According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum, at the current pace, it will take us 123 years to achieve total parity (the equivalent of 5 generations). The legal, social, and cultural norms that govern the world continue to be major obstacles to achieving real gender equality in political, economic, social, and family participation. In fact, 40% of the world’s women and girls live in countries with “high” or “very high” levels of discrimination, according to the OECD (SIGI 2023).

To address these challenges, the BBVA Microfinance Foundation and the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations are organizing the event Breaking Biases, Building Equality.

This event is an official side event of the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), which focuses on the priority theme of ensuring access to justice for all women and girls by eliminating discriminatory laws and practices.

Register → here.

PROGRAMME

Opening Keynote

Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile. (TBC)

Panel: Understanding barriers to pave the way toward equality

Moderated by Javier M. Flores, CEO, BBVA Microfinance Foundation

• Michelle Muschett, Subsecretary general of the United Nations and director of the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP.
• Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director, UN Women. (TBC)
• Ana Güezmes García, Director, Division for Gender Affairs, ECLAC. (TBC)

Panel: How to circumvent social norms to promote financial inclusion

Moderated by Mercedes Canalda, CEO, Banco Adopem

• Gloria Reyes Gómez, Minister of Women, Dominican Republic.
• Sophie Sirtaine, Global Director for Financial Services, World Bank Group.
• Terence Gallagher, Head of Financial Health, IDB Invest.

Dialogue

• Elsa María Gómez,  Dominican entrepreneur.
• Mercedes Canalda, CEO, Banco Adopem.