Women and economic development topic at Rice’s Baker Institute Feb. 25

MEDIA ADVISORY

David Ruth
druth@rice.edu
713-348-6327

Jeff Falk
jfalk@rice.edu
713-348-6775

Women and economic development topic at Rice’s Baker Institute Feb. 25

HOUSTON – (Feb. 18, 2014) – The crucial role of women in promoting economic development and innovation worldwide, with a special focus on the Middle East, will be examined by a panel at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Feb. 25. This free public event is co-hosted by the Baker Institute’s Women and Human Rights in the Middle East Program, CARE and the city of Houston’s Office of International Communities.

Who:               Keynote speaker: Annise Parker, mayor of Houston and Rice alumna.

Panelists: David Ray, head of policy and advocacy, CARE USA, and managing director, CARE Action Now; Marwa Shalaby, director, Baker Institute Women and Human Rights in the Middle East Program; Cristal Montañez Baylor, executive director, Hashoo Foundation USA; and Rogelio Garcia-Contreras, associate professor, University of St. Thomas (UST) Center for International Studies, and director, UST Social Entrepreneurship Program.

Moderator: Terence O’Neill, division manager, city of Houston Office of International Communities.

What:             “Pathways to Empowerment: Women and the Economy in the Developing World” panel.

When:             Tuesday, Feb. 25, 6-7:30 p.m.

Where:           Rice University, Baker Hall, Doré Commons, 6100 Main St.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said, “Achieving our objectives for global development will demand accelerated efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment. Otherwise, peace and prosperity will have their own glass ceiling.” This panel discussion will shed light on the economic challenges facing women and propose concrete policy recommendations for empowering women to build safe, just and economically vibrant societies, according to event organizers. The event also aims at informing the public about the importance of foreign aid in combating global poverty and promoting women’s rights.

Members of the news media who want to attend should RSVP to Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

For a map of Rice University’s campus, go to www.rice.edu/maps/maps.html.

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Founded in 1993, the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston ranks among the top 20 university-affiliated think tanks globally and top 30 think tanks in the United States. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows and Rice University scholars. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog, http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog.