M. Caridad Araujo is the Chief of the Gender and Diversity Division at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In this role, she leads efforts to promote gender equality and inclusion across Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, she served as Principal Economist in the IDB’s Social Protection and Health Division, focusing on early childhood development and anti-poverty programs. Her career also includes academic experience as a professor at Georgetown University and work at the World Bank. A native of Ecuador and mother of two daughters, she holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley