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EIB Group at the Women Political Leaders Summit #WPLsummit

The Women Political Leaders Global Forum (WPL) is the global network of female politicians whose mission is to increase both the number and the influence of women in political leadership positions. Each year, the WPL summit gathers female political leaders from around the world, as well as experts and thought-leaders from academia, business and civil society to address today's intertwined global challenges and exchange best practice on political decision-making.

Secretary General of the European Investment Fund Maria Leander and Head of Global Partners at the European Investment Bank Maria Shaw Barragan debated, alongside female global leaders, how to boost female financial inclusion and economic empowerment at the WPL summit from 7 to 8 June, under the theme “It’s about time! 100 reasons to act!”

Last year, the EIB Group financed EUR 78.2bn of projects around the world making it the world’s largest multilateral borrower and lender by volume. With its Gender Strategy and Action Plan, the EU Bank will deploy its influence further - to apply a gender lens to its activities and value women as agents of change to tackle challenges such as climate change and migration.

Maria Leander, Secretary General of the European Investment Fund (EIF), which is part of the EIB Group, participated in the high-level plenary session ‘Freedom is a women’s birthright’. Maria Shaw Barragan, Head of Global Partners at the EIB, discussed with Ministers and investors at the EIB Policy Focus session on ‘Money or Mentorship?: How politicians and financiers can team up to ensure financial inclusion and economic empowerment for women’.

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Watch the debate

Do you want to know how women and girls can be at the forefront of sustainable development? Visit our Facebook page and watch the Facebook Live sessions where we bring together EIB experts, development specialists and opinion makers to discuss this important issue.