Gender-Smart Investment Organization in Wall Street Bets on Ending Gender-Based Violence

PRESS RELEASE: May 16, 2019

New York, NY – Pro Mujer, a leading social enterprise in Latin America that invests in women is joining forces with The Womanity Foundation, Hivos, Kering Foundation and Makesense to organize the Innovathon 2019, a one of a kind event to generate innovative solutions to reduce gender-based violence and promote greater gender equality around the world. The Innovathon 2019 will take place on June 4th from 8-10 PM PST as part of the Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver, Canada, the largest global gathering on the rights and wellbeing of women and girls.

The organizers, including Pro Mujer, have sent a call to action to 7000+ Conference attendees asking them to submit their applications to be selected as one of the 50 participants who will co-create solutions. These participants will include entrepreneurs, activists, thought leaders, social impact investors, and a diversity of other experts from around the world who will crowdsource creative solutions to combat gender-based violence and create sustainable social impact.

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women worldwide experiences physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime. Latin America, for example, holds some of the world’s highest rates of femicide, the killing of women because of their gender. In Africa, 45 percent of women 15 years and older have experienced some form of intimate partner violence, the highest prevalence in the world. In the United States, the rate is still at 24 percent.

According to Jessica Olivan, Director of Strategic Partnerships of Pro Mujer, “The epidemic of violence represents a global affront to women’s security and their potential to prosper.” Despite rising global anger and efforts to change the deeply held values and behaviors that devastate women’s lives and livelihoods, the stories and statistics that reflect the crisis are not being reduced. This is why Olivan reaffirms, “We need fresh ideas, innovative approaches and real change.”

If you are attending the Women Deliver 2019 Conference and are interested in participating, please submit your application here by Tuesday, May 28th.

To receive updates on the Innovathon 2019, its participants, and ideas generated, please follow #Innovathon2019 and #LatinasDeliver on social media.