Representing Miriam College's Department of International Studies, Dr. Melanie Reyes and Ms. Jelen Paclarin are engaged in the 68th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW) in New York, USA, running from March 11 to 22, 2024, as members of the Philippine Delegation. This year, the focus revolves around the paramount theme of "Accelerating the achievement of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective." Recognizing the pivotal role of investing in women as a fundamental solution to eradicating poverty and mitigating gender disparities is crucial, as it fosters women's agency and leadership.

Dr. Mel Reyes provided her insights during the Philippine side event titled "Women in TVET unlocking digital empowerment," jointly organized by TESDA, Coca-Cola, and USAID. Within this session, Dr. Reyes underscored the multifaceted nature of empowering women within the digital economy—an endeavor ripe with promise yet fraught with challenges. The potential of digital transformation to offer avenues of advancement for women across diverse sectors and communities is immense, contingent upon concerted efforts and collaboration from all stakeholders. Dr. Reyes emphasized the importance of evaluating initiatives not solely by the number of women engaged but by the tangible impact on transforming women’s lives.

Notably, Dr. Reyes serves as the Executive Director of the Women and Gender Institute, while Ms. Paclarin holds the position of Executive Director at the Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau. Both are proud graduates of Miriam College's International Studies Program, embodying its ethos of advancing gender equality and human rights on a global scale.