During the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) at the United Nations headquarters in New York, BBVA Microfinance Foundation has organized “Women as forerunners of change”, an event focused on gender equality, financial inclusion and digital transformation. The event was attended by representatives from UN Women, the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), the Permanent Missions of Colombia and Peru to the UN, and the centers of attention for the day: Rut, a loan officer with the Foundation’s Peruvian institution (Financiera Confianza), and Sandra, an entrepreneur with the Colombian institution (Bancamía). Neither of them had been to the USA before, in fact Rut had never left her country. However, word of their participation at the United Nations has already travelled further than they imagine. Newspapers, televisions, radios and digital platforms from over ten countries have picked up on the news. Scroll down to go through the list.
In Latin America, media from several countries have published news about this event, emphasizing the participation of these Latin American women in an international organization as important as the United Nations.
- The Colombian publications El Nuevo Día, El Frente, La República and the magazine Semana published it in their print editions. Unipymes, Confidencial Colombia, Primero Noticias, El Frente, La República, RCN Radio, El Nuevo Día, Conexión Capital and Ecos del Combeima have all published pieces on their online platforms, focusing on Sandra and the progress she has made supported by the Foundation. The RCN network covered it on its nightly news program, and on Sucesos RCN.
- In Peru, the print editions of El Peruano y Correo have focused on the participation of their fellow citizen at the United Nations headquarters, as did the TV stations Canal N, Rpp and Canal 7.3 Televisión, not forgetting the online versions of La República, Andina, El Comercio, Gana Más, Lamula, InfoRegión, SitioPé, Perú.com, Walac, Perú OEA, Superstar Noticias, TV Noticias and Perú 24.
Canal 7.3 Televisión
- The story also featured in the media in other countries in the region, such as the Dominican Republic (El Caribe, Listín Diario, Sabor 809, Visión de Género, La Noticia del Caribe), Panama (Mujer), Paraguay (ABC Color), Mexico (Contacto Hoy and Hoy Los Ángeles), Venezuela (Entorno Inteligente and Diario de Caracas), Costa Rica (La Voz de Goicoechea) and Argentina (TV Abierta).
- In the United States, the country hosting the event, over ten media outlets have covered the interventions of Rut and Sandra at the UN headquarters, and the importance of financial inclusion in their lives. They are: Iowa Noticias Today, Laxtin Today, PR Newswire, Bezinga, Qué pasa noticias, Enteratenc, Market Watch, Voz de América, World News en Español, ABC6 and New Bridge Securities. Furthermore, the FinDev portal, which has its HQ in the World Bank (Washington), also published an article about the event signed by the BBVAMF, titled: ‘Woman, entrepreneur and Latin American: aspire to more and don’t settle for less’.
- As well as being publicized in all these media outlets, the stories of the Foundation’s loan officer and the entrepreneur have appeared in the international wire agency Inter Press Service (IPS). This company, headquartered in Rome, has published an article signed by the BBVAMF on how financial inclusion and digital transformation can accelerate gender equality and contribute to women’s empowerment. Other News, Voice Against the Tide and Culture Unplugged also published this same article.
- The print edition of the Spanish newspaper Cinco Días highlighted the importance of Rut’s work as a loan officer and her speech at the United Nations HQ.
- Spain’s Radio Exterior covered the event on its Hora América program, and also interviewed the Foundation’s officer and entrepreneur about the experience they had in New York.
- Spain’s online media have given the news its widest coverage, highlighting the stories of Rut and Sandra as two women who “have had to overcome barriers to be independent”: Europa Press, EFE, EFE América, La Vanguardia (1 & 2), El Periódico, El Diario, Siglo XXI, Mujer Emprendedora, Fundaciones, Llave en mano, Nuevo Diario, Contrainformación, Red de Inversores Industriales and Ocio News.
- As well as all the coverage listed, articles published by BBVA on its web should be mentioned: one featuring Rut and her will to succeed, and another, focused on women’s empowerment as promoted by BBVAMF in Peru through its institution Financiera Confianza.
Portales digitales españoles
Altogether, more than 80 media outlets in over 10 countries have made space to share the stories of Rut and Sandra and their trip to the UN, to tell the world that when financial inclusion meets digital transformation, it is possible to contribute to gender equality and, to development.
Access press release here
See photo gallery here
Read the quotable quotes of the session here
