1st Local and Regional Governments Forum "Caring Cities, Transformative Cities"

GWL Voices Executive Director, Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa, will take part in the First Forum of Local and Regional Governments: “Caring Cities, Transformative Cities,” on August 10 in Mexico City, ahead of the XVI Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. This groundbreaking forum, convened by the Government of Mexico, ECLAC, and UN Women, recognizes the growing importance of care as a public good and a pillar for sustainable, inclusive cities. It highlights the vital role of local and regional governments in advancing the care agenda as a pathway to gender equality, social justice, and collective well-being.

Ms. Espinosa will bring her deep expertise in gender, diplomacy, and sustainable development to the dialogue. As Latin American cities pioneer new models of urban care systems grounded in human rights and gender justice, this Forum marks a critical step toward building “societies of care.” From Bogotá to Mexico City, local governments are proving that care-centered policies—when territorially grounded and community-led—can reshape power structures and transform the daily lives of women, caregivers, and entire communities.