The Organization of American States (OAS) and American University have signed an agreement to promote joint initiatives aimed at fostering academic research, training programs, and institutional collaboration on gender equality. The agreement was formalized today during a signing ceremony at the OAS headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The agreement, to be implemented by the OAS's Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) in partnership with the School of International Service at American University, includes the development of volunteer programs allowing students to contribute to CIM/OAS projects. It also provides for outreach initiatives on gender equality, collaborative research and academic co-publications, and the organization of conferences and seminars, among other activities.
During the ceremony, the Dean of the American University, Shannon Hader, expressed her gratitude for the new partnership and stated that the university has "a long history of deep ties in Latin America, and we are very excited about the opportunities this collaboration will provide for our faculty, students, and our school."
For his part, Secretary General Albert Ramdin emphasized the importance of the signing, stating that "women, and especially young women, are the future." Addressing Dean Hader, he stated: "You prepare young men and women for life, to become responsible citizens and diplomats, and with this agreement, we hope to achieve a better understanding of the situation of women in the Americas, the challenges they face, and what types of solutions we can contribute."
The ceremony was attended by the President of the Permanent Council and representative of Canada, Ambassador Stuart Savage; the Assistant Secretary of the OAS, Laura Gil; the Executive Secretary of the CIM, Alejandra Mora Mora; and faculty and students from that institution, among others.
Reference: FNE-144436
