Michelle Bachelet to visit Costa Rica and meet President Laura Chinchilla

Michelle Bachelet, the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, will on September 10th start a two-day visit to Costa Rica, at the personal invitation of President Laura Chinchilla. This will be Ms. Bachelet's first visit to Costa Rica since she was appointed the Executive Director of UN Women.

Michelle Bachelet's schedule will get under way with a bilateral meeting with President Laura Chinchilla, followed by a working session with members of the Costa Rican administration. During the visit, she will also meet with the acting president, Zarela Villanueva Monge, and other members of Costa Rica's Supreme Court of Justice.

In Costa Rica, Ms. Bachelet will also have a chance to see some of the initiatives that have been developed by the Costa Rican government in an effort to promote the economic empowerment of women, especially as this is one of the strategic priorities of UN Women. This includes, “Banks for Women and “Centres for the Care of Children and their Development, both promoted by the government in order to support working mothers.

Public safety issues for women will be a key focus for Michelle Bachelet in the course of her visit to Costa Rica. Last May, the United Nations expressed its concern in view of the impact of transnational organized crime and drugs-trafficking in Central America, a part of the world characterized by the highest homicide rates in the world.