High-level Authorities from the Region Will Analyze Fulfillment of Gender Equality Commitments in the Context of the Pandemic

Vice Presidents, Foreign Ministers, Ministers of Women’s Affairs and authorities from mechanisms for women’s advancement – among other representatives from the region’s countries – will participate on February 23-25, 2021 in the 60th Meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, which will take place virtually.

The meeting is being organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), which holds the Conference’s Secretariat, in coordination with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

This event will be inaugurated on Tuesday, February 23 at 11:00 a.m. local time in Chile (GMT-3) by Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary; María-Noel Vaeza, UN Women’s Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean; and Mónica Zalaquett, Minister of Women and Gender Equity of Chile, in her capacity as Chair of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean.

During the meeting, authorities will report on progress made in implementing the Santiago Commitment (approved during the last Regional Conference, held in Chile in 2020) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be three high-level panels addressing women’s autonomy in recovery with gender equality; the role of international trade for recovery with gender equality; and the challenges of climate change for a sustainable recovery with equality.

In addition, a special session of regional consultation prior to the 65th session of the Commission on the Juridical and Social Status of Women will take place.

What: 60th Meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Who:

• Vice Presidents, Foreign Ministers, Ministers of Women’s Affairs and authorities from mechanisms for women’s advancement, among other representatives from the region’s countries, along with international officials and members of civil society.

Inaugurating the event on Tuesday, February 23 at 11:00 a.m. local time in Chile (GMT-3):

• Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary.
• María-Noel Vaeza, UN Women’s Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean.
• Mónica Zalaquett, Minister of Women and Gender Equity of Chile.

When: Tuesday, February 23 through Thursday, February 25, 2021.

Where: The event will be transmitted online via ECLAC’s website, at https://live.cepal.org/ and via its social media accounts on Twitter (https://twitter.com/cepal_onu) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cepal.onu).