Quito, March 8, 2023 - In the framework of International Women's Day, the virtual forum "New stories: women as protagonists" took place live on the YouTube channel "CNT informa" of the National Telecommunications Corporation (CNT). The forum was attended by Lola Valladares, UNFPA Ecuador's national officer for Gender, Interculturality and Human Rights, as well as the writer María del Pilar Jaramillo, the president of CNT’s National Association of Workers, Cecilia Vera, and the advisor to CNT's general management, Verónica Patiño.

The participants of the forum explored the leading role of women in different social spaces, they also mentioned the progress already consolidated and discussed the gaps still existing in terms of gender equality. The importance of collective struggle as opposed to singularity was highlighted as well.

In the field of literature, the writer María del Pilar Jaramillo explained how the role of women in fiction, specifically in children's literature, is a reflection of the social context and political concerns of the moment and therefore it is necessary to continue rewriting and resignifying the leading role of girls and women in order to generate inspiring female figures.

Verónica Patiño, advisor to CNT's general management, has emphasized the importance of the subjective and individual aspect of the struggle for gender equality, calling on the confidence and security of each woman, urging us not to conform and to claim spaces of power.

In the labor sphere, the participants mentioned advances already present in women's participation. However, despite this transformation, the lack of representation of women in the technical field was also observed. Cecilia Vera explained the importance of the contribution of women in the trade union area in order to open up spaces for participation.

Lola Valladares reminded that, despite advances in equality, the existence of a patriarchal hierarchical system continues to hinder women's access to positions of power. Valladares emphasized the importance of questioning hegemonic masculinities and the essential role of men in this task in order to generate new models of positive masculinities that contribute to the consolidation of gender equality. The dialogue closed with a round of questions from the audience, which were answered by the participants.