ParlAmericas participated in XIV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean
During the week of January 25-31, 2020, ParlAmericas participated in the XIV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) that is convened at least triennially.
The Conference, on the theme of “Women’s Autonomy in Changing Economic Scenarios,” was hosted in the city of Santiago by the Government of Chile. It was attended by ministers and parliamentarians, government representatives, and experts and activists from across the region. The Conference served as a forum for assessing the situation of women’s autonomy and rights at the regional and subregional levels, presenting public policy recommendations for gender equality, and national reporting on the fulfillment of regional and international plans and agreements on the subject. This year’s Conference was particularly significant given the global review processes that are underway to mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
A critical outcome of this meeting was the adoption of the Santiago Commitment, which acknowledges the achievements and progress made in the region over the last 25 years – as evidenced in the national reports submitted to ECLAC and UN Women. It also outlines government commitments to enact measures aimed at accelerating the effective implementation of the Beijing Platform and the Regional Gender Agenda.
Within the framework of the Conference, the Inter-American Task Force on Women’s Leadership organized an official side event titled “Investing in Women’s Leadership to Change Economic Scenarios: Lessons and Cooperation with the Private Sector.” The panellists included the Honourable Samantha Marshall, Minister responsible for gender affairs (Antigua and Barbuda); Carolina Cuevas Merino, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Women and Gender Equity (Chile); Cecilia Flores Castañón, President of Women CEO (Peru); Bridget Lewis, Co-founder of SheLeadsIt (Caribbean region); Johnny Méndez, Communications Manager at Medronic (Chile); and Liriola Leoteau de Ávila, women’s rights advocate (Panama).
The Task Force, of which ParlAmericas is an active member, additionally held an internal work-planning meeting on the margins of the Conference.
