OAS - Organization of American States

Published purpose

The project aims to increase women’s political representation and participation in public decision-making throughout the Americas and the Caribbean and to reduce the gender gap in leadership through increased engagement and coordination of Inter-American and United Nations institutions, regional women's organizations and member States. The Task Force aims to strengthen collaboration between partners’ institutional efforts; fill key policy and programming gaps through evidence-based collaboration; and amplify existing initiatives to make them more accessible to marginalized women. It is a collaborative initiative between the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Pan American Health Organization, the Inter-American Development Bank, UN Women, UNDP, ParlAmericas, and the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. CLADEM and CIWIL, two sub-regional women’s rights organizations, also joined the Task Force shortly after it was launched to include direct representation of civil society organizations. The beneficiaries of this project include the stakeholders participating in the Task Force activities, such as representatives from member states, women’s rights organizations, academic and research institutions, and the private sector. Indirect beneficiaries include women who participate in leadership projects generated because of the work of the Task Force.