Beyond Words: Narratives Are Our Most Powerful Tool for Advancing Gender Equality
By Rachel Elliott, Communications Advisor, Women Deliver
In making sense of the world, emotions, beliefs, and values are often more influential than facts. While evidence-based advocacy is crucial for policy change, true progress for girls and women requires combining the power of data with compelling narratives that activate these values and emotions. Narratives — collections of stories that shape how we see ourselves, others, and the world — give context to data, making it more relatable and meaningful on a personal level.
In a polarized world, narratives reflect deeply divided views on truth and justice. They are often shaped not just by personal experiences, but by those in power who use narratives to maintain control. Oppressive systems — capitalism, racism, sexism, and more — don’t just naturally exist; they are deliberately created and sustained by manipulating narratives to benefit the few at the expense of the many. These structures thrive on inequality, perpetuating the illusion that such injustices are natural, inevitable, and unchangeable.
If we want to create real and lasting change for girls and women, we must activate narratives that challenge the status quo and connect with people’s values. Narratives that resonate emotionally and interrogate existing power structures are essential for driving meaningful social change.
As a global feminist movement, we understand that narratives aren’t fixed — they can be rewritten to challenge unjust systems and drive the change we urgently need. One of the most powerful examples of a narrative that has disrupted entrenched power structures is the #MeToo movement. Originally started by Tarana Burke in 2006, the movement was created to support survivors, particularly in marginalized communities, by fostering a sense of community while also starkly illustrating how many people are impacted by sexual violence. In 2017, the hashtag went viral, revealing the global magnitude of this crisis. What began in the U.S. quickly spread worldwide, with women in India, France (#BalanceTonPorc), and South Africa (#AmINext, #SAShutdown) exposing how patriarchal systems protect abusers and silence survivors.
#MeToo resonated so deeply because it activated universal emotions — empathy, outrage, solidarity — and connected them with the values of justice and equality. Survivors’ stories were powerful because they made the issue of sexual violence personal and visible in ways that statistics alone could not.
However, the movement also faced criticism for being co-opted by white women, often overshadowing the contributions and experiences of women of color — including Burke herself. This sparked necessary conversations about inclusion and intersectionality in global feminist movements. Nonetheless, #MeToo ignited a global call for justice, showing that by uniting across borders, we can not only shift conversations but challenge the very structures that uphold injustice. What started as a hashtag is now a call to action, demanding a new narrative of accountability, solidarity, and real consequences for those who perpetuate harm.
As we approach the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this work becomes even more urgent. To achieve a gender-equal future, we must unite in global spaces and advance clear, consistent, and compelling narratives that dismantle the barriers facing girls and women. The future we envision — where every girl and woman has full control over her body and life — depends on advancing effective narratives, collective action, and sustained effort, at and between global spaces.
Why? Because the stories we tell and the narratives they form have immense power. They shift public opinion, fuel movements, and influence policy — from global forums to local governments. Narratives define problems, demonstrate the need for solutions, and drive action. And we must never forget that narratives, and who tells them, are political. They are tools to either disrupt or maintain current power structures.
Shifting dominant narratives isn’t just a strategy for the future; it’s vital now. At this month’s UN General Assembly and Summit of the Future, one of the main objectives for Women Deliver and its partners — led by the girls and women most affected by gender inequality — is to begin shaping the narratives that set future priorities and inform the global agreements that will succeed the SDGs.
Take the climate crisis, for example. For years, the dominant narrative — steeped in racist values and ideology — wrongly blamed ‘overpopulation’ in low- and middle-income countries, shifting responsibility onto the bodies of girls and women. This narrative conveniently ignored the real culprits: overconsumption, resource exploitation, and fossil fuel dependence in wealthy nations. It was designed to protect those benefiting from these destructive practices, deflecting attention away from the industries and systems driving the climate crisis.
Though this narrative has faded, its traces linger, like the idea that girls’ education can solve climate change by reducing fertility rates. This outdated narrative is a clear example of how harmful stories can distort reality, and why we must shape new ones that highlight the true sources of injustice. We need a new narrative, led by the countries, feminist organizations, and women most affected by climate injustice. This narrative demands that the wealthiest nations and biggest polluters take responsibility and protect those who suffer most — girls and women, particularly from the global majority.
The narratives we craft today are the foundation for lasting change. By reshaping dominant narratives and taking bold, collective action in key global spaces — like the next Women Deliver Conference — we can dismantle the systems that perpetuate injustice. Together, we can create a transformative Post-2030 Agenda that not only addresses the real struggles of girls and women but also shifts power into their hands, where it belongs.
