450 Delegates Worldwide launch IVF Global Forum Business for Gender Equality

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 21 February 2024

The IVF Global Forum Business for Gender Equality based in Santiago, Chile has been launched by more than 450 CEOS, Government Leaders, and Delegates in Gender, Labor, and development. The initiative aims to implement tangible measures that will strengthen the equality between men and women in the workforce as establishing Gender Equity at workplaces accelerates productivity for the firm.

The two-day forum's main objectives are to address the crucial challenges including, eradicating the gender gap, encouraging female participation, and emphasizing the significant role played by the industries driving women's empowerment and gender equity.

The International Labor Organization (ILO), UN Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Government of Chile have together collaborated to drive this initiative.

The forum witnessed participants engaging in round table discussions to examine the issues and challenges to incorporating gender equality in the workforce. Claudia Pascual Grau, the Minister of Women and Gender Equity of Chile presented the closing ceremony that focused on the importance of eradicating poverty & inequality and empowering democracy in the nation. She recognized the number of contributions made by women toward society at large and encouraged them to enter the labor force.

Randi Davis, the UNDP's Director for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, emphasized the necessity of policies that ensure gender equity.

According to Richard Barathe, the Director of UNDP’s Regional Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean, workplaces must prioritize gender equality as a key business factor that will drive inclusivity and sustainability to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. He further emphasized that by 2025, gender parity in the workforce may contribute $28 trillion to the world economy, as stated by McKinsey Global Institute report. However, the present ratio shares less than half of women compared to 77 per cent of men working outside their homes.

In addition to this, on average, women are paid less than 23 per cent compared to their male colleagues. They are often deprived of opportunities to start their ventures, make money, and engage in public life which results in economies losing out on the skills and contributions that women may offer.