Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank (NDB), underscored the pivotal role of women in leadership ahead of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women scheduled for Oct 13 and 14 in Beijing.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) at the bank's headquarters in Shanghai on Thursday, Rousseff highlighted the significance of her appointment as the bank's first female president, a milestone closely linked to her tenure as president of Brazil from 2011 to 2016 and her instrumental role in the bank's founding.
"It is of great significance for me to become the first female president of the NDB, given my involvement in its founding during my presidency of Brazil. The project carries profound personal significance. It represents a contribution to fostering a better, more peaceful and developed world with enhanced governance," she said.
Next week's meeting will come three decades after the historic Fourth World Conference on Women held in the Chinese capital in 1995, which saw the signing of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, recognized as a leading roadmap toward gender equality.
Rousseff reflected on the enduring legacy of the conference, while emphasizing that more pathways must be paved for women to ascend to leadership positions.
"While I know it remains challenging for a woman to lead a financial institution, we are also here to mark the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. That landmark event played a significant role in enabling my journey to this position today, and it laid the groundwork for women to assume more prominent roles in society," she said.
Former Brazilian president highlights women's leadership ahead of global summit on women
