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Strong Cities Network Launches Global Initiative to Address Hate and Harassment Targeting Women Local Officials

Publication Date:

27/04/2026

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News

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North America Regional HubSunnylandsWomen EmpowermentWomen in Local Government

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On 24 — 26 April 2026, Sunnylands hosted the launch of the Strong Cities Network’s global initiative on addressing hate and harassment targeting women local officials. This initiative responds to the escalating and increasingly gendered threats that these leaders around the world face, which undermine both their personal safety and the functioning of local democracy. It will include regional convenings of women elected local leaders and will culminate in the development and launch of a new toolkit for cities, local governments, and beyond, to address these threats.  

Sunnylands welcomed women mayors, deputy mayors and other local elected officials from cities across Canada and the United States, along with distinguished leaders of mayoral networks and other experts. Discussions focused on the unique contributions of women in local government in preventing hate and building trust and resilience and the need to address the rising gendered threats they are facing. Across sessions, women local leaders shared their experiences, both being targeted by and navigating these threats. A strategic discussion then identified what is missing in current responses to these threats and what additional actors, expertise, and resources are needed to strengthen protection of and support for women local leaders.   

A central outcome of the convening was the elaboration of core elements of the toolkit within an individual, municipal, and societal framework. These include assessing risk and identifying early warning signs; digital safety and social media management; legal and reporting pathways; mental health and well-being support; community engagement strategies; and strategic communications. Outputs from this convening will directly inform the design of a full-day program on women’s local leadership at the Seventh Strong Cities Global Summit in Rabat, Morocco, in early 2027. 

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