On 19th April, FDI Center hosted its first in-person TGEinFDI event at Hannover Messe. In collaboration with saarland.innovation&standort e. V. (saaris), the economic development agency for the German state of Saarland, we held an exclusive networking reception for economic development professionals. Together, we engaged in a public discussion of SDG 5: gender equality and women’s empowerment in the realms of economic development and FDI. IPAs from around the world that attended the trade fair were invited to join, share experiences, and network with like-minded people at the reception.
As part of the event, there was a short impulse about the Towards Gender Equality in FDI initiative, and the work we are undertaking to bring more attention to the topic of SDG 5 within the field. This led into an open discussion with attendants, primarily female leaders and representatives from European IPAs, in which they were invited to share experiences of working in the economic development field from their own perspective. The discussion centred around equalities and inequalities in daily work, gender ratios in the workplace and what needs to be done to retain women in investment promotion and ensure they reach leadership level. Whereas the audience noticed changes toward greater equality, many still perceive inequalities in their daily work. The event wrapped up with the zeal to connect with other engaged women in the field and forge networks to improve SDG 5.
About the TGEinFDI initiative
Towards Gender Equality in FDI (TGEinFDI) is a global initiative to draw attention to and further advance gender equality in the field of economic development, FDI and investment promotion. TGEinFDI is an international platform for practitioners, executives, and scholars to exchange ideas and best practices, share news and achievements, as well as unite and initiate collaborations on gender equality in the context of economic development. Coordinated by FDI Center, TGEinFDI activities currently include a monthly interview series, digital and physical events such as webinars, community meetings and workshops.
