share practices related to the theme of the World Urban Forum.  This international academy will focus specifically on the inclusion of women actors in the economic and social prosperity of our global cities.  It will be a space for peer learning and to collectively identify strategic recommendations and priority actions to be pressed for recognition and integration at WUF6. The Grassroots Academy will also provide an opportunity to engage with our partner associations in Italy. Throughout the Grassroots Academy and the World Urban Forum, there will be unique opportunities for field visits to our Italian partner organizations, and an exciting walking tour of Naples, tracing the footsteps of great women and their historic moments in the forum's host city.