On Thursday morning, September 11, 2014, LANDac together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organizes the launch in The Hague of the newest publication by the World Bank Gender Team: Voice & Agency: Empowering Women & Girls for Shared Prosperity. The Director of Gender of the World Bank, Jeni Klugman, will be present at this presentation and discussion.

“The World Bank Report distills vast data and hundreds of studies to shed new light on constraints facing women and girls worldwide, from epidemic levels of gender-based violence to biased laws and norms that prevent them from owning property, working, and making decisions about their own lives.”

In the meeting we will highlight the importance of economic empowerment of women and the most recent insights on how to foster it. A central theme of the Report is that concerted action in various domains works best to overcome the specific constraints that women face. In the second part of the meeting, we zoom in on access to land, as one of the constraints highlighted in the Report. Improving women’s property rights can have transformative effects on social norms and women’s status within the household and the community.

Jeni Klugman, Director of Gender and Development at the World Bank Group, will present highlights in the Report. In response to her presentation, two speakers will add their insights and experiences:

–     Mirjam Krijnen, Coordinator of the Task Force Women’s Rights and Gender Equality of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on comprehensive policies for women’s empowerment, and

–     Annelies Zoomers, Professor International Development Studies at the Utrecht University and Chair of the Netherlands Academy on Land Governance LANDac, on women’s access to land.

The presentations will be followed by discussion, and we count on you bringing in your own experiences and questions.

We hope the meeting will offer new insights and renewed inspiration for effective action to include women on an equal basis in our development efforts.

You can access the full report here: Voice and Agency – Empowering Women and Girls for Shared Prosperity

Please confirm your attendance via . And keep in mind to bring your ID card/ Passport.