Ahead of International Women’s Day, the IGC convenes a high-level discussion exploring what needs to happen to ensure that global leaders, civil society, and the private sector unite forces to eliminate gender inequality.
Recent research on closing the gender gap has revealed that gender parity has shifted into reverse for the first time since 2006 (World Economic Forum). Although some countries have recorded significant progress, girls and women around the world remain disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination, and exploitation. Eliminating barriers to equality and creating better economic opportunities will allow women and girls to be powerful agents of change, improve their lives and those of their families, and contribute to the social and economic development of their communities. What actions are needed to meet the global commitment of achieving gender quality and empowering all women and girls by 2030? And how can we push for progress in protecting the rights of all women and girls and including them in the global economy?
Janice Charette (@JaniceCharette) assumed her responsibilities as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on September 7, 2016. Prior to this, Ms. Charette served as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet from October 2014 to January 2016 where she served as the principal public service advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Stephen Harper as well as the head of the public service.
Dorcas Erskine’s background is in working as a specialist on preventing and supporting women who have experienced violence, most recently in the Middle East. She started her career in the UK parliament and in corporate firms before joining the non-profit sector. Amongst other organisations, she worked with ActionAid Tanzania, the International Rescue Committee and a charity supporting female victims of trafficking.
Minouche Shafik is Director of LSE. Prior to this she was Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. During her 15 years at the World Bank, Minouche worked on its first ever World Development Report on the environment, designed reform programmes for transition countries in Eastern Europe, and developed proposals for economic integration in support of the Oslo peace process in the Middle East. She became the youngest vice-president in the history of the World Bank at the age of 36. Minouche returned to the UK in 2004 and rose to become the Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development where she was responsible for the UK’s development assistance efforts around the world.
Ulla Tørnæs (@Ulla_Tornaes) has a degree in Business Administration in English and French from Copenhagen Business School. University-level studies in Chambéry, France, and at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen. She has served as Danish Minister for Development Cooperation since November 2016.
Linda Yueh (@lindayueh) is a Fellow in Economics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University, Adjunct Professor of Economics at London Business School, and a Visiting Senior Fellow at LSE IDEAS.
The IGC (@The_IGC) aims to promote sustainable growth in developing countries by providing demand-led policy advice based on frontier research. We direct a global network of world-leading researchers and in-country teams in Africa and South Asia and work closely with partner governments. Based at LSE and in partnership with the University of Oxford, the IGC is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
Twitter Hashtag for this event: #IWD2018