On 15-17 June, great advocates for women’s leadership for enterprise from around the globe will gather in Bangladesh for the 10th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting Partners’ Forum (10WPF).
Keynote speaker Salma Khan, former Chair of CEDAW, will lead proceedings with what is expected to be a motivating talk around the theme.
During the three day event key representatives from civil society, the private sector, government and other non-state actors will discuss and provide key recommendations for women’s leadership in enterprise. The programme aims to provide an opportunity for delegates to contribute to Commonwealth and global agenda-setting processes as they advocate for change.
Speakers include Ms Nazneen Sultana, Deputy Governor at Bangladesh Bank, Ms Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, Executive Director for the West Africa Civil Society Institute, Ms Farah Kabir, Country Director for ActionAid and Mr Anis Chowdhury, Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Development Division at United Nations. Many more speakers will present and engage in debates over 10WPF.
Held in the wings of the 10th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting, 10WPF provides an opportunity for civil society, academics, donor agencies and other women’s affairs experts to meet, share and learn from each other; to discuss critical issues and barriers to delivering women’s empowerment and gender equality; and to engage with Ministers, Senior Officials and policy makers in order to contribute to Commonwealth and global agenda-setting processes.
Sessions at 10WPF will focus on: increasing women’s access to finance; overcoming social barriers to women’s entrepreneurship; emerging trends in women’s enterprise; building partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society to advance women in enterprise; micro-credit and its impact on women’s enterprise; women’s economic empowerment and the post-MDG agenda; women and international trade; and a Ministerial roundtable on the topic ‘Women’s enterprise and the new women’s movement’.
10WPF is organised by the Commonwealth Foundation in partnership with BRAC, in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Representatives of key national and regional organisations have also provided formal input into the planning of the Forum.
