Women’s Economic Empowerment at the 6th World Forum of Local Economic Development

On April 1st, 2025, the 6th World Forum of Local Economic Development (WFLED) held a session dedicated to women’s economic empowerment, moderated by Colombian journalist Martha Campo, who resides in Switzerland. The session, titled “Territorial Practices, Strategies, and Policies for Women’s Economic Empowerment”, brought together over 200 participants to discuss women’s economic autonomy and share experiences from various regions.

One of the session’s highlights was the presentation by Daniela Andreia Schlogel, representative of the Planning Secretariat of the State of Paraná, Brazil. Schlogel outlined the policies implemented in her state to foster women's economic inclusion, emphasizing the importance of adapting strategies to specific territorial contexts and ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities.

In addition to Schlogel, the session featured contributions from Larissa Marques da Costa, Coordinator of the Ibero-American Network of Municipalities for Equality (Brazil); M° Carmen Ibáñez from ImpulsAlicante, Spain; Zuleidy Morales Molina, Director of Municipal Development in Cabalguan, Cuba; Eri Trinurini Adhi from the Asian Solidarity Economic Council, Indonesia; and Elena Gutiérrez Nava de Zambrano from ACOBOL, Bolivia. Each speaker brought forward unique experiences and approaches from their respective countries, enriching the discussion on women’s economic empowerment.

The session concluded with a call to action: governments, businesses, and civil society must work together to guarantee women’s equitable access to resources, employment, and leadership. Without economic autonomy, there is no autonomy in decision-making. Empowering women means transforming entire communities.

This forum reaffirmed the importance of international collaboration and the sharing of experiences to tackle global challenges and move towards more just and equitable societies.