But a concerted, organised and strategic pushback by the "manosphere" against gender equality can't be swept under the rug, Australia's only female prime minister says.
Former Labor prime minister Julia Gillard, now primarily based in the United Kingdom, has returned to Australia as a keynote speaker at Women Deliver, a major gathering of activists, policymakers and former leaders.
The conference is focused on improving all aspects of the lives of women, girls and gender-diverse people.
Melbourne is hosting, a significant moment as it is the first time the conference - established in 2007 and held every three years - has been in the Oceanic Pacific region.
The conference is being held against a backdrop of global push-back against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and concerns about the rise of the manosphere and its impact on young men.
"We have seen in many parts of the world a form of politics which weaves together nationalism, isolationism, patriotism and anti-women's rights agendas," Ms Gillard said.
"With all of this happening, it's a particularly important time for people to come together and to discuss what we can do to win the popular debate globally because ... more gender-equal societies benefit everyone."
Gender equality advocates often felt like they were working alone but the conference would be an opportunity for people to connect, Women Deliver president Maliha Khan said.
"But solidarity, while powerful in itself, is not enough and what we need to do is to generate a new direction forward for gender equality," she told reporters at a press conference on Monday to open the conference.
"We must acknowledge that much of the (current) system was never built for girls, women and gender diverse people."
Gains for women and girls could not be taken for granted as history showed they could be easily wound back, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark said.
"(Women Deliver) is about supporting civil society at the local and national level, so that they can hold governments accountable, and it also calls on governments to be responsive," she said.
"States have to be held accountable for the commitments that they have made in signing up to any number of international agreements and conventions.
"It's only we - the people - that can hold them accountable."
In 2018, Ms Gillard was appointed chair of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College London and later founded its sister institute based at the Australian National University in Canberra.
The institute was among the first to spotlight and track the trend of young men's attitudes towards gender equality going backwards.
That trend could be partially attributed to the equality movement not being as inclusive of men as it could have been, Ms Gillard said.
"Some of the language we've used around gender equality has given the impression that it's solely about women … it hasn't been inclusive enough to explain that it's about a better future for all," she said.
"(But) I think we've got to be pretty knowing that there is concerted, organised and strategic pushback.
"There is a form of politics that has fused with online influencers and the manosphere, who are peddling a particular version of masculinity … (about being) able to project dominance over women in their lives."
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