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Women’s Network news roundup: near gender parity in Canada’s new Cabinet – and the mountain Japan has to climb
GGF brings you the latest roundup of women-focused and gender equity news from around the world, including near gender parity in Canada’s new Cabinet, gender-responsive policy training in Liberia, a new gender equality framework, the scale of intimate partner violence in Australia, and more. The Global Government Women’s Network is a free network for women in civil…
Women’s Network news round-up: New Zealand public sector pay equity U-turn, and more
Here’s our round-up of women-focused and gender equality news from the last few weeks, including responses from France, Belgium, Sweden and Spain to attempts by the US Department of State to get foreign companies and municipal authorities to drop diversity and inclusion initiatives. You’ll also find news on the New Zealand government’s decision to cancel…
Is DEI a spent force, or could it be revived by merit?
‘As governments worldwide face increasing scrutiny over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, how should they react, and could a merit-focused approach offer a more sustainable DEI future?’ ask Andrew and Nada Kakabadse, professors of leadership and governance at Henley Business School The recent executive order by US president Donald Trump to dismantle DEI policies…
Is gender equality under threat? An International Women’s Day conversation with Julia Gillard and Bridget Phillipson
Those involved in the women’s liberation movements in the US and Europe in the 1960s would be dismayed to learn the results of a new report, which shows that young men have more negative views of gender equality than those of previous generations. In an event ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, former…
Introducing a new standard for civil service line managers: Five minutes with Carol Bernard from the UK’s Government People Group
Carol Bernard, executive director of line management capability in the Cabinet Office’s Government People Group, discusses being yourself in the workplace, a new line management capability programme she is introducing, and the civil servants she admires. This is part of a ‘Five minutes’ series featuring speakers from the Global Government Forum Innovation conference (London, 19-20 March). At…
‘The squeaky wheel gets the grease’: making noise about achieving gender parity in public services
Women tend to have less influence in decision-making in government – even in civil and public services that have equal representation of men and women in senior roles. During a Global Government Women’s Network webinar, leaders from Canada, South Africa and the UK spoke about how to change the status quo Many countries are a…
Canada reviews public service values; UK’s opposition leader vows to tackle civil service churn: news in brief
Global Government Forum’s digest of the news you need to know but might have missed. Canada looks to update public service values and ethics The Canadian public service has released a new report on values and ethics in a bid to ignite discussion about how officials conduct themselves at a time of unprecedented complexity. The…
‘Women from diverse communities and experiences bring unique insights to the table’: Five minutes with Sonia Karim, director of Sierra Leone’s Cabinet Affairs Department
In this sister series to our ‘Five minutes with’ interviews, we share insights from women civil and public servants as part of our Global Government Women’s Network coverage. In this interview, Sonia Karim tells GGF about being judged harshly for displaying professional qualities that would be commended if she were a man, finding a balance…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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