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• The Gender Summit 12, organized by CONICYT, concluded after two days of discussion panels in which academics, representatives of civil society organizations and the public and private world participated.

With the commitment to expand and strengthen the networks among the different sectors of society, in order to advance towards gender equity in science, technology, and innovation, the Gender Summit 12 concluded, a seminar organized by CONICYT, which is held for the first time in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The seminar, which brought together more than 400 people at the headquarters of ECLAC, in Santiago, allowed attendees to learn about the experiences, visions, and initiatives of the participating countries, to promote and inspire policies in their own regions, to move towards a greater equity between women and men.

Elizabeth Pollitzer, promoter of the Gender Summit in the world, referred to the general conclusions of the meeting. “In 2011 we created this congress and today, six years later, we have the conviction that we must convince politicians and policymakers that the gender approach is not only for women but for knowledge in general and for the development of society”, she said.

Also, the director of Portia Ltd., presented a recognition to Chile for holding this summit in the country, a distinction that was received by the president of the Council of CONICYT, Mario Hamuy, who recognized the importance of collaboration and synergy around gender equity in S & T. “It is important that these Latin American networks that have emerged have been maintained over time, allowing us to support our scientific talent and interesting women since their early childhood. That’s where our development is played and we cannot stay behind”, Dr. Hamuy concluded.

For his part, Matteo Grazzi, Economist of the Competitiveness, Technology and Innovation Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), collaborating body of the event, thanked the attendees for joining this initiative. “It is necessary to continue researching, in order to develop public policies in science, technology, and innovation. We do not want the fruits of this summit to be kept, but to become a reality”, Matteo Grazzi said.

The meeting was attended by representatives from countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, England, Japan and the United States, among others, as part of this international conference that was held for the first time in Latin America and the Caribbean.