A high-level panel discussion hosted by the IsDB-managed Lives and Livelihoods Fund on the sidelines of the 69th annual session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women concluded with a call for strengthening gender-inclusive financing and social infrastructure to accelerate the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The side event, titled “Harnessing Innovative Financing and Gender Social Infrastructure to Promote Women’s Empowerment,” featured two inspiring and thought-provoking sessions that addressed key issues affecting women in IDB member countries.
The event was opened by Mr. Hamid Ajibai Obloero, OIC Ambassador to the United Nations, who referred to the financing gaps in the implementation of the SDGs in his speech. He added: “The OIC and its specialized institutions, most notably the IDB, continue to support this global initiative, especially in light of the recent adoption by the UN of the ‘Charter for the Future’ which aims to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. This is done through its various policies and programs, particularly the Livelihood Fund, which is the focus of today’s event.
Prominent speakers on the panel included representatives from the governments of Uganda, Bangladesh and Indonesia, as well as representatives from LLF donors including the Gates Foundation, the Islamic Development Bank and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center.
During the first panel discussion on “Leveraging Innovative Financing for Women’s Empowerment,” panelists, drawing on their experience partnering with LLF since 2016, emphasized the importance of a blended finance approach that leverages grants and concessional loans to mobilize commercial resources to integrate women into local economies.
The second panel discussion titled “Gender-Sensitive Social Infrastructure to Accelerate Women’s Empowerment” focused on strategic initiatives that align with the diverse and growing infrastructure needs of women and girls in the Global South.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Douha Saafi)
