A study conducted by the Dominican Republic, with the support of UNIDO, highlights the participation and contributions of women in local manufacturing industries

 

Santo Domingo, 8 March 2023 - The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Industry, Commerce and SMEs (MICM) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have released a report titled "Participation and Contributions of Women in the Local Manufacturing Industry," which presents the growing economic contribution of women in the manufacturing sector of the Dominican Republic. This study, the first of its kind, marks a significant milestone in the country's use of sex-disaggregated data in the manufacturing industry.

The report's launch was headed by Vice President Raquel Peña, who stressed the importance of implementing policies and programs that promote gender equity in the manufacturing industry. These initiatives include mentoring and professional development for women, work-life balance policies, and leadership and management training programs.

MICM Minister Victor -Ito- Bisonó underscored the importance of gender-based industrial policies backed by data and advocated for the economic empowerment of women in all spheres of local manufacturing. The report's findings demonstrate the achievements of Dominican women in the sector and highlight their increasing prominence and involvement in industries.

UNIDO through the Regional Bureau of LAC and the Gender department played a crucial role in the release of the report, actively contributing to the study and supporting the Dominican Republic's efforts to promote evidence-based gender-inclusive industrial policies. Mr. Diego Masera, UNIDO's Chief of Bureau for LAC, emphasized the report's alignment with the organization's mission to advance gender equality in the industrial sector and foster the collection of gender-disaggregated data to inform gender-responsive policies.

UNIDO's contributions also extend to the facilitation of the Latin American Network for Industrial Development with Equality (RELADII), which promotes gender-inclusive policies in the industrial development agenda of Latin America and the Caribbean.

RELADII, coordinated by UNIDO, seeks to promote knowledge-sharing among member states and document best practices in gender-based industrial policies. The network aims to strengthen national and sub-national policy design for gender-based industrial policies, identify and document regional best practices for the empowerment of women and the inclusion of all individuals in the industry, and encourage joint actions to implement South-South and Triangular Cooperation projects within the framework of the network.

Moreover, the launch of the report contributed to a broader regional initiative of UNIDO seeking to strengthen the capacities of countries in the region to produce data-driven policies. The proposal seeks to equip countries with the knowledge and tools necessary to promote evidence-based industrial policies, including gender-based industrial policies.

The report's release and UNIDO's support of the Dominican Republic's efforts in gender-based industrial policy mark an essential step towards promoting gender equity and sustainable industrial development in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Access the study here: https://ods9.org/resource/1025/estudio-participacion-y-aportes-de-la-mujer-en-la-industria-manufacturera-local-de-republica-dominicana