Embassy of Germany and UNDP invite to a meeting with Milagros Ortiz Bosch

Santo Domingo. – Designing multisectoral strategies with clear objectives, identifying points of synergy and building solid narratives are fundamental elements to strengthen the participation of women in political life. This was one of the main reflections of the meeting “Female leadership and parity democracy: national and regional experiences and challenges”, promoted by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Santo Domingo and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with Red Unidas. During the main intervention of the event, Milagros Ortiz Bosch, former vice president and national reference in politics, reflected on the challenges in her political career and cited the key elements that allowed her to overcome them.

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“Consistency and sustained commitment are required, as structural changes do not occur immediately; only through continuous work is it possible to consolidate advances and promote initiatives that effectively contribute to the development of women and the country,” she assured. The discussion brought together Dominican congresswomen, governors, leaders from the public sector and civil society, and regional references to analyze the progress and challenges towards a more inclusive democracy.

In the welcome speech, the German ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Maike Friedrichsen, reiterated her country’s commitment to an egalitarian culture of peace. “Promoting the full participation of women in politics is essential for democracy,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ana María Díaz, UNDP Resident Representative in the Dominican Republic, highlighted that, “Dominican women are transforming politics, showing that equality is not an aspiration, but a reality in the making.” In turn, Julissa Jiménez, a key contact for Red Unidas in the country, emphasized the value of collaboration among women leaders. During the discussion, Guillermina Martín, leader of the UNDP gender team for Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighted “The need to develop mechanisms to address gender-based violence in the digital sphere, including the use of harmful technologies such as deepfakes against women in politics.” The event served as a prelude to the commemoration of November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism, an international campaign that takes place from November 25 to December 10, Human Rights Day. The initiative seeks to mobilize society to end all forms of violence against women and girls. This year, the global call places special emphasis on digital violence, one of the most recent and harmful expressions of gender-based violence, which directly affects women leaders, politicians, and active voices in public and digital spaces.