Organized under the framework of the EU 4 Gender Equality programme and in partnership with the International Publishers Association, this panel will build on UN Women’s ongoing engagement with the publishing sector to strengthen institutional approaches to gender equality within the industry. The discussion will bring together publishers, editors, literary agents, and industry leaders to explore how publishing houses can move beyond individual initiatives toward sustainable and systematic gender-sensitive policies and practices.

Drawing from the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) — a global framework for advancing gender equality in the workplace, marketplace, and community — the discussion will examine how these principles can be meaningfully applied within the publishing ecosystem.

Key themes may include:

women’s representation in leadership and editorial decision-making;

equal opportunities and visibility for women writers, illustrators, translators, and

publishing professionals;

gender-responsive workplace policies, including work-life balance and safe working environments;

inclusive commissioning, marketing, and distribution practices;

the role of publishing in shaping public narratives, challenging gender stereotypes, and advancing democratic values, diversity, and freedom of expression;

and the responsibility of cultural industries in addressing backlash against gender

equality and women’s rights.

The panel will also explore how publishing houses can serve not only as producers of content, but as influential institutions capable of advancing equality internally through workplace culture and externally through the stories they amplify.