Women are faced with significant barriers to gender equality especially around finances, employment, education, unpaid care-work and gender-based violence, yet the pandemic further compounded this. The Generation Equality Forum was conceived to address the challenges faced by women and girls globally and accelerate progress towards the realization of the Beijing agenda.  Conceived prior to the pandemic, the 2021 Forum became even more pertaining in light of the unequal burden borne by women during the global lockdowns and a new discussion on accelerated progress emerged. Guest: Former ad-interim UN Women Country Representative Adekemi Ndieli Host, Kenyangi Keshia, KQ Hub Africa