The 15th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development was the first to feature a forum dedicated to gender and development.

The October edition of the "Les 8 du mois until we’re there" initiative spotlights the commitment to gender equality that prevailed in the lead up to and during the 15th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD15).

This was the first quadrennial ministerial conference to feature a Gender and Development Forum and was the first for which a host country said gender needed to be a core component. Gender and women’s empowerment were an integral part of the policy discussions, and the conference was marked by the presence of many high-level women.