Though women make up half the world’s population, deeply entrenched cultural and structural barriers keep them from reaching the top levels of leadership across both the public and private sectors. This lack of female representation is not only detrimental to the way women are viewed and treated in the world; it is an overall drag on global development, which would be better served with a diverse set viewpoints at the highest levels of decision-making. Meaningful and lasting change is possible only if women can have a seat at the table. 

Christine Lagarde and Jane Harman will discuss the importance of women’s leadership in entrepreneurship, as well as the connection between women’s economic empowerment and global development. They will explore questions such as: How can the public and private sectors promote gender parity in education, labor force participation, and leadership positions? What policies can help women acquire the necessary skills to grow their careers and become leaders in their sectors? What do current women leaders need to teach the next generation about overcoming gender bias? How would global development progress with more women involved in finding and implementing solutions?