The Members of the External Gender Consultative Group

Group members are invited to join the EGCG for their experience working on gender issues at the operational, policy and research levels, for their extensive contacts with organizations or individuals working in this field, and for their familiarity with international development. The Group includes experts on a wide range of development topics, encompassing macro-economic development, the promotion of economic opportunities for women, health, education, and legal and human rights. When forming the group, a concerted effort was made to include representatives from all regions. The Group represents a broad spectrum of civil society, including NGOs, women’s organizations and academic and research institutions in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia and the OECD countries.

Ms. Ruvimbo Mabeza-Chimedza
Senior Lecturer, University of Zimbabwe

Ms. Chimedza teaches Agricultural Economics at University of Zimbabwe. She has undertaken extensive research for national and international development organizations on the gender aspects of poverty, agricultural and rural development, household savings, and indigenous knowledge systems. She has held a number of key positions in the banking sector including the Chair of the Board of Directors both in the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe and in the Women's Development Savings and Credit Union. She has led several initiatives for women within the areas of economic reform, sustainability and scientific technology. She has been closely affiliated with the associations of agricultural economists in Zimbabwe and in the region. Ms. Chimedza has also worked as the Political Economist in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development in Zimbabwe.

Ms. Suzanne Kindervatter, USA
Director, Commission on the Advancement of Women, InterAction

Over the past ten years, Ms. Kindervatter has led InterAction's efforts to advance gender mainstreaming and increase women in senior executive leadership amongst NGOs, bilateral, and multilateral organizations. InterAction, with 160 NGO members, is the largest coalition of US development and humanitarian assistance organizations. Highlights of this work comprise active leadership in NGO preparations for the Beijing conference and US government follow-up; pioneering innovative strategies for gender integration, including the CAW's Gender Audit organizational self-assessment and gender action planning methodology; and creation of the Campaign for Gender Equality on Boards of Directors. Since 1971, she has worked in 20 countries, with a focus on women's and girls' leadership, education, and economic opportunities. She has published many participatory manuals or "empowerment tools" for women and girls at the community level. She holds a Master's degree in Asian Studies from the East West Center/University of Hawaii (1971) and an Ed.D. in Adult and International Education from the University of Massachusetts (1978).

Ms Kinga Lohmann, Poland

Executive Director, Karat Coalition

 

 

Ms. Lohmann initiated and co-founded Karat Coalition - a regional coalition of organizations and individuals which works to ensure gender equality in the Central & Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States countries. Since 1997, Karat Coalition led monitoring of the implementation of the Platform for Action in the CEE countries. Since 2002, it worked to sensitise the economic discourse in CEE countries on gender-related issues through its 'economic literacy' programme as well as monitored the state of gender equality standards in the CEE countries then preparing to join the EU. Ms. Lohmann was co-editor of several regional and national reports including on institutional mechanisms for women's development and assessment of EU accession on the female labor force. Ms. Lohmann is also the co-founder of the Polish Women's Association for Gender Equality - Beijing 1995. She is historian by training.

Ms. Remedios Ignacio-Rikken
Director for Operations, Centre for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP)

Ms. Rikken is one of the founders of CAPWIP, a regional forum working for political empowerment of women. Prior to this, she was the Director of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women for eight years, at a time when it re-oriented from project execution to mainstreaming gender into government policies. She helped develop the Philippine Development Plan for Women, which later became a companion piece to the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (1987-1992) and served as a model for gender advocacy for the region. In 1981, Ms. Rikken co-founded PILIPINA, the national organization of Filipino women. She has been active in various grassroots organizations, including credit unions, community-based health programs, community theater groups and autonomous women's groups. Ms. Rikken is an economist and accountant by training.

Ms. Rosalba Todaro, Chile
Researcher, Women's Studies Center, Santiago Chile

Ms. Todaro founded the Women's Studies Center in Santiago, Chile and served as its Director until 1995. Presently, she is a member of the directorate and a senior researcher in the Center. She is also member of the International Association for Feminist Economics and since 1997, has participated in the Women Leaders' Network from APEC Economies. She has worked as a consultant for several international and national organizations, such as ILO, IDB, and the Ministry of Labor in Chile. Throughout her career, Ms. Todaro has published numerous books and articles on topics related to gender and works, including The Mechanisms of Power: Men and Women in Modern Corporations, and On Women and Globalization. Current research topics include employers’ perceptions of women and men in the workforce, the employers' decision-making processes, and a research project on labor costs. Ms. Todaro obtained her Ph.D. in Regional Economics and Planning at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mona Zulficar, Egypt
Senior Partner and Chairperson Executive Committee, Shalakany Law Office

Ms. Zulficar, Chair of the Bank's External Gender Consultative Group (EGCG) is a specialist in major financial, industrial and commercial transactions. She is also active in advocating human rights and women's rights in particular and is doing voluntary work through several Egyptian and international NGOs. She also serves as the Chair of the Egyptian Society for Population and Development, and is a board member of several other national and international organizations. . Ms. Zulficar has written extensively on topics related to gender and law. Before joining Shalakany Law Office, Ms. Zulficar worked for the World Health Organization, as well as the Egyptian Parliament. Ms. Zulficar holds a B.Sc. in Economics and Political Science from Cairo University and a LL.B. from Mansoura University.

Ms. Savithri Wijesekera
Executive Director, Women in Need (WIN)

Ms. Savithri Wijesekera has led this award-winning NGO working for the past fourteen years on violence against women and children in Sri Lanka. In addition to raising public awareness against domestic violence, WIN has worked to provide legal services, counseling and temporary shelters to the victims. As a preemptive measure for domestic violence, Ms. Wijesekara has worked to promote employment-generating activities among women and to improve their access to economic resources. She has also contributed to the women's labor movement in Sri Lanka, with particular focus on (mostly migrant) domestic workers and those working in Export Processing Zones. As a trained lawyer and one closely affiliated with the National Workers Congress and National Congress of Women, Ms. Wijesekara has lobbied for legislative and policy changes to end discrimination in female labor force participation. Ms. Wijesekara was given the 'Women of Excellence' award by the Sri Lanka Chapter of the South Asian Association on Regional Cooperation (SAARC).