From June 30 to July 2, 2026, 38 women leaders from 24 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Panama for the first edition of the Regional Academy.

Below, a look back at each day and the results of the final evaluation. 

What happened each day? 

Day 1 — Understanding the context. Based on UNDP's Report on Democracy and Development (2026), the day exposed a regional paradox: Latin America and the Caribbean is the most democratic developing region in the world, yet it faces institutional weakening driven by inequality, citizen distrust, corruption, disinformation, and the penetration of organized crime. In this context, digital transformation disproportionately affects women, who face digital violence, bias in artificial intelligence, and greater barriers to participating in and remaining in political life. The day's Round Table concluded that democratic setbacks tend to affect women's rights first, making it urgent to promote public policies with an intersectional approach that eliminate technological gaps and strengthen digital governance capable of protecting gender equality and democratic integrity.

Day 2 — The Power to Influence. The day addressed digital governance and artificial intelligence. It was noted that digital transformation and artificial intelligence are redefining democracies and human development opportunities in Latin America, but their benefits and risks are distributed unevenly. Discussions highlighted the need to strengthen digital literacy, technological infrastructure, and regional cooperation to collectively address the impacts of AI. It was also emphasized that regulatory and ethical frameworks must actively contribute to gender equality, preventing the reproduction of bias and ensuring transparency, digital sovereignty, and data protection. The discussions also warned about digital colonialism and data extractivism, emphasizing the importance of developing inclusive, rights-centered alternatives. From a forward-looking perspective, it was noted that despite women's progress in the political sphere, economic and technological gaps persist that limit their autonomy, making it essential to recognize and integrate the care economy into development policies. Finally, the Academy strengthened participants' leadership and strategic communication skills, providing tools to build effective messages and confront the challenges of digital hostility and setbacks in gender equality.

Day 3 — Transforming collectively. The Academy's third day focused on the challenges that digital transformation poses for gender equality and on the need to drive transformative, inclusive leadership. UN Women and UNDP highlighted that, despite progress in women's political participation, discriminatory social norms, institutional resistance, and rising digital political violence persist, requiring stronger alliances, the promotion of bias-free technologies, and efforts geared toward structural reforms that transform power dynamics. The Round Table on transformative leadership experiences made visible how gender gaps deepen when they intersect with factors such as age, disability, indigenous identity, or territory, meaning public policies must systematically incorporate the diversity of identities and experiences. The day concluded by reaffirming that women's leadership is a key tool for advancing toward more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable governance.

What are the participants saying? 

The evaluation showed a strong match between the Academy's objectives and the experience lived: 

In the qualitative assessment, the exchange of diverse, intercultural experiences was the most valued aspect, followed by strategic communication as the content with the greatest formative impact, and then transformative leadership, the intersectional perspective, and network building.