Central America 30 years after Beijing: Progress, challenges and prospects in the implementation of the Declaration and Platform for Action
Three decades after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, this event, organized by CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean – and the Ministry of Women of the Dominican Republic, will bring together key stakeholders from Central America to assess progress on gender equality and remaining challenges.
Through a high-level panel, critical issues such as political participation, health, the economy, and the strengthening of institutional mechanisms will be addressed. The session will provide a space to exchange experiences and renew the region’s commitment to gender equity.
Event date:
March 13, 2025
In person
The Beijing Platform for Action, adopted in 1995, marked a milestone in the global gender equality agenda, establishing clear commitments to guarantee the rights of women and girls across multiple areas. Thirty years later, Central America has made significant progress in various fields, yet structural challenges remain that demand urgent attention.
This CSW69 side event will bring together government representatives, experts, and key stakeholders to analyze the evolution of gender policies in the region. Key topics will include access to education and health, women’s economic empowerment, the fight against gender-based violence, and political representation.
The discussion will also focus on strategies to strengthen regional cooperation and ensure the fulfillment of the commitments made in the Beijing Platform. Grounded in evidence and experience-sharing, this event will provide a valuable space to identify opportunities and concrete actions to accelerate gender equality in the region.
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2025
Time: 4:45 – 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Conference Room A, General Assembly Building, United Nations Headquarters, New York, United States
Registration is mandatory. UN accreditation is required to attend the event.
If you do not have accreditation, please complete the registration form and select the option indicating that you require prior accreditation. Make sure the name you provide matches exactly with your ID or passport, and remember to bring this document for verification by UN security personnel.
Panelists
Ana Baiardi
Manager of Gender, Inclusion, and Diversity at CAF – development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Guadalupe Aguirre
Director of Gender at CAF’s Gender, Inclusion, and Diversity Management Office
Mayra Jiménez
Minister of Women, Dominican Republic
Cindy Quesada Hernández
Minister of Women's Affairs of Costa Rica
Niurka del Carmen Palacio Urriola
Minister of Women of Panama
Doris Yolany García Paredes
Secretary of State in the Office of Women's Affairs
Honduras
Yanci Yanet Salmerón
Executive Director of the Salvadoran Institute for the Development of Women
El Salvador
Laura Michelle Godoy Tobar
Technical Secretary of the Council of Ministers for Women of Central America and the Dominican Republic
Jeanie Maritza Herrera Nájera
Director of Legal Analysis and Conventionality Control, Presidential Secretariat for Women
Guatemala
Ana Baiardi
Manager of Gender, Inclusion, and Diversity at CAF – development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Ana María Baiardi has also served as Paraguay’s Ambassador to Peru and as a member of the Qualifications Council at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She was Minister for Women in Paraguay and Vice President of the Inter-American Commission of Women at the OAS, among other diplomatic roles. Baiardi holds a degree in Systems Analysis from Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. She has completed various postgraduate studies, including a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Intervention in Gender-Based Violence and Equality Operations from the International University of Valencia, among others.
Guadalupe Aguirre
Director of Gender at CAF’s Gender, Inclusion, and Diversity Management Office
Currently serving as Director of Gender at CAF’s Gender, Inclusion, and Diversity Management Office, she is a political scientist and a Master’s candidate in Public Policy with extensive experience in citizen security initiatives, particularly in the public sector.
She specializes in project design and management, working closely with international organizations. She has collaborated with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on the design and implementation of crime and violence prevention policies in Argentina, as well as on criminal information analysis and management.
Mayra Jiménez
Minister of Women, Dominican Republic
Cindy Quesada Hernández
Minister of Women's Affairs of Costa Rica
Niurka del Carmen Palacio Urriola
Minister of Women of Panama
Doris Yolany García Paredes
Secretary of State in the Office of Women's Affairs
Honduras
Yanci Yanet Salmerón
Executive Director of the Salvadoran Institute for the Development of Women
El Salvador
Laura Michelle Godoy Tobar
Technical Secretary of the Council of Ministers for Women of Central America and the Dominican Republic
Jeanie Maritza Herrera Nájera
Director of Legal Analysis and Conventionality Control, Presidential Secretariat for Women
Guatemala
