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Young women in the Dominican Republic strengthened leadership and developed proposals through Impacto Legislativo Joven

April 9, 2026 | Activity

Photo Credit: Congress of the Dominican Republic

When young women are given the opportunity to build skills, exchange ideas, and engage directly with decision-makers, their leadership grows stronger, and new pathways for democratic participation begin to take shape.

This was demonstrated through Impacto Legislativo Joven – Dominican Republic (ILJ-RD), a ParlAmericas initiative organized in partnership with the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic. The program brought together 39 young Dominican women between the ages of 18 and 25 from provinces across the country, alongside women parliamentarians, specialists, and representatives of civil society.

Structured around two preparatory virtual sessions and an in-person meeting held in Santo Domingo from April 7 to 9, the program served as a platform to strengthen the political participation of young women and expand their leadership skills.

During the first and second virtual sessions, participants reflected on leadership, political participation, and strategies for generating social impact in their communities. They also exchanged with national and international women leaders, who shared experiences related to civic participation, public service, and social change, offering valuable lessons and inspiring examples.

This preparatory process laid the groundwork for the in-person meeting, which opened at the Chamber of Deputies with the participation of Alfredo Pacheco Osoria, President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic; Member of the Chamber of Deputies Brenda Ogando Campos, Vice-President for the Caribbean of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality; Member of the Chamber of Deputies Shoraya Suárez Ariza, Vice-President for the Caribbean of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change and Sustainability; and Senator Aracelis Villanueva Figueroa. Their remarks all concurred on the importance of promoting youth leadership and advancing a more representative democracy.

The central theme of the in-person meeting was food security, approached as a strategic issue for the well-being and sustainable development of the Dominican Republic. In this context, participants engaged with specialists and community leaders on the role of rural women in food systems, the challenges facing their communities, and the opportunities for response through public policy and parliamentary action.

Through collaborative working groups, the young women identified specific concerns, examined underlying factors, and developed proposals aimed at improving food access, production, and sustainability through an inclusive lens.

The program also offered practical tools for leadership in today’s context. Among the international contributions, Carolina Delgado, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica and member of the ParlAmericas Council, shared her country’s experience with care systems and their relevance to expanding women’s participation in public life. In addition, the Hon. Representative Catherine Juvinao Clavijo of Colombia, Vice-President for South America of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network, led a session on effective communication, helping participants consider how to shape messages with clarity and impact.

A key outcome of ILJ-RD was the presentation of citizen proposals to local women parliamentarians. Through audiovisual pieces developed by the participants themselves, the young women shared challenges identified in their communities, their vision for change, and proposals for collaboration with Congress to advance solutions through both parliamentary and community-level action.

Beyond the sessions themselves, the program strengthened connections among young women leaders from different parts of the country, fostered support networks, and generated new alliances among participants, representatives, and organizations.

The program reaffirmed that when young women have access to tools, opportunities for participation, and strong networks, they not only strengthen their leadership but also enrich democracy and contribute innovative solutions for their communities.

Photo Credit: Congress of the Dominican Republic
Impacto Legislativo Joven – Dominican Republic was made possible through the generous support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.