In March of this year, the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, known worldwide as CSW70, will take place. Considered the main international forum focused on promoting gender equality, the meeting brings together government leaders, civil society organizations, and representatives from various nations to discuss public policies, contemporary challenges, and global strategies aimed at women’s development.
More than just an event, the Commission represents a continuous movement to build social justice, expand opportunities, and strengthen women’s voices on a global scale. Participating in this space means being part of an environment where local experiences gain international recognition and influence decisions that impact millions of women around the world.
For businesswoman and social activist Katia Teixeira, this participation carries a unique significance. For eleven consecutive years, she sought access to the meeting through international institutions that have consultative status with the UN and receive official invitations to participate in the Commission. Even in the face of successive attempts without a positive response, she remained firm in her conviction that her trajectory and initiatives in favor of women’s development should reach this global space.
Her acceptance into the Brazilian delegation at CSW70 therefore symbolizes not only a personal achievement, but also the recognition of a journey marked by persistence, purpose, and social impact for the cause of women.
Katia will be accompanied by two important Brazilian female leaders. The delegation includes Celia Rizzante, current president of BPW São Paulo, as well as author of the afterword and institutional godmother of the QDM Institute. Also participating is Myrinha Vasconcellos, author of the afterword and director of International Relations at the Institute, reinforcing the representativeness and collective strength of the delegation in amplifying the impact of Brazilian agendas on the global stage.
The Brazilian presence at the event gains even more relevance because of the agenda that Katia will bring to the international stage: the fight against Wollying—a term that defines the emotional, silent, and systematic violence practiced between women. By presenting this concept in one of the most important global forums on women’s rights, she contributes to increasing the visibility of a form of violence that is still little discussed in public policies and institutional spaces.
For the QDM Institute – Which of Me Are You Looking For, a socio-cultural project conceived by Katia, this participation represents a historic milestone. Recognized for its work promoting writing, empowerment, and female development, the Institute is now expanding its reach to the international stage, strengthening its mission to give voice and visibility to transformative stories.
An entrepreneur for over four decades, a leading figure in Brazil in women’s empowerment projects, and a leader of initiatives that have already impacted thousands of women, Katia Teixeira has built her career based on a principle that guides her work: when a woman gains space, she paves the way for many others.
Her presence at CSW70 reaffirms this mission and symbolizes the expansion of work that transcends borders, consolidating Brazil as an important protagonist in building a more just and equal future for women.
“More than an individual achievement, this presence at CSW70 symbolizes the opening of an international door that doesn’t belong only to me — it opens wide to all the more than 1,400 voices of the QDM Institute, proving that when one advances, thousands cross over together.” Katia Teixeira, founder of the institute, concludes.
