CNBS, with support from UN Women, holds Gender Bias Workshop

On Friday, August 1, 2025, the National Commission of Banks and Insurance (CNBS), in collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), held the workshop “Gender Biases,” aimed at fostering a critical understanding of gender biases and stereotypes—particularly within the financial system—raising awareness of their consequences and promoting the development of practical strategies to mitigate their impact.

The workshop was conducted within the framework of the Inclusive Financial Ecosystem (EFI) Program for Central America, implemented by UN Women. This program seeks to promote the integration of gender intelligence into the design of financial products and services as a mechanism to reduce gender gaps in access to the financial system and to encourage actions that highlight and counteract existing biases.

The international speaker for the workshop was Ms. Vanesa Vidal, Senior Advisor on Financial Inclusion with a Gender Focus at UN Women. She addressed the topic from a financial perspective, given that the training included participants from supervised institutions and CNBS staff. The event also explored gender biases from multiple angles, beginning with the functioning of the human brain and delving into findings from specialized studies. Research, tools, and examples were presented to demonstrate the presence of these biases in various contexts, along with proposals for inclusive practices to counteract them.

The workshop concluded with group reflection exercises focused on identifying gender biases within the financial ecosystem and their impact on women’s inclusion. Participants analyzed experiences where snap judgments were made based on gender stereotypes and were encouraged to develop concrete proposals for inclusive practices applicable within organizations and the financial system at large, with the goal of reducing existing biases.

Through this initiative, CNBS reaffirms its commitment to financial inclusion and gender equity within the Honduran financial system.