Mexico, – The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, expressed her concern Thursday about the increase in domestic violence and femicides, considering that this leads to a serious “regression” in women’s rights.
“We are seeing a regression and an increase in discrimination, and all of us, men and women together, must fight against this regression,” said Lagarde at the opening of the Women’s Forum Americas 2019, which takes place this Thursday and Friday in Mexico City. .
From the University of the Cloister of Sor Juana, said that “in each mission, in each country we must look beyond the numbers” and attend “to those who do not see.”
“Because otherwise the mission would not be fulfilled,” he added.
He added that the numbers are also relevant in other aspects: “Because the integration of women in the economy shows with numbers that a country increases its productivity, improves the economy and reduces inequality.”
The first Women’s Forum Americas 2019 brings together 1,500 business leaders, political institutions and NGOs from across the region and around the world to discuss ways in which women’s leadership can achieve inclusion and dialogue on how to unlock the potential of diversity of the Americas.
Under the slogan “Taking the initiative for inclusion: United to break the silence” the forum is held this Thursday and tomorrow Friday in the Mexican capital, one of the largest cities in the world and an economic center of great relevance for the region.
The mission of the Forum is to create women’s leadership to recognize and respond to the different experiences of women in the Americas, whose voices are often silenced by poverty, racism, violence and injustice.
Among the topics discussed in the Forum is how the women of the continent are shaping the societies, economies and environments in which they live, work and lead more and more.
Lagarde was in favor of the establishment of quotas for women, especially in universities and science and computer studies.
“Because we have to integrate women in all sectors of the economy, we must be aggressive in this aspect, at least temporarily, until we reach a balance, until there is a Nobel Prize in Physics or Economics,” he said.
This Thursday’s session discusses issues such as empowering women’s leadership and materializing women’s capacities to transform the region.
There is also a debate on how to deal with climate change -very important for the region- since rural and indigenous women in particular have fragile livelihoods that depend to a large extent on local natural resources.
Lagarde shared his desire, when he gets up some mornings, to “wake up at home, with my husband and grandchildren and do nothing”.
However, he said, “it happens quickly when I think about the choice a woman in Africa or America has to make, and my desire is to help them.”
Among other topics, this Thursday also addresses the issue of reinventing funding to unite the creation of value with ethical commitment, or the problem of modern slavery and how to end it.
On Friday will be discussed on inclusion in companies, the fight against violence and in favor of civic leadership for peace or malnutrition, which remains an unresolved problem with millions of affected children in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Likewise, it will be about the change of culture and narrative of business, science, government and other institutions to value feminine qualities more and take advantage of them.
In addition to the plenary sessions, the forum has round tables, debates and workshops with more than 30 sessions and 100 speakers.
As well as access to work opportunities through a network that includes breakfast and lunch during the sessions and the possibility of participating for a year in the global network of the Women’s Forum with 10,000 members.
The forum, inaugurated by Lagarde, will be attended, among others, by Luisa MarÃa Alcalde Luján, Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare of the Government of Mexico and MarÃa Teresa Arnal, General Director of Google Mexico, among others (EFE).
