Monique Leroux takes part in G7 Forum for Dialogue with Women

Desjardins chair, president and chief executive Monique Leroux joined 30 other leaders last month for the G7 Forum for Dialogue with Women in Berlin, organised by German Chancellor...

Desjardins chair, president and chief executive Monique Leroux joined 30 other leaders last month for the G7 Forum for Dialogue with Women in Berlin, organised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The forum brought 62 leaders from 29 countries, including Erna Solberg (prime minister of Norway), Ellen Jonhson Sirleaf (president of Liberia), Vera Baboun (mayor of Bethlehem),  Melinda Gates (CEO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), Mary Barra (CEO, General Motors), Margaret Chan (Director-General, World Health Organization) and Angel Gurría (secretary general, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development).

Ms Leroux said: “Co-operative enterprises provide key leverage to increase women’s economic power and give them a stronger voice to better serve their communities, be it in developing or developed countries.”

The forum touched upon women’s political participation, women’s economic empowerment, opportunities for women in a digital world and improving women’s access to healthcare. Some of the barriers faced by women are discretionary powers of courts, restrictive attitudes and gender stereotypes, low levels of education and lack of access to healthcare.

Participants adopted a final declaration, which highlights that women’s economic participation and inclusion is essential to strengthening growth and boosing the global economy.

“We recognise that countries with increased women’s participation and leadership in the economy, civil society and political parties tend to be more inclusive and democratic. (…) Women’s economic participation and inclusion is essential to strengthen growth and foster the global economy. Fostering women’s economic empowerment will require actions by all relevant actors, including politicians, the business sector, academia and the civil society,” it says.

“Desjardins Group has proven, in Canada and the developing countries where Développment International Desjardins operates, that the co-operative formula can make all the difference for the financial security of women and their communities,” added Monique Leroux.

Desjardins is the leading co-operative financial group in Canada and the fifth largest co-operative financial group in the world.

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