Blog of Linda Witong, Soroptimist International Advocacy Advisor.
In September 2024, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a landmark set of documents aiming to redefine international cooperation and multilateral governance in the 21st century. Collectively known as the Pact for the Future, the package also includes the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations—three interconnected texts setting out a bold agenda for global solidarity, sustainability, and digital equity.
This Pact arrives at a moment of rising global instability. From climate emergencies and digital inequality to ongoing conflicts and the erosion of human rights—including a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women’s reproductive rights—today’s challenges call for more than incremental change. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, the Pact commits Member States to removing legal, social and economic barriers facing women and girls, recognising that progress for half the world’s population is fundamental to any sustainable future.
The commitments within the Pact include eliminating structural inequalities, reversing ecosystem degradation, and safeguarding access to education, healthcare, and human rights for all, with specific pledges to promote the leadership and participation of women and girls in decision-making at all levels.
From Commitments to Action
The Pact for the Future also charts a 25-year roadmap across six key areas: sustainable development, peace and security, digital cooperation, youth and future generations, global governance reform, and financing for development. The documents recognise the need to enhance transparency, improve multilateral institutions, and build resilient societies that prioritise human rights and climate justice.
Yet the path to adoption was not without friction. Attempts to block the Pact and the Compact days before their adoption were unsuccessful, thanks in part to powerful appeals from Member States such as the Republic of the Congo, which called on the international community to unite in safeguarding future generations.
In addition, critics like Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group noted that the Pact’s language, while symbolically important, risks becoming another “rhetorical flourish” if not followed by concrete action. Nonetheless, in today’s fragmented world, the fact that consensus was reached at all is a significant achievement—and a rare moment of diplomatic cooperation.
A Vision for Future Generations
The Declaration on Future Generations acknowledged that decisions taken today will shape the lives of those yet to come. It identifies children and youth as key agents of change and calls for intergenerational dialogue that includes both young and older persons in policy processes. This approach underscores that justice and sustainability are not just about the present—but about stewardship of the future.
Ten guiding principles form the backbone of the Declaration. Among them, Principle 7 underscores that the equality and empowerment of all women and girls are essential to a sustainable future. Principle 5 calls for urgent action to address climate change and promote environmental protection, while Principle 6 advocates for the ethical and inclusive use of science, technology and innovation. Importantly, Principle 4 highlights intergenerational solidarity as a foundation for prosperity—an idea that echoes across all three texts.
The commitments within the Pact include eliminating structural inequalities, reversing ecosystem degradation, and safeguarding access to education, healthcare, and human rights for all, with specific pledges to promote the leadership and participation of women and girls in decision-making at all levels.
The Global Digital Compact: Guardrails for the Digital Age
Also adopted was the Global Digital Compact, described as a set of “new guardrails for the digital world”. Recognising both the transformative potential and risks of emerging technologies, the Compact aims to ensure that digital development serves humanity equitably, sustainably, and safely.
Member States committed to five key objectives:
- Closing digital divides and accelerating the SDGs
- Expanding inclusive access to the digital economy
- Fostering a safe, rights-based digital environment
- Developing equitable data governance
- Enhancing global AI governance
The Compact also pays particular attention to the gender digital divide involving women and girls . It acknowledges that without deliberate action, digital transformation risks deepening existing inequalities. Women and girls are central to the Compact’s vision—featured not only as beneficiaries, but as leaders, innovators and decision-makers.
Member States pledged to close the gap in digital skills involving women and girls , access and leadership, and to counter all forms of violence against women and girls which are amplified through digital technologies. Commitments focusing in on women and girls include:
- Integrating both women and girls’ perspectives into digital connectivity strategies.
- Supporting STEM education and digital entrepreneurship for women and girls.
- Addressing all forms of risks regarding online violence, hate speech, and exploitation which involve women or girls.
- Ensuring both women and girls’ perspectives within any disaggregated data collection for informed policymaking.
These goals are ambitious—experts warn they require substantial investment. The Compact responds by calling for innovative financing, partnerships with the private sector, and inclusive digital infrastructure development, particularly in developing and marginalised communities.
The Road Ahead
The true test of these agreements will be implementation. As the Pact itself affirms, inclusion, innovation and intergenerational responsibility must underpin all global progress. That means making good on promises—not only to today’s communities but to those yet unborn.
It is now up to governments, civil society, and global citizens to translate the Pact for the Future from paper to practice. That means holding leaders accountable, continuing to elevate marginalised voices, and using digital transformation not as a tool of division—but as a force for equality, sustainability and peace.