Abt Global is a proud Diamond-level sponsor of the 2021 Virtual Conference of the Society for International Development– Washington D.C. Chapter (SID-W). The conference brought together more than 1,000 international development professionals to network and discuss ideas, trends, and challenges facing the sector today. The theme of this year’s event, Mind the Gap: Recalibrate for Equity and Impact, aimed to address the gaps in so many realms affecting international development, and how we can bridge them.
We hope you were able to visit our virtual booth to chat with our recruiters and business development team, and check out our technical experts during the following sessions. All content will be available on SID-W's YouTube page through October 2021.
Breakout Session
Wednesday, May 26, 1:00 - 1:50 p.m
Bridging the Gap
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and widened gaps in virtually every sector and practice addressed by international development implementers. These include health; education; funding; diversity, equity and inclusion; and more. Our panel of implementers will talk about how they have adjusted their programming, workforce, and practices to try to bridge these gaps.
Moderator: Eric Reading, Senior Vice President, International Development
Plenary
Wednesday, May 26, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. (ET)
DEI: The Myth of the Urgency of Now
Join us for a critical analysis of the 'urgency of now' - a heightened emphasis on questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion spurred by the global response to events like George Floyd's murder and the cascading calls for justice around the world. International development is no different and is grappling with questions of power dynamics, racial equity, and colonialist vestiges. This session questions the idea of a 'new' urgency, while also exploring the momentum of the moment and how international development can leverage an evidence-based approach and global focus on equity to drive sustained change across healthcare, climate, and other sectors.
Featured Speaker: Roslyn Brock, Chief Global Equity officer, Abt Global
Innovation Contest Panel
Congratulations to our Innovation Contest Winner by popular vote!
HelloJubi: Using a Chatbot to Dispel Myths about Family Planning
Featured Speaker: Tanmay Guha Roy, Manager - New Media, Abt Global India
Roundtables
Thursday, May 27, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Harnessing the Private Sector for Climate Change Adaptation
Facilitator: Michele Laird, Regional Vice President, Asia, Middle East and North Africa Region
Collaborative Approaches to Identify Local Partner Needs
Facilitator: Lisa Tarantino, Principal Associate
Decolonizing Aid: Gender Equality & Social Inclusion
Facilitator: Abigail Donner, Gender, Equity & Inclusion Lead
Using Blended Finance at Scale to Achieve SDGs
Facilitator: April Warren, Private Sector Advisor
Lightning Talk Submissions
- Why We Must Invest in Local Healthcare Innovation (April Warren, Private Sector Advisor)
- Local Data Ownership to Solve Last-Mile Health Problems (Dr. Houleymata Diarra, Abt DRC)
Check back for updates.