Panama City, Panama. July 9, 2025 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) convened more than 50 political leaders, institutional and civil society representatives, international organizations, and experts in the Regional Dialogue “Gender Equality and Governance for Development as a Horizon for Well-being and Prosperity” to reflect on the main challenges and opportunities around gender equality and governance in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The current context of the region has been marked by growing social, economic, and gender inequalities, and it is currently the second most unequal region in the world, with a worrying feminization of poverty that is exacerbated in rural areas, where more than 50% of women face multidimensional poverty. Added to this is a regressive fiscal environment that limits women’s access to economic and labor opportunities, as well as a chronic deficit in financing gender equality policies.

“We need to build bridges and expand alliances for effective governance that places gender equality at the center, recognizing the fundamental role women play as agents of peace, prosperity, and well-being for all. For this, it is essential to have financing dedicated to equality,” highlighted Guillermina Martín, leader of the UNDP gender team for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Regional Dialogue focused on four thematic areas: democracy and governance, parity democracy, institutions for equality, and gender-responsive financing. Participants shared successful experiences and best practices to accelerate closing gender gaps and generated strategic recommendations that will be presented at the Third Annual CAF-UNDP Governance Conference in Latin America and the Caribbean, to be held in September 2025 within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly.

“CAF, as the development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, recognizes that gender equality in decision-making is a condition for sustainable development, social cohesion, and democratic stability,” said Ana Baiardi, Manager of Gender, Inclusion, and Diversity at CAF. “That is why we promote initiatives to build inclusive and representative governance, where women not only participate but exercise real power at all decision-making levels.”

This meeting took place at a key moment, when only 52% of the region’s population supports democracy, and setbacks and the rise of movements that threaten women’s rights can be observed. This space represented a historic opportunity to renew commitments, strengthen alliances, and advance toward a fairer, more inclusive, and equitable region.

Since 2023, CAF and UNDP decided to join efforts around a joint agenda on the interdependence between governance and development in Latin America and the Caribbean. This first dialogue in 2025 adds to the previous editions in 2023 and 2024 to continue promoting institutional transformations to leverage the full set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About CAF

CAF, the development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, has the mission of promoting sustainable development and regional integration by financing public and private sector projects, providing technical cooperation and other specialized services. Established in 1970 and currently made up of 21 countries - 19 from Latin America and the Caribbean, along with Spain and Portugal - and 13 private banks, it is one of the main sources of multilateral financing and an important generator of knowledge for the region. More information at www.caf.com

About UNDP

UNDP is the lead United Nations agency tackling the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with a broad global network of experts and partners in 170 countries, UNDP helps nations develop impactful, integrated and sustainable solutions by and for people and the planet.

For more information, visit https://www.latinamerica.undp.org/ or follow us on social media @pnudlac.