Focus Areas

The majority of the Commonwealth’s finds itself with far fewer options for lessening the worst effects of the economic crisis than the advanced economies where the crisis originated

In response to this, 9WAMM is focussing on emerging partnership opportunities in which the Commonwealth can demonstrate global leadership in developing consensus and technical capacity for sourcing alternative development financing and operationalising appropriate institutional mechanisms.

Expected Scalable/High-Impact/Replicable outcomes of 9WAMM

Economics: 9WAMM green lights operational concept and pilots for Commonwealth Blended Equity Fund to promote Gender Responsive Investment;

Social: 9WAMM identifies ways and means of providing social protection to the most vulnerable in the informal sector;

Governance: 9WAMM affirms global project on WAMs Cabinet Strategies Project; and Launches Working Group on Gender, Peace and Security.

SESSION I: Opening Plenary and Inter-Ministerial Dialogue

Based on gender disaggregated data and utilising the most recent gender analysis of the international economic crisis and post-crisis recovery trends, the Opening Plenary will chart the strategic terrain for engendering national efforts and responses to the crisis as well as strategies for promoting recovery and sustainable development. In addition to highlighting the gendered effects of the current state of public finances and policy reforms, and advancing pivotal openings for gender-sensitive interventions, this session will demonstrate the potential development costs of an un-engendered recovery and growth trajectory in terms of failures of governance, human development and economic competitiveness.

SESSION II: Inter-Ministerial Dialogue ‘Promoting Economic Recovery and the Attainment of MDGs: Women as Agents of Transformation’

This session examines whether we need a new macroeconomic framework, based on social inclusivity and justice, to underpin gender-equitable strategies for growth. It will focus on the financial tools, political strategies and governance mechanisms for a more inclusive growth trajectory, which is pro-poor, gender equitable and ecologically sustainable. In doing so, it will draw on new intellectual currents and cross sectoral partnerships for harnessing new resources, engaging stakeholders and forging non-traditional partnerships in the pursuit of gender equitable development.

SESSION III: Gender Responsive Investments: Women as Agents of Transformation

This session will present innovations in investment capital finance that promise to bridge market-rate interests with strategic opportunities to create blended value that benefits commercial investors and development stakeholders alike in Commonwealth countries. These examples speak to an evolving capital convergence in which mainstream capital markets and investing are increasingly becoming drivers of new solutions to poverty, social investment and international development. The lead presenter will explain how blended value investing funds and instruments offer development financing solutions from a set of tools that go beyond both traditional philanthropy and market rate investing to complement the Commonwealth vision of a world with greater equity and opportunity for all its members. The presentation will be followed by the practical experiences of a leading venture capitalist investing in Africa for optimal financial and social returns.

SESSION IV: Ministerial Roundtables

Economics: Gender Responsive Investment (GRI) in blended value investing.

Governance: Beyond Representation to Decision-making: delivering on the gender agenda in the context of conflicting demands on post-crisis resources. The Roundtable will seek to develop a framework for engendering the trajectory of post-crisis recovery and growth.

Social: Social protection for the most vulnerable in the informal/household sectors. The Roundtable will seek to identify the priorities and modalities for Commonwealth interventions.

SESSION V: Defining the Challenge – Setting the Agenda

This session will share the conclusions and insights gleaned from the three Ministerial Roundtables. Following the discussion and debate, with input from specialist experts and the Secretariat, the session will conclude with strategic priorities for future Secretariat work on Gender in the immediate, medium and long term. Messages for CHOGM will also be agreed and elaborated here.

SESSION VI: The Way Forward: Priorities to 2015

This is a technical session on gender mainstreaming in the Commonwealth using the assessment results and experiences drawn from the Mid Term Review of the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action. Senior Officials will report the consensus of their pre-9WAMM meeting and the Plenary will agree and affirm the 2010-2015 priorities for the Commonwealth Gender PoA, in the context of crisis and recovery.

SESSION VII: Strengthening Partnerships for Synergy and Accountability

This session provides a platform for the critical interface between Ministers and civil society which is essential to the growth and development of gender equality and empowerment. The feedback and exchange allows mutual understanding and appreciation of the constraints and opportunities from both sides in advancing the gender agenda at this critical juncture for governments and women’s equality advocates alike. Emerging from this exchange will be new modalities for co-operation, information-sharing and collective action between governments and the women’s movement.

SESSION VIII: Closing Plenary

At this final session, the Communiqué from 9WAMM, containing the key messages to CHOGM and announcing the venue for 10WAMM will be approved. Commonwealth strategic inputs into the MDGs Review Summit 2010, the G8 and G20 Summits, including their regional preparatory fora, will also be communicated at this session.