At the 64th Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Women of Central America and the Dominican Republic (COMMCA), held recently, member states have formally voted to confirm Gloria Reyes, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Women’s Affairs, as the body’s pro tempore president for the second half of 2026, spanning July through December.
The unanimous endorsement of Dominican leadership under Reyes came as no surprise to regional observers, following tangible progress delivered during her previous tenure. Delegations highlighted three key areas of achievement: strengthened cross-border coordination between member states, expanded strategic partnerships with regional and international stakeholders, and growing collective influence to push forward progressive policies that benefit women, girls, and adolescent populations across Central America and the Caribbean.
Before the confirmation vote, the Dominican delegation presented a full progress report on its work plan for the first six months of 2026. The report outlined major milestones in three core priorities: strengthening COMMCA’s institutional framework to operate more efficiently, advancing targeted advocacy for gender-focused policy reforms at the regional level, and deepening collaborative projects with neighboring member states.
Beyond leadership appointments, the three-day meeting produced a series of actionable agreements that will shape the council’s work for the coming years. One of the most significant outcomes was the formal approval of a new strategic policy framework designed to reinforce COMMCA’s role within the Central American Integration System (SICA). The framework sets out clear priorities across eight critical issue areas: gender equality and equity, migrant rights, climate justice, the formalization of the care economy, gender-based security, access to digital technology, and inclusive education.
Member states also signed off on a structured monitoring roadmap to track the implementation of SICA’s existing Regional Gender Equality and Equity Policy, which covers the 2024–2026 period. The roadmap includes regular progress reviews and policy updates, alongside early planning work for the next three-year policy cycle running from 2027 to 2029.
In another key agenda item, ministers reviewed ongoing progress for the “Safe Mobility: Regional Protocol for Migrant Women” initiative, a project supported by funding from the Korea-SICA Cooperation Fund. The initiative works to establish standardized cross-border protections and targeted support services for migrant women moving through the region, addressing unique vulnerabilities they face during transit and resettlement.
The LXIV Ordinary Meeting brought together official delegations from all seven COMMCA member states: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. The gathering concluded with a joint commitment from all participants to continue deepening regional cooperation, remove barriers to gender equity, and advance shared initiatives that uplift women across the Central American region.