Madrid Woman’s Week 2026 brought together more than 300 leaders from the business, institutional, academic, and social sectors with a shared objective: turning commitments to gender equality into tangible actions with real impact. Held around International Women’s Day, the event addressed key challenges facing women’s leadership through discussions that connected business, technology, public policy, and social activism.
Opening the event, Carmen Mª García, president of Fundación Woman’s Week, urged participants to move beyond dialogue and focus on measurable change. “We cannot go home thinking we simply know a little more,” she said. “What we need now is action, unity, and the courage to drive change.” Cristina de la Cuesta, representing Fundación Telefónica, highlighted digital transformation as a key opportunity to reduce inequalities, emphasizing the urgency of closing both gender and digital gaps.
Transforming Influence into Impact: Women Leaders Shape the Global Agenda at CSW70
The first panel examined structural barriers that continue to limit women’s access to leadership positions. Discussions centered on the global care crisis and the need for shared responsibility in both public and private spheres. Gender policy expert Inma D. Alonso emphasized that care work remains at the core of social and economic systems yet is still disproportionately carried by women, who spend roughly 2.5 times more hours on unpaid domestic and caregiving work.
Corporate leaders also stressed the importance of organizational change. Marta Moreno, Tax Director for HP Southern Europe, argued that while many companies publicly support gender equality, leadership and structural reform are often lacking. Participants agreed that meaningful progress requires active policies, visible role models, and new social agreements that integrate caregiving responsibilities into economic and political agendas.
A second panel focused on women’s leadership in the digital era, particularly in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Speakers highlighted how historical biases in technology design have shaped digital systems, often excluding diverse perspectives. Sonia Fernández Palma of MAD FinTech noted that many technologies were originally developed using the white male user as the default standard.
Technology leaders stressed the need for diverse teams to ensure responsible innovation. Mayela Martínez of ReactID warned that facial recognition systems still demonstrate lower accuracy when identifying women’s faces due to biased data sets. Meanwhile, Rosalía Machín Prieto, a commander in Spain’s Civil Guard specializing in cybersecurity and digital transformation, pointed to institutional reforms such as the organization’s 2019 equality plan as examples of progress toward greater diversity.
The final discussion explored how collaboration between activism, academia, institutions, and the private sector can accelerate social change. Moderated by Alexa López, communications director of Madrid Woman’s Week, the panel examined how advocacy networks can transform ideas into policy and cultural shifts. Speakers emphasized that communication plays a critical role in shaping social change. Camila Pardo, managing director of Bi Universe Spain, argued that narratives created by organizations and brands influence public perception and behavior. Studies show that companies embracing inclusive communication strategies often experience measurable economic benefits, reinforcing the business case for equality.
Since its founding in 2010, Madrid Woman’s Week has served as a platform connecting leaders across sectors to advance gender equality. The 2026 edition reinforced its commitment to moving from conversation to implementation, encouraging partnerships and collective action aimed at creating lasting structural change.
