Womens Affairs Ministers Meetings
Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meetings (WAMMs) have been held triennially since 1985. They have provided strategic opportunities for Ministers, Senior Officials, civil society organisations, and partner agencies to discuss critical issues in advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality. They contribute to Commonwealth and global agenda-setting processes.
The 10th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (10WAMM) will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 17-19 June 2013. The theme of the meeting is “Women’s Leadership for Enterprise”.
The theme highlights the importance and significance of women's representation in the economy and in decision-making processes, global financial markets, leading banks and national policy making bodies. Given that youth form 60% of the Commonwealth population, bringing them into the decision-making process is vital. We are therefore seeking the perspectives and opinions of young people on the 10WAMM theme.
The Gender Section of the Secretariat is organising the Commonwealth ‘Women in Leadership’ essay competition. This competition is open to all youth in the Commonwealth between the ages of 15 and 29 years.
Young Commonwealth citizens are invited to participate by answering one of the following questions:
- How and why should governments encourage women’s leadership? or
- How and why should governments encourage women-owned enterprises?
The winner will be sponsored to participate in the 10th Women's Affairs Ministers Meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 17 to 19 June 2013.
Venues and Dates
- 10th WAMM: Dhaka, Bangladesh (June 2013)
- 9th WAMM: Bridgetown, Barbados (June 2010)
- 8th WAMM: Kampala, Uganda, (June 2007)
- 7th WAMM: Nadi, Fiji Islands (June 2004)
- 6th WAMM: New Delhi, India (April 2000)
- 5th WAMM: Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago (November 1996)
- Extraordinary WAMM: Beijing, China (September 1995), held on the eve of the Fourth World Conference on Women where the Beijing Platform for Action was agreed
- 4th WAMM: Nicosia, Cyprus (July 1993)
- 3rd WAMM: Ottawa, Canada (October 1990)
- 2nd WAMM: Harare, Zimbabwe (1987)
- 1st WAMM: Nairobi, Kenya (July 1985), held on the eve of the Third World Conference on Women
Did you know?
Contact
Enquiries on our gender work:
Ms Linda Kalindi
gender@commonwealth.int
Media enquiries:
Victoria Holdsworth
+44(0)20 7747 6383
v.holdsworth@commonwealth.int
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