IDB celebrated women's crucial role in development by holding events at country offices and HQ on March 8, 2011. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD), the IDB hosted events
at country offices in Belize, Bahamas and Uruguay, and at headquarters in Washington, D.C. Speakers
addressed the UN theme for IWD in 2011: Equal access to education, training and science and
technology: Pathway to decent work for women.
As the Newsletter Editor for the Ithaca College International Club I was in charge of producing this "See" newsletter to showcase the international community on campus and our various involvements. The final product was sent out of perspective international students as part of their acceptance package.
As the Newsletter Editor for the Ithaca College International Club I was in charge of producing this "See" newsletter to showcase the international community on campus and our various involvements. The final product was sent out of perspective international students as part of their acceptance package.
A finales del mes de marzo de 2009 se realizó en Medellín la Asamblea de Gobernadores de los países miembros del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), este encuentro contaba con dos hechos particulares, la entrada de China como miembro no prestatario y el aniversario número 50 del BID ofreciendo sus servicios a Latinoamérica y el Caribe en cuestiones de préstamos, donaciones y asesoramientos en temas políticos, con el fin de fomentar el desarrollo la región, además de ser el mayor y más antiguo banco de desarrollo regional.
6th international day of women and girls in science assembly “Beyond the Borders: Equality in Science for Society” To ask a Question to Panelists, which will be available from 4-9 February 2021; In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, the Girls in Science will present their first Progress Report, showcasing their achievements as constructive agents of change, and how Girls in Science all over the world stand up for equality, the rights for health, education, water, sustainable energy, and climate change, among others.
Presented by Colleen Patterson, Senior Communications Officer,
Building and Enhancing Capacity for Hepatitis C Prevention
International Development Research Centre
November 4, 2012
The past decade has been marked by increased public awareness of the mistreatment of older persons both in Canada and worldwide. Achievements have been marked by innovation and creativity, policy and program development and legislation. The Community Guide to Raise
World Awareness on Adult Abuse was a initial step to assist communities develop prevention plans.
It is now the 5th anniversary since the launch of the initial guide and many new initiatives have taken place across the globe in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Given the increased availability of elder abuse resources internationally it was determined that the guide could be enhanced with the inclusion of new and additional material. We are grateful to the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) who have generously provided the financial resources to undertake the revision of the guide. With this support a draft revision is now available for review and comment by those in the field of elder abuse prevention. The Canadian government has long been a forerunner in the global prevention of elder mistreatment and is recognized as a leader in the field.
The revision of this guide together with the development of a companion document, “Teen Elder Abuse Awareness Kit” which has been funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reinforces the Canadian Government‟s commitment to increasing elder abuse awareness globally. Together these two resources will be a powerful contribution and resource for any organization or person interested in minimising the
instances of elder abuse.
We also acknowledge with thanks the original authors of the guide; Charmaine Spencer, Elizabeth Podnieks, Susan Somers, and other members of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
(INPEA) and the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (CNPEA). We are building on the earlier work and look forward to a completed document that reflects the enormous progress made in the last five years. Appreciation is also extended to International Federation on Ageing (IFA) for joining this exciting venture.
A finales del mes de marzo de 2009 se realizó en Medellín la Asamblea de Gobernadores de los países miembros del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), este encuentro contaba con dos hechos particulares, la entrada de China como miembro no prestatario y el aniversario número 50 del BID ofreciendo sus servicios a Latinoamérica y el Caribe en cuestiones de préstamos, donaciones y asesoramientos en temas políticos, con el fin de fomentar el desarrollo la región, además de ser el mayor y más antiguo banco de desarrollo regional.
6th international day of women and girls in science assembly “Beyond the Borders: Equality in Science for Society” To ask a Question to Panelists, which will be available from 4-9 February 2021; In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, the Girls in Science will present their first Progress Report, showcasing their achievements as constructive agents of change, and how Girls in Science all over the world stand up for equality, the rights for health, education, water, sustainable energy, and climate change, among others.
Presented by Colleen Patterson, Senior Communications Officer,
Building and Enhancing Capacity for Hepatitis C Prevention
International Development Research Centre
November 4, 2012
The past decade has been marked by increased public awareness of the mistreatment of older persons both in Canada and worldwide. Achievements have been marked by innovation and creativity, policy and program development and legislation. The Community Guide to Raise
World Awareness on Adult Abuse was a initial step to assist communities develop prevention plans.
It is now the 5th anniversary since the launch of the initial guide and many new initiatives have taken place across the globe in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Given the increased availability of elder abuse resources internationally it was determined that the guide could be enhanced with the inclusion of new and additional material. We are grateful to the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) who have generously provided the financial resources to undertake the revision of the guide. With this support a draft revision is now available for review and comment by those in the field of elder abuse prevention. The Canadian government has long been a forerunner in the global prevention of elder mistreatment and is recognized as a leader in the field.
The revision of this guide together with the development of a companion document, “Teen Elder Abuse Awareness Kit” which has been funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reinforces the Canadian Government‟s commitment to increasing elder abuse awareness globally. Together these two resources will be a powerful contribution and resource for any organization or person interested in minimising the
instances of elder abuse.
We also acknowledge with thanks the original authors of the guide; Charmaine Spencer, Elizabeth Podnieks, Susan Somers, and other members of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
(INPEA) and the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (CNPEA). We are building on the earlier work and look forward to a completed document that reflects the enormous progress made in the last five years. Appreciation is also extended to International Federation on Ageing (IFA) for joining this exciting venture.
Cultural and linguistic competency Summitt 2018Dominic Carter
Dominic Carter is greatly looking forward to being one of the keynotes at the South Carolina Cultural and Linguistic Competency Summit 2018, this month of June 2018
Alternative Media - Audiences that Don't Readmedc3260
We all know what mass media is – TV, radio, movies, books and magazines. Alternative media are the techniques used when mass media is not available. Many developing countries have few TVs and spotty electricity. The population may be illiterate. In those cases, smart communicators use alternatives that exist where the population is.
Preventing and ending sexual harassment in the workplace.pptxGry Tina Tinde
What does it take to end sexual harassment in the workplace, which has not budget in decades? According to a May-June 2020 Forbes article by Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kavin, compliance-based training has backfired and resulted in men feeling targeted as vilains, men becoming more accepting of sexual harassment, blaming women more and a reduction in women in senior jobs. Article here: https://hbr.org/2020/05/why-sexual-harassment-programs-backfire Another strong advocate for more effective training in this area is Felicity Menzies, who authored this excellent piece: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/respect-work-your-sexual-harassment-training-fit-purpose-menzies-bthjc/?trackingId=T2SpuZslT1iwREb%2FCySO4g%3D%3D Another resource I used for this talk is the excellent UN Women Report (2019): What will it take? Promoting cultural change to end sexual harassment. I wish to thank UN Women for including me in its Feminist Think Space in New York in July 2018, where global leaders in the effort to end sexual harassment met, including Dr Catharine MacKinnon. I also drew on statistics from the World Bank's Women, Business and the Law in this presentation: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/03/04/new-data-show-massive-wider-than-expected-global-gender-gap
Protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) Gry Tina Tinde
On 23 June 2022, the UN Connecting Business Initiative #CBI outlined humanitarian principles, engaging with local communities and how to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) of people affected by crises. These are my slides, which gives an idea of the PSEA efforts. My introductory remarks:
Thank you for inviting me and for putting the need for safe humanitarian operations for all on the agenda today. I feel for everyone who suffers the consequences of war in your country. It is impressive how people, businesses, authorities and civil society in Ukraine have stepped up to assist victims and to adapt their activities to a new and challenging reality.
This is my second time to work in beautiful Ukraine. I was election observer in Cherkasy during two months in 2015 and fell for your people and country. Last week I arrived in Lviv and my job is coordinate efforts of national and international entities to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse of people seeking humanitarian assistance, committed by those who are tasked to assist. Helpers abusing those they are meant to help sounds like a contradiction of terms, and it is. Yet it happens, and more often than we know, because globally, around 80 percent of survivors of gender-based violence do not report the acts.
Aid workers, whether they are from an international organization, civil society, private companies or government entities, are expected to show the highest standards of behavior. We have job contracts, staff rules and codes of conduct that everyone must sign in order to be taken on. Abuse of power is a no-no. Aid workers meet people who might be destitute, or who have lost family members, who have health issues such as a disability after attacks or disasters, or they have lost their homes, their jobs, access to school or studies or the support of their family and community networks. Media have covered how some aid workers take advantage of their position distributing assistance or recruiting staff to demand sex from particularly women and children under 18. Most of the perpetrators are men, but there are examples of women who take advantage of vulnerable groups as well. In 2016, a Norwegian woman in her 50s who worked at a centre for asylum seekers demanded sex in return for helping a male Syrian refugee who was 22 years old with job applications and money for clothes and trips. She offered him a room at her house where she lived with her husband and cajoled the young man to have sex with her when her husband was not home. The refugee and other male asylum seekers told journalists and showed text messages that proved that several female employees and volunteers at emergency shelters for refugees had propositioned them. I feel sick to my stomach when I read about such exploitation, no matter who commits it.
We can all learn from the Ukrainian writer, feminist, activist and polyglot Nataliya Kobrynska. She was born in 1851 in Beleluia.
How to end sexual misconduct - IFRC Africa regionGry Tina Tinde
Survivors and those most at risk of sexual misconduct are best placed to guide the prevention and response to such misdeeds. There is a need to hire more people, and especially women and other under-represented groups, from the global south to humanitarian and development organisations in order to make programmes safer, more effective and relevant to the local population. The presentation was given at an all-staff online meeting of IFRC in Africa on 28 Sept 2021.
Prévention d'exploitation et abus sexuel dans le secteur humanitaire #peas #p...Gry Tina Tinde
La Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge (FICR) a une politique contre l'exploitation et abus sexuel (PEAS) des personnes affectées par les désastres et crises, depuis 2018. Cette présentation montre comment les activités PEAS sont liées au travail de protection, genre et inclusion, et décrit aussi les differences. La présentation est faite pendant une réunion des gérants des désastres à Niamey, Niger le 14 juillet 2021, avec participants des diverses Sociétés nationales de la Croix-Rouge d'Afrique et d'Europe.
Outline of IFRC's work to prevent and respond to aid workers' sexual exploitation and abuse of people struck by disasters and other emergencies. This presentation is for a group of human resources staff, so there is some focus on HR aspects.
A survivor-centered approach is key to ensure access to healthcare, psychosocial support, legal assistance, livelihood alternatives, safe shelter, and other potential life-saving services for those who've been sexually exploited and abused by aid workers, peacekeepers and others preying on vulnerable groups. In the decades since UN peacekeepers and UN civilian staff, NGOs and diplomats were found to sexually abuse and exploit local women and children in Cambodia (1991-1993) during UNTAC, too little has been done to provide services to the survivors.
Survivors need access to Post-exposure Preventive Kits within 72 hours of an assault. It is necessary for aid organisations to consult intensively with local women's associations, organisations for people with disabilities, LGBTIQ organisations and those representing other minorities and groups at risk, in order to develop safe, community based reporting mechanisms and map and vet assistance to survivors.
IFRC adopted its PSEA policy in June 2018 and is supporting Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies in developing their policies and practices. https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/06/IFRC-Secretariat-Policy-on-Prevention-and-Response-to-SEA_final.pdf
I will hold a webinar using this PPT on 16 November, which is a preparation of participants for a PSEA policy writeshop scheduled for 3-5 December and hosted by the Finnish Red Cross.
The webinar is open to other staff and volunteers of the RC RC Movement as well.
Big thank you to Abby Maxman and Jennifer Emond at Oxfam US for valuable input to this presentation.
Talk at UN Gender Focal Point meeting 12 October 2018, UNAIDS, GenevaGry Tina Tinde
Outline of #MeToo #MeTooUn #AIdToo issues such as sexual harassment tactics, using a survivor-centered appraoch, including these and women's security awareness in onboarding training. Role of bystanders/observers to sexual harassment is tricky, as most victims and bystanders are women and most harassers are male managers, according to research referred to in the presentation.
IFRC's policy to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)Gry Tina Tinde
This presentation that I held on 25 September 2018 outlines IFRC's newly adopted policy to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse of persons affected by disaster and crisis. It was held in an all-staff meeting at Geneva, with regional IFRC offices following via videconference. The presentation sparked a lively debate on, among other topics: Roles and responsibilities of managers, staff and specific departments, the IFRC practice that exists of not covering perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse by diplomatic immunity and the need for strict confidentiality in addressing SEA issues. We also discussed the importance of applying a survivor-centered approach, setting up appropriate community-based complaint mechanisms, provide assistance to survivors and working closely with Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies around the globe on these tasks.
Letter from Director of ODIHR about sexual harassment in election observationGry Tina Tinde
The Director of the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir,replies to a request from seven election observers to increase efforts to end sexual harassment in election observation. A group of observers already wrote to ODIHR about the same problem in 2015, and with a concrete proposal to create dedicated positions that would investigate, train and monitor issues and cases of sexual harassment in each election observation mission. The proposal had been welcomed by the head of the OSCE-ODIHR parliamentary election observation in Ukraine in Sept-Dec 2015. However there was no response to the 2015 proposal, neither from ODIHR nor the Nordic countries and recruitment agencies that received copies of the proposal.
Forum on sexual and gender-based violence in emergencies (in Spanish)Gry Tina Tinde
Highlights from a practical guide on including gender, diversity and disability issues in emergency programming. The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement uses these Minimum Standard Commitments to Gender and Diversity to help reduce gender-based violence and discrimination in disaster response and preparedness.
Blockchain and women's financial inclusionGry Tina Tinde
On positive outcomes of a microenterprise activity by the Red Cross in the Philippines and other issues related to fighting gender-based violence and discrimination.
Engaging with persons with disabilities and older people to prevent sexual an...Gry Tina Tinde
How to ensure participation of persons with disabilities and older people in disaster risk reduction and emergency response? How to prevent sexual and gender-based violence against these groups? Presentation at a workshop in London to train inclusion advisors, as part of the Age and Disability Capacity Programme (ADCAP).
Sexual violence and inequality; it's time the UN got its own house in orderGry Tina Tinde
How does a displaced boy being raped by an international civil servant in a war-torn country benefit from the UN resolution to end violence against children? Does a humanitarian worker who is sexually harassed or assaulted by a peacekeeper or contractor know where to turn for help? Who investigates and punishes the perpetrators? It’s high time for the UN to take action on how these matters are resolved in a way that respects the human rights of everyone affected.
How will the new development banks (AIIB and NDB) being set up in China in 2015-2016 work in terms of gender and diversity? Will they apply research findings about the positive effects more women in management has on development and the bottom line? Will they hire more broadly from diverse and underrepresented groups than the Bretton Woods institutions? Attracting, advancing and keeping people with the best possible competencies about development challenges and solutions is key to reaching the UN's new sustainable development goals (SDGs).
A presentation that elaborates on the 10 recommendations that the management of the Inter-American Development Bank selected during the Nov 2009 diversity and inclusion conference.
WINConference "Magnificent Leap of Change" in Berlin, Oct 2014Gry Tina Tinde
Around 750 participants from 90 countries joined Kristin Engvig and her team at this 17th WINConference.
Since 1997, some 12,000 leaders have chosen WINConference to learn and share about authentic leadership in global business and public life.
There were about 50 skill-building workshops and forums during the Berlin event, however this report covers plenary talks only.
Check the agenda to learn more about the various sessions and social activities that make the WINConference one of the world´s best and most inclusive leadership conferences.
Global Mega Trends and Norway - Panel at the Norwegian Research Council 18 Se...Gry Tina Tinde
What are the main international challenges we are facing, and how do they affect Norway? Researchers from universities in Sweden and Norway and a solar energy company discuss issues and trends related to clean energy, climate, economy, global health, the aging of the population, surveillance, technology, solar power, coal and developments in China and Southeast Asia. How may research help find viable solutions to these challenges?
Human rights, gender mainstreaming and cultural awarenessGry Tina Tinde
The second part of the graduate course at Link Campus University in Rome, Italy includes:
Discrimination awareness – various identities of under-represented groups will illustrate chances in life. Participants draw a "lottery ticket" illustrating the lottery of life
Introduction to human rights concepts and rights-based development
Working in groups of five or six, the students will create a study, action plan and/or communication plan to address:
Bride kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan
Female genital mutilation/cutting in refugee setting in Sicily, Italy
Women’s land ownership in Gujarat, India
Micro credit in rural area in Bangladesh
Finally, the class will organize a panel discussion on gender equality in Italy, assigning identities and roles to panelists.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Safalta Digital marketing institute in Noida, provide complete applications that encompass a huge range of virtual advertising and marketing additives, which includes search engine optimization, virtual communication advertising, pay-per-click on marketing, content material advertising, internet analytics, and greater. These university courses are designed for students who possess a comprehensive understanding of virtual marketing strategies and attributes.Safalta Digital Marketing Institute in Noida is a first choice for young individuals or students who are looking to start their careers in the field of digital advertising. The institute gives specialized courses designed and certification.
for beginners, providing thorough training in areas such as SEO, digital communication marketing, and PPC training in Noida. After finishing the program, students receive the certifications recognised by top different universitie, setting a strong foundation for a successful career in digital marketing.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Celebrating International Women's Day at Inter-American Development Bank
1. Inter-American Development Bank, March 8, 2011
International Women’s Day
“Equal access to education, training and science and
technology: Pathway to decent work for women”
2. Reverend Angela Bosfield Palacious
opened the International Women’s Day
event of the IDB Country Office in the
Bahamas. Born in Naussau, Reverend
Palacious was the first female Bahamian
deacon (1999) and priest (2000) in the
Anglican Diocese of the Bahamas and
the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Astrid Wynter, IDB Country Representative in the Bahamas, seated on the far right in the photo, celebrated
International Women’s Day with a seminar entitled “Young Single Mothers and the Challenges of Motherhood and
the Workplace”. Ms. Barbara Burrows, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Development, Bahamas,
chaired the panel discussion, which received media coverage in the Nassau Guardian.
3. International Women’s Day at IDB
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD), the IDB hosted events
at country offices in Belize, Bahamas and Uruguay, and at headquarters in Washington, D.C. Speak-
ers addressed the UN theme for IWD in 2011: Equal access to education, training and science and
technology: Pathway to decent work for women.
International Women’s Day in IDB Country Offices
IDB Bahamas Country Office event:
‘Young Single Mothers and the Challenges of Motherhood and the Workplace’.
A panel comprising Ms. Carolyn Evans, Magistrate of Family Court; Reverend Angela Palacious,
Anglican Priest and Counselor; Dr. Pearl McMillan, Head of Public Health, Ministry of Health; and
Ms. Carolyn Roberts, Chief of Psychology, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, led discussions on the
theme of the event. Ms. Barbara Burrows, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social De-
velopment, chaired the panel discussions.
The audience was made up of members from civic organizations, such as the Bahamas Family Plan-
ning Association and Providing Access To Education (PACE) Program for pregnant young women as
well as government agencies, such as The Bureau of Women’s Affairs, The Crisis Centre, The Depart-
ment of Statistics, and independent Researchers, Lawyers and Educators from the College of the
Bahamas and other institutions.
The panel members discussed the theme from legal, religious, health care, and psychological per-
spectives, identifying the challenges that young single mothers face. Some of the challenges men-
tioned were: the expense of legal services and the implications of legally unrecognized unions, such
as cohabitation; the spiritual need for forgiveness, peace and love for self and others; the fact that
20% of all pregnancies in the country are to females under twenty years of age; and the psychologi-
cal feelings of entrapment, isolation and frustration when a young woman is faced with mother-
hood unprepared and all alone, and before completing her own physical, emotional and intellectual
emergence into adulthood.
Panel and audience members proposed several recommendations to address the challenges of the
young single mother, such as a Family Court Unit that would function to assist mothers with know-
ing their rights under the law, enactment of legislation that acknowledges cohabitation. Addition-
ally, the need for safe houses and primary schools that also included nurseries. The panel suggested
that free nurseries be established in areas close to workplaces to facilitate mothers being able to
visit their babies during the lunch hour to nurse them and to continue to bond. This would bring
greater peace of mind to the mothers and enable them to focus on their work as they would be as-
sured of their child’s wellbeing and security. Finally, financing to carry out research and studies in
the area to better understand the varied reasons behind the cause of child and adolescent pregnan-
cies and their ramifications, were also recommended.
Inter-American Development Bank 1
4. The Panel Members suggested that the Bank assist the coun-
try with the implementation of these recommendations. The
Country Office Representative, Ms. Astrid Wynter informed
the participants that the Bank bases its involvement in
the country on the priority areas which are discussed and
agreed upon with the Government in a Country Strategy.
The current IDB Strategy with The Bahamas covers the pe-
riod 2010-2014, and focuses on four priority areas for Bank
support: energy, water and sanitation, transport, and small
and medium sized enterprise development.
From left to right.: Carolina D´Angelo - Project Asst, Alejandra González - IT Sr Assoc, Tracy Betts - IDB Country Representative in
Uruguay, Ing. Karina Santo - Guest speaker, Sofía Salvagno - Res Plng & Admin Spec, María Victoria López - Asst, Nicole Perelmuter
- Consultant, Luciana López - Consultant, Nadia Rauschert - Fiduc Fin Mgmt Spec, Federica Gómez - FOMIN Sr Analyst, Marión Lakatos
- Finance Sr Asst, María Noel Villamarzo - Research Fellow, Sandra Carabetta - Office Support Sr Asst y Sofía Cataldo - Receptionist.
2 IDB IntErnAtIOnAl WOmEn’s DAy At IDB
5. IDB Uruguay Country Office event
Celebrating International Women’s Day, the IDB Country Office in Uruguay organized a luncheon
with its staff to discuss the day’s UN theme: “Equal Access to education, training and science and
technology – Pathway to decent work for women”. Keynote speaker was Karina Santo, engineer and
Director of Artech Consulting, which provides advice and analysis to help companies optimize their
operations. Ms. Santo shared her perspectives regarding the need for society to ensure equal op-
portunity and access for boys, girls, men and women to education, science and technology.
More than 35 people gathered for an inspiring lunchtime International Women’s Day event at the IDB Office in
Montevideo, Uruguay. Guest speaker Karina Santo, engineer and Director of Artech Consulting, spoke of women in
the consulting business and gender issues related to science and technology, education and family life.
Inter-American Development Bank 3
6. Some 85 participants joined the event. In
foreground, Rachel Pierre and her father, Ericq
Pierre, Senior Counselor for Haiti, Office of the
Executive Directors for Argentina and Haiti, IDB
Steven Puig, Vice President for Private Sector
and Non-Sovereign Guaranteed Operations,
receives the first “Gender Equality Champion
Award” from Marta Calderón, Coordinator of the
IDB Professional Women’s Network
7. International Women’s Day at IDB Headquarters
Before a panel discussion, the Professional Women’s Network presented its “Champion of Gender
Equality Award”.
Steven Puig, Vice President for Private Sector and Non- Sovereign Guaranteed
Operations, IDB
Mr. Puig thanked the Professional Women’s Network and said he felt honored to receive the “Cham-
pion of Gender Equality Award”. His commitment to gender equality was inspired by his mother.
Being one of the first female medical doctors in the Dominican Republic, her dedication and hard
work helped shape his life. She also became one of the first Latina physicians in the US. Thanks to
his mother he became more aware of the important contribution that women make in the workforce,
when given the opportunity. The award from PWN will be proudly displayed in his office.
Marta Calderón, Coordinator of the IDB Professional Women’s Network
Ms. Calderón welcomed everyone to the International Women’s Day event, which addressed the UN
theme of this year’s IWD: Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway
to decent work for women.
Ms. Calderón recounted a story from the Toastmaster’s Magazine entitled: “Muslim Computer Sci-
entist Promotes Gender Equality - A Pioneer in Pakistan”. The story was about Maliha Elahi, who
started a computer-run bulletin board service in Pakistan in the early 1990s. She used her young
son’s name to conduct business, because at the time, and even today in some parts of the country,
it was unheard of for women even to speak to men. Armed with a master’s degree in computer sci-
ence, the young mother and recent widow ignored custom and ran the business. Over the next 20
years, Elahi forged a successful career in computer science and project management training and
has worked towards expanding gender equality. As the story shows, education was the main factor
that allowed Eliha to overcome the adversities that millions of women come up against in the world.
On behalf of the IDB Professional Women’s Network Ms. Calderón presented the first “Champion of
Gender Equality Award” to Steven Puig, Vice President for the Private Sector and Non-Sovereign
Guaranteed Operations. He was recognized for his active promotion of gender equality in the IDB.
Mr. Puig set up a Women’s Council in VPP soon after he arrived at the Bank, providing coaching and
growth opportunities to VPP’s women. He sponsors a series of speakers on gender-related topics
in the workplace and has generously invited the Core Group of the IDB PWN. Ms. Calderón gave Mr.
Puig a toy hammer that he could use to continue breaking glass ceilings that block women’s careers.
Inter-American Development Bank 5
8. Tina Tinde, Diversity Advisor, Human Resources Department, opened the event at IDB Headquarters
Tina Tinde, Diversity Advisor, HRD/IDB
On March 8, 2011, the IDB celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the International Women’s Day.
The IDB Country Office in Bahamas is hosting a panel discussion on “Young Single Mothers and the
Challenges of Motherhood and the Workplace”, with prominent speakers from the Bahamas Ministry
of Labour and Social Development and from the health, judiciary and church sectors. Since this day
was a public holiday in Uruguay, the Country Office will hold an IWD event in a few weeks, and in
November it plans to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against
Women. The Country Office in Belize is collaborating today with Love FM to host a television show,
“Belize Watch”.
At the IDB, the employee composition is 51% women and 49 % men. However, in managerial posi-
tions, only 23 % are women. The proportion of women in leadership roles has increased by less
than one percentage points per year since 2007 and the proportion of women in grades 4 and up
has increased by nearly 2 percentage point annually since 2007. Keeping its focus on merit-based
recruitment and advancement, the Bank needs to use effective and transparent succession planning
tools in order to achieve the gender targets that the IDB Board of Governors set for 2015 in con-
nection with the 9th General Capital Increase: 38% women among representatives and executives,
40% women in grades 4 and up, and 40-60% women among the Executive Vice President and Vice
Presidents. Of the 28 country representatives, five are women. To achieve 38% women among
country representatives, 11 would have to be female. The trend towards increasing the share of
women in senior positions is positive, yet needs keen attention.
6 IDB IntErnAtIOnAl WOmEn’s DAy At IDB
9. Gender Distribution total - 2007 to 2011
VPs, Executives and Representatives, Grades 04 and Up
(IIC excluded)
12/31/07 12/31/08 12/31/09
Category F % M % Total TOT% F % M % Total TOT% F % M % Total TOT%
EVP and VPs 5 100.0% 5 0.3% 5 100.0% 5 0.3% 5 100.0% 5 0.3%
Exec/Reps 14 20.3% 55 79.7% 69 4.0% 11 17.5% 52 82.5% 63 3.5% 13 21.0% 49 79.0% 62 3.4%
Grades 04
178 27.9% 460 72.1% 638 36.6% 196 29.7% 464 70.3% 660 36.4% 210 30.3% 482 69.7% 692 37.7%
and Up
Other 685 66.3% 348 33.7% 1033 59.2% 714 65.7% 373 34.3% 1087 59.9% 709 65.8% 369 34.2% 1078 58.7%
Grand Total 877 50.3% 868 49.7% 1745 100% 921 50.7% 894 49.3% 1815 100% 932 50.7% 905 49.3% 1837 100%
12/31/10 3/31/11
Category F % M % Total TOT% F % M % Total TOT%
EVP and VPs 1 20.0% 4 80.0% 5 0.3% 1 20.0% 4 80.0% 5 0.3%
Exec/Reps 14 22.6% 48 77.4% 62 3.3% 14 23.0% 47 77.0% 61 3.2%
Grades 04
242 32.5% 503 67.5% 745 39.6% 256 33.5% 509 66.5% 765 40.7%
and Up
Other 710 66.4% 359 33.6% 1069 56.8% 700 66.7% 350 33.3% 1050 55.8%
Grand Total 967 51.4% 914 48.6% 1881 100% 971 51.6% 910 48.4% 1881 100%
Gender Distribution total - 2007 to 2011
VPs, Executives and Representatives, Grades 04 and Up
As of March 31, 2011
Category F % M % Total TOT%
EVP and VPs 1 20.0% 4 80.0% 5 0.3%
Exec/Reps 14 23.0% 47 77.0% 61 3.2%
Grades 04
256 33.5% 509 66.5% 765 40.7%
and Up
Other 700 66.7% 350 33.3% 1050 55.8%
Grand Total 971 51.6% 910 48.4% 1881 100%
General Capital Increase targets by 2015
40% - 60% Female VP’s / EVP
38% Female Execs + Reps
40% Female Profs. Grade 4 and Up
Inter-American Development Bank 7
10. Angela Franco, Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce said women’s advancement is high on
the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce agenda
Angela Franco, President and CEO, Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Com-
merce
Ms. Franco said it is important for women to have a positive attitude towards life. Each day brings a new
challenge and that is the beauty of life. Take things one day at a time, live in the present. There are things
that you can’t change, and accepting them brings peace to your life. Taking risks takes you places you
never imagined. For Ms. Franco it was a life-changing experience to move from Colombia to the US, and
has been very enriching personally and professionally. Accepting that things happen for a reason and
opening your arms and receiving them makes your life easier. Every day poses a challenge to keep a bal-
ance. Look after yourself, do not worry too much about what others say or think. We all decide at the end
who is the driver of our lives, ourselves or others. Believing in yourself is our homework for every day,
but it is very, very worthwhile. Maintain and cultivate your femininity and the value of being a woman.
In your list of priorities it is important to define what family means to you. To Ms. Franco, family comes
first. She urged everyone to love and respect your country of origin. Her home country would always be
in her heart. She pledged allegiance and commitment to the country she adopted, and is assimilating to
the culture. How far we want to go is up to us, she said. We all set our own limits.
8 IDB IntErnAtIOnAl WOmEn’s DAy At IDB
11. Aurélie Flavy Gilles, Consultant, Haiti Response Group, IDB
Haiti has a history of political instability, with 14 governments and five coups over the past two
decades, compounded by violent uprisings and catastrophic natural disasters. Public provision of
education has been, and continues to be skeletal. There are very high levels of non-state provision
of education. It is important to recognize the challenges children face in such a complex environ-
ment. To have success, there has to be an enormous and consistent parental support. It is important
to have education as a value within a family and within a country.
The Haitian state has very limited service delivery or regulatory capacity, due to entrenched histori-
cal reasons. There is an uncoordinated proliferation of non- state providers in the education sector.
Only 18 % of children in primary school attend public schools and only 35 percent of non-public
elementary schools are accredited. Curricula and pedagogy are fragmented and quality is poor,
with only 10 percent of teachers having obtained teacher training qualifications. Only 28 percent
of those who attend school finish elementary school, 12 percent complete high school and only 1.3
percent complete college.
A main constraint affecting Haitians is their household economy. Families are forced to prioritize:
Their limited resources often have to be concentrated on one or a few children. Those who are given
the opportunity of schooling are expected to give something back to the household. On the topic of
Aurélie Gilles grew up in Port-au-Prince, where
her parents reside. Her position with the IDB
Haiti Response Group takes her on frequent
missions to her home country, where she assists
the reconstruction effort after the January 2010
earthquake
12. gender discrimination in education, available data confirm that there is no preferential treatment.
There is no significant gender discrepancy in any of the three cycles of primary education. Haiti
continues to experience a huge brain drain. Of the 1.3% of those who finish college 95% of them
leave the country. It is important to reverse this trend in order to bolster Haiti’s chance to develop.
Haiti also is in serious need of quality education and needs to create opportunities for its youth to
come back.
Ms. Gilles, who is 24, stressed the importance of education in her own life. She took her first degree
in Paris, France, fought a bout of serious illness, and went to Montreal, Canada and completed two
master’s degrees. Before joining the IDB Haiti Response Group she was an intern with the Haitian
Central Bank and the UN Development Programme (UNDP)
Dilva Perez, Manager, Importaciones Astrit, Lima, Peru
An entrepreneur, Dilva Perez is a beneficiary of the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) “Strength-
ening Women Entrepreneurship in Peru” project that provides training to women micro and small
entrepreneurs throughout Peru. The MIF has partnered with Goldman Sachs, Grupo ACP/Mibanco,
Universidad del Pacifíco, the Australian Government and Thunderbird School of Global Manage-
ment to bring business education and access to capital to thousands of women. The project has two
components, each targeting a distinct group of women microfinance clients.
The first component, called “Proyecto Salta,” is a large scale, country-wide training program fo-
cused on women micro-entrepreneurs. Salta includes seminars, mentoring, and other resources to
help 10,000 women micro-entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Training sessions are held in urban
and rural locations, and stress practical methods for improving business processes, building self-
esteem, and getting access to resources.
Ms. Perez is 35 years old, married and has a five-year-old daughter. Her husband joined the meeting.
Ms. Perez said she lost her job when she became pregnant in 2006. After her daughter was born
Dilva Perez, an entrepreneur from Lima, Peru received a scholarship
from the MIF strengthening women entrepreneurship project to attend
Universidad del Pacifíco. She completed a 4,5-month certificate program/
night classes in marketing, finance, accounting, human resources
management, strategy and operations.
13. Joining via videoconference from the IDB Country Office
in Lima, Peru Dilva Perez testified to the direct, positive
impact of the entrepreneurship project on women’s lives.
She was introduced by Xoan Fernandez, Consultant with the
Multilateral Investment Fund.
she was not able to find a job that paid enough to cover child care. In order to contribute to the
family economy Ms. Perez made products by hand and sold them to friends and people she knew.
She would work from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m. Those were difficult times for her, as the family needed
more income than what came out of these limited sales. Her husband encouraged her to create her
own business.
She decided to do so, and received assistance from the Ministry of Labor to get started selling
medical supplies. Thanks to her nine years of professional experience she knew how to reach out
to potential customers via the internet, yellow pages etc. Her first order was received in September
2006 and this was a very exciting moment for her. Her business began to grow. At the end of 2006,
her monthly turnover was over 20,000 soles (approximately $7,225). It was a challenge to work
every day, bring up a child and taking her along to different distributors of medical supplies. The
distributors helped transport supplies to the provinces, as most of her clients are not in Lima. There
were times when Ms. Perez was on the telephone attending to a client and her daughter was crying
and calling for her. She did not know how to juggle the tough demands on her time and felt desper-
ate sometimes. In 2007 a generous friend began looking after her daughter, so that the business
could expand.
The MIF women’s entrepreneurship project selected her as recipient of a scholarship to attend the
Universidad del Pacifíco. Ms. Perez said the education made her a better and more empowered en-
trepreneur. Today she employs 10 persons and just landed her first import contract.
Inter-American Development Bank 11
14. Ancil Torres, President, Torres Foundation for the Blind, Trinidad and Tobago
Assistive technologies help persons with disabilities conduct activities, whether it is at work, home
or play. These technologies help people with disabilities access education and become productive
members of society. An illustration of assistive technology is the kit for Mr. Torres’ laptop, which
read out the text in the presentation he showed. He explained to the audience that he was used to
listening to the fast-paced voice of the device, which could seem unintelligible to an untrained ear.
In this way, you catch a glimpse of professional tools available to someone with a visual impair-
ment, he mused.
Mr. Torres explained how important access to education and work is for the empowerment of wom-
en with disabilities. He presented examples of women with disabilities who had made enormous
personal and professional strides.
His wife Sonia Torres, who also participated in the event, was born in Pakistan and is blind. She
lived in Kuwait when Iraq invaded the country in 1991, and had to make an arduous journey back
to Pakistan. From Pakistan she immigrated to the US. As the pair became acquainted, Mr. Torres
noticed that Ms. Torres had a talent for technology and as an educator. She now conducts classes on
assistive technology at the Torres Foundation.
He spoke about Senator Kerryann Ifill who was elected in 2008 to the Senate in Barbados, as the
first blind person to hold such an office. She is currently Deputy President of the Senate of Barbados
and uses assistive technology to take notes and read documents.
He also spoke of Annette Wallace, the Executive Director of NALIS Library. Not blind herself, she is a
relentless advocate for equitable access to government services for persons with disabilities. NALIS
is the national library in Trinidad. Ms. Wallace made sure assistive technology became available in
Ancil Torres, who is from Trinidad and Tobago, has over 20 years of
experience in the assistive technology field, adapting modern office
business workstations to accommodate persons with disabilities
12 IDB IntErnAtIOnAl WOmEn’s DAy At IDB
15. Shaquilla Augustine and Lindy Mahabub from Trinidad working on
their resumes at a career workshop held by The Torres Foundation
for the Blind’s “Camp Can Do” in Bon Accord, Tobago in 2010.
Photo: Joseph richardson, Iron Eagle
all libraries of the island. It is the first project of its kind in the Caribbean and was such a success
that other countries have emulated the project.
Finally, he spoke of Janeil Odle, who is blind
and scores at the top of her high school
class. She is a very powerful and smart
young woman. The Torres Foundation
launched in 2009 a summer camp called
Camp Can Do. It is an annual program for
blind youth in the Caribbean. Camp partici-
pants learn about different assistive tech-
nologies as well as about themselves. The
counselors focus on what blind people can
do rather than what they cannot do. Ms.
Odle wrote a poem called “Let us be what
we can be” which highlights that people
with disabilities can do whatever non- dis-
abled persons can do.
Rapporteurs: Tina Tinde, Diversity Advisor, Human Resources Department (HRD), IDB, and Oscar Ruiz, Diversity Research
Fellow, HRD, IDB
Inter-American Development Bank 13