Ministers for Women’s Affairs to meet in Barbados

Ministers responsible for women’s affairs in the 54-member Commonwealth will meet in Barbados 7-9 June 2010, to discuss the impact of the global financial crisis on women, and how new funding mechanisms can make women agents in economic recovery and growth.

The 9th Commonwealth Women’s Ministers Meeting (9WAMM) will for the first time attract major players in global finance, including Finance Ministers, captains of industry, and philanthrocapitalists who apply business methods to their donations to address poverty.

The theme for the meeting is “Gender Issues in Economic Crisis, Recovery and Beyond: Women as Agents of Transformation”.

Michael Green, author of the best-selling book Philanthrocapitalism, will make a presentation to Ministers on the possibilities of harnessing philanthropy capital for development and growth.

United Kingdom Ambassador for Philanthropy, Dame Stephanie Shirley, will set out the arguments for prioritising investment in girls and women, in the context of recovery and beyond.

The meeting will also assess critical gender concerns for developing countries in the lead up to the G8 and G20 meetings in June, and the High Level Summit on the Millennium Development Goals at the UN in September.

It will focus particularly on women’s leadership roles, including in mitigating and managing community violence. Another focus will be on how social protection measures can ensure gender equity as well as sustainability.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said: “Women hold the key to realising most of the Millennium Development Goals. They are pivotal agents of social and economic transformation. Not only should we recognise their potential development contribution: we should act upon it.

“This meeting can break new ground by forging closer links between gender equity and economic development.”

9WAMM will be preceded by a Partners’ Forum from 4-5 June, which will involve representatives from civil society, media, lawyers, parliamentarians, young people and the private sector.

Key Links:

• 9WAMM
• Country Profile: Barbados
• Gender

Related News:

• Philanthrocapitalism