DLI President Represents EU at G20 Women20 Summit

Today in Mahabalipuram, India, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, DLI President in her ex officio role as Head of EU Delegation to the G20 Women20 (W20) official engagement group, joined the Women20 Summit concluding event of the 2023 W20 India Presidency.

In her third on-site mission to India in 2023, Ms Miller Van Dÿck joined hundreds of international W20 delegates in celebrating release of official W20 India recommendations delivered to G20 leadership on behalf of the world’s girls and women.  In this context, the W20 India Communiqué 2023 was officially handed over by Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chair of India W20 2023, to Shri Amitabh Kant, G20 India Sherpa, in the presence of Smt. Smriti Z. Irani, India Minister of Women and Child Development, Dr. Shamika Ravi, Member, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, and Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator for India. 

In addition to representing EU feminist civil society toward the W20 for the sixth consecutive year, over the course of 2023, Ms. Miller Van Dÿck also had the honour of chairing the W20 India Taskforce on Education, Skills Development and Labourforce Participation. In this capacity, she led global W20 delegates to contribute expertise on these issues critical to the world’s girls and women, resulting in inclusion of the following language in the 2023 India W20 Communique:

Education is a human right. For peaceful, equitable, and prosperous societies, it is necessary to educate girls and women. The economic contributions of women must be appropriately recognized, rewarded and supported through measures that promote decent and predictable work, gender-equitable sharing of care responsibilities, strengthening public social infrastructures, and a guarantee of freedom from gender-based violence everywhere.

Specific Recommendations from the Skills Taskforce, as well as those for all five W20 India Priorities, may be found in the 2023 W20 Communiqué

W20 EU Update – Spring 2023

Find out here about W20 EU Delegation outreach activities in Winter 2023, including participation of Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, Co-Head of the EU W20 Delegation, at two on-site India meetings of the W20 India official G20 stakeholder engagement group, and at the 67th annual UN meeting on the Commission on the Status of Women, where Miller Van Dÿck contributed to a UN plenary panel convened by W20 India 2023 and a second panel organised by W20 Indonesia 2022.

26-28 February 2023 –  G20 Women20 India 2023 (Aurangabad, India): On 26-28 February 2023 in Aurangabad, India, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck joined the first meeting (video) of the G20 Women20 India 2023 Presidency in her joint capacities as Co-Head of the W20 EU Delegation and Chair of the W20 India Education and Skills Task Force. She contributed as panelist (video) on the subject of the Gender Digital Divide and moderator (video) for a panel on Education and Skilling.

6-17 March 2023 – 67th Meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women (New York, New York): On 9-17 March 2023, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, Co-Head of the EU W20 Delegation, joined the 67th Meeting of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women with the priority theme Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, taking place in New York City.  Cheryl contributed to a plenary session hosted by the G20 Women 20 India Presidency on Grassroots Leadership and Transformation: Charting the path of empowerment through technology and skill development, and joined a round-table hosted by Kowani Indonesia Women’s Congress, hosts of W20 Indonesia 2022.

21 March 2023 – G20 W20 India Education, Skill & Labour Force Participation Task Force Meeting 1 (Online):  In her capacity as Chair of the G20 Women20 India Education, Skill & Labour Force Participation Task Force, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck convened the first Task Force Meeting on 21 March with the mission to generate Recommendations to the W20 India Communiqué to the G20 India 2023 Process.

27 March 2023 – UN Global Digital Compact Meeting (Online)Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, Co-Head of the EU W20 Delegation, contributed to the 27 March 2023 Thematic Deep-Dive on Digital Inclusion and Connectivity as part of the 2023 Global Digital Compact meetings co-facilitated by the governments of Sweden and Rwanda, and hosted by the UN Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology.

4 April 2023 – G20 W20 India Education, Skill & Labour Force Participation Task Force Meeting 2 (Online):  In her capacity as Chair of the G20 Women20 India Education, Skill & Labour Force Participation Task Force, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck convened the second Task Force Meeting with the mission to generate Recommendations to the Women20 Engagement Group of the G20 India 2023 Process.

13 April 2023 – UNESCO Expert Webinar on STEM Education in Southeast Europe (Online): On 13 April 2023, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, Co-Head of the EU W20 Delegation and Director of the Digital Leadership Institute, joined a remote expert round table, hosted by UNESCO, on STEM Education in Southeast Europe. Cheryl contributed as expert and author of a forthcoming UNESCO manuscript on “STEM and Gender In Southeast Europe.”

13-14 April 2023 – G20 Women20 India 2023 Second Meeting (Jaipur, India): On 13-14 April 2023 in Jaipur, India, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, in her joint capacities as Co-Head of the EU W20 Delegation and Chair of the W20 India Education and Skills Task Force, joined the second official meeting (video) of the G20 Women20 India 2023 Presidency and contributed to an expert panel on The Care Economy.

15 April 2023 – G20 W20 India Education, Skill & Labour Force Participation Task Force Meeting 3 (Jaipur, India):  In her capacity as Chair of the G20 Women20 India Education, Skill & Labour Force Participation Task Force, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck convened the third Task Force Meeting to generate Recommendations for the 2023 W20 Communique from the W20 Stakeholder Engagement Group of the G20 India 2023 Process.


W20 EU Delegation members are actively engaged in outreach activities with our stakeholders around the world that promote feminist EU civil society and the interests of the girls and women of the European Union, the G20 nations, and beyond.

For upcoming events of the W20 EU Delegation and our stakeholders, please visit here, and to browse past activities, please click here.

ATHENA Project Final Conference : Entrepreneurship as a path to socio-economic inclusion of migrant women

On the 16th of March 2023 Athena project partners organize the final project conference on the topic of “Entrepreneurship as a path to socio-economic inclusion of migrant women” to present and discuss with European stakeholders and policy makers the project results including the policy recommendations and actions plans to be implemented to support and improve the inclusion of migrant women entrepreneurs. The event will hybrid (in presence and online) and simultaneously translated to German and Spanish.

Agenda

The event will be moderated by Ms Katja Legisa, Entrepreneurship Director at the Digital Leadership Institute 9:30h – 10:00h Registration 10:00h – 10:15h Introduction & Welcome
  • Mr Stefano Mallia, President of the Employers’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee
  • Mr Pablo Morales, Coordinator of the Athena project, Chamber of Commerce of Seville
10:15h – 11:00h – Athena Project outcomes and findings: 11:00h – 11:30h Coffee break 11:30h – 12:30h – Expert panel discussion 1: Policy priorities for the inclusion of migrant women entrepreneurs What actions should the EU take to facilitate the integration of migrant women entrepreneurs? Policy recommendations from the experts and ATHENA project Moderated by Ms Cheryl Novak, Research Associate at the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy
  • Ms Maria-Helena De Felipe, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Spokesperson of the SMEs category
12:30h – 14:00h – Networking lunch 14:00h – 14:45h – Expert panel discussion 2: Opportunities or obstacles? Recommendations addressing the challenges faced by migrant women entrepreneurs What steps should be taken and by which stakeholders in order to facilitate the financial and legal integration of new migrant women entrepreneurs?
  • Ms Mamen Soria, Entrepreneurship expert at the Chamber of Commerce of Seville
  • Ms Loubna Azghoud, Expert in digital economy, gender equality and entrepreneurship strategy
  • Ms Siham Zarkan, Project Manager at SheDIDIT
  • Ms Tina Marquart, consultant at Jumpp Ihr Sprungbrett in die Selbständigkeit, Frauenbetriebe e. V.
  • Ms Rosy Cascella, Camera di Commercio Bari – Progetto Futurae
14:45h – 15:30h – Success stories of women entrepreneurs Moderated by Ms Loredana Bucseneanu, Development Director at the Digital Leadership Institute
  • Ms Sofiia Shevchuk, Founder of VONA, Consultant, Researcher and Project Manager in Climate, Gender and Security
  • Ms Magna Solange Dos Santos , Entrepreneur in the hospitality sector
  • Ms Albina Savciuc, Entrepreneur in the sustainable jewellery sector
  • Ms Viviana Santana, Entrepreneur in external services to hotels
  • Blessing Ayomonsuru, Entrepreneur in trading ethnic food products
15:30h – 16:00h – AMIF future opportunities Focus group Moderated by Mr Pablo Morales, Coordinator of the Athena project, Chamber of Commerce of Seville
  • Mr Juan Guerrero Caballero – General Manager and Head of the Department of International R& D Projects at INCOMA
  • Ms Ursula Hoenich – Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission
  • Ms Carmela Cotrone – Policy Expert
16:00 – 16:15 Closing of the conference

Please note that registration is mandatory for attending the event: https://www.eventbrite.be/e/entrepreneurship-as-a-path-to-socio-economic-inclusion-of-migrant-women-tickets-535756521177. Your personal data will be shared with the European Economic and Social Committee Visitors Office in order to grant you access to the building on the day of the event.

The event is organized with the support of the Employers’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee . For more info about the project visit www.athenaproject.net and the Facebook and Instagram page.

DLI Update – Winter 2023

Find out here about W20 EU Delegation outreach activities in Winter 2023, including the 18 January meeting of W20 India 2023, the first W20 meeting of the G20 India Presidency with International W20 Heads of Delegation, attended by Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, W20 EU Co-Head of Delegation for 2023.


13-14 November 2022 –  G20 Women20 Indonesia Post-Summit Event (Bali & Online): On 13-14 November 2022, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck  joined the G20 Women20 Indonesia Post-Summit Event, a G20 Leaders Summit Side Event, in her official capacity as Co-head of the W20 EU Delegation to the G20 Women20 engagement group.

12 December 2022 –  G20 Women20 Indonesia Handover to W20 India 2023 (India & Online): On 12 December 2022,Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck joined the Handover Meeting of the G20 Women20 Indonesia to W20 India 2023 in her official capacity as Co-head of the W20 EU Delegation to the G20 Women20 engagement group.

18 January 2023 – G20 Women20 India Delegation Meeting (Online): Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck joined the 18 January 2023 online delegation meeting of G20 Women20 India 2023 in her official capacity as Co-head of the W20 EU Delegation to the G20 Women20.

24 January 2023 – G20 Women20 EU 2023 Delegation Kickoff Meeting (Online): On 24 January 2023, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck chaired the online 2023 Kickoff meeting of the Women20 European Union Delegation in her official capacity as Co-head of Delegation.


W20 EU Delegation members are actively engaged in outreach activities with our stakeholders around the world that promote feminist EU civil society and the interests of the girls and women of the European Union, the G20 nations, and beyond.

For upcoming events of the W20 EU Delegation and our stakeholders, please visit here, and to browse past activities, please click here.

Save the dates: We4Change Changemakers Fest is coming to Belgium!

As part of the We4Change “Girls and Women connecting for environmental change” Erasmus+ international program, in November and December 2022, the We4Change Changemakers Fest is coming to Belgium! 

Three We4Change Changemaking events, will bring girls and young women together with experts, trainers and business coaches, in order to develop their digital and innovation skills, increase civic engagement and unlock their changemaking potential to address climate change and drive environmental transformation.

What are the We4Change Changemaking events?

We4Change Changemakers are “hack for good” events where young women with an entrepreneurial mindset, trainers and subject experts come together during a two-day intense marathon in order to solve specific challenges posed by climate and environmental change encountered in their communities. The events include hands-on activities, training on digital, innovation and environmental awareness skills, problem-solving and co-creation of prototypes, as well as a pitching session by the changemaking teams.

Who can participate?

The events are open to all girls and women* who want to contribute to prosperous, cohesive and sustainable societies! Participants are not required to have prior digital or innovation skills. Your curiosity and commitment to address the challenges posed by climate and environmental change are all you need!

*Anyone who identifies as a girl or woman.

How will you benefit from this event?

  • You will learn new skills and information to bring into your daily life: a mindset to stay open to change and innovate, learn about how climate change affects particularly girls and women, what solutions are out there to tackle them and how can you be more active in supporting your local community;
  •  You will acquire digital, business development and innovation skills through hands-on activities, co-creation of prototypes and pitching workshops;
  • Join an international community of like-minded girls and women, including experts, activists, coaches and mentors dedicated to supporting you to achieve your changemaking potential.

When are the We4Change Changemaking events taking place?

The We4Change Changemakers Fest is organized as a series of three events with specific themes linked to climate and environmental challenges:

  • 19-20 November 2022 – We4Change: Girls and Women Connecting for Sustainable Consumption
  • 26-27 November 2022 – We4Change: Girls and Women Connecting for Smart Cities and Mobility
  • 3-4 December 2022 – We4Change: Girls and Women Connecting for Clean Energy & Resource Efficiency

What is the format of the We4Change Changemaking events?

Below is the general format for each event. Participants will briefly receive the exact agenda with the name of the trainers and speakers for the event they register for.

Day 1

  • 9:30: Registration and coffee
  • 10:00 – 11:00 : Introduction of the event thematic by Digital Leadership Institute & inspirational speech
  • 11:00 – 13:00 : Workshop 1 on digital skills
  • 13:00 – 14:00: Lunch break
  • 14:00 – 15:00: Project proposals, ideation & team selection
  • 16:00 – 18:00: Project work

Day 2

  • 9:30: Registration, coffee & review of day 1
  • 10:00 – 12:00 Workshop 2 on Design Thinking
  • 12:00 – 16:00 Project work with coaches (1h of working lunch included)
  • 16:00 – 17:00 Project presentations with jury
  • 17:00 Feedback session and closing ceremony

How to participate to the We4Change Changemaking events?

The participation to the events is free of charge.

However, places are limited so you are required to fill-in this application form: https://forms.gle/YxPP1EV5kU8uqYQe9 

You can also register via the dedicated Eventbrire page here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/we4change-fest-girls-and-women-connecting-for-environmental-change-tickets-461175176367

The organizing team will send a confirmation email to confirm your participation. 

How else can you contribute?

If you would like to be part of to the organization of events, we are happy to receive your support! Below are some ways you can contribute:

  •  Be or suggest us an inspirational speaker
  • Volunteer to hold one of the workshops during the events (digital skills, business training, a training linked to the event thematic)
  • Volunteer to do business coaching during the hackathons
  • Volunteer as jury member for the pitching competition
  • Follow-up support: coaching and mentoring after the event for the winning teams.

Fill-in this partner application form and let us know how would you like to be involved: https://forms.gle/zcPnzppq1kjdm9He9

Selected organizing partners will receive a 1h online training on the main aspects of organizing a successful  We4Change Changemakers event.

Frequently asked questions

I can’t stay the whole time, can I still participate?

Of course! We realize that a weekend is a long time and people may need to attend to other commitments.

What if I don’t have any digital or business skills?

You are still welcome! We have dedicated digital and business skills development sessions, so you will be learning at the same time as the other participants. As long as you come willing to learn and contribute ideas.

What if I don’t have any entrepreneurial idea?

You are still welcome! During the event you will be inspired and learn from others what kind of entrepreneurial solutions are out there or need to be developed, and you could join one of the teams already working on an idea.

What do I bring?

Bring your laptop, mobile phone, scratch paper and curiosity. We will provide some food, some drinks, wi-fi, power and challenges.

How much it costs to attend the events?

The participation to the events is free of charge.

Can I attend more than one event?

Yes, you are more than welcome to attend several events and bring new ideas to the teams.

How do I register?

Fill-in this application form: https://forms.gle/YxPP1EV5kU8uqYQe9 

The organizing team will send a confirmation email to confirm your participation. 

We4Change: Girls and Women connecting for environmental change is funded  by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union and seeks to contribute to the EU Youth Strategy with a specific female-focused approach, that responds directly to the specific gender-based needs of girls and young women across Europe, offering thus an appropriate and innovative way to empower and engage them in their communities and society-at-large. You can find out more about the project here: https://we4change.eu/