- - - BPW International -

Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is SUCCESS!

Tuulikki Juusela

Theme for Triennium:
Building a Better World – Responsibility of Full Partnership

Women as Policy Makers ..............1986

Women as Developers ..............1987

Tuulikki Juusela of Finland was elected as the fourteenth president of the International Federation at the Seventeenth International Congress (1985) in Auckland, New Zealand. She was the first International President from Finland and was President of BPW Finland at the time of her election. Reflecting the theme of the Seventeenth Congress, "Youth Today - Leaders Tomorrow," the delegates elected Tuulikki Juusela to lead the International Federation. She was the youngest International President in the fifty-five year history of the organization.

Unlike Rosmarie Michel, the Immediate Past International President, Tuulikki Juusela did not have to wait until she was forty to vote. Finnish women had been among the first in Europe to gain the right to vote (1906) and the percentage of female Members of Parliament in Finland was thirty one per cent in 1987, the highest in the world. It was the firm belief of the newly elected President that "political participation would be part of the future of all women all over the world and should be a top priority among affiliates. She stated that "involvement of women in the relevant governmental and decision-making bodies was one of the most effective methods of drawing 'women's issues' from the margin to the mainstream of national debates."

At the age of seventeen, Tuulikki Juusela spent a year as an exchange student in the United States. Scholarships enabled her to study abroad in several European countries as well. Through her travels and time spent living in other countries, she was exposed to many different languages and cultures. These experiences helped her develop international understanding and excellent communication skills.

The International Federation had always encouraged girls and women to apply for positions in the work force which might be regarded as non traditional for females or for positions which had previously been held only by males. During the twenty-year period from 1969 through 1989, Tuulikki Juusela held four different top professional positions. In all of these positions, she had the distinction of being the first woman! Just a few months after becoming the International President, she was appointed the first female Director of the Finnish Council for Health Education. The Council was composed of 1.6 million members represented by sixty-six organizations which, in collaboration with the Finnish Government, promoted health education in Finland.

INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS NEWS

During the biennium, Hilda Trew retired from her position as General Secretary. She had held the position from 1982 to 1986. President Juusela thanked her for being a "loyal and efficient General Secretary whose wide knowledge had been a tremendous help." The General Secretary thanked the membership for "the great honor of serving IFBPW, an organization with tremendous potential." Tamara Martinez, Executive Assistant/UN Administrator at International Headquarters, was appointed as General Secretary in 1986. Before coming to work for the International Federation in 1984, she had been working as a translator / interpreter and French tutor. She was fluent in English, French and Spanish and understood Italian and Portuguese.

IFBPW REGIONS

The regional structure of IFBPW had been formally established at Congress in 1985. An immediate benefit of this new structure was that members within regions met between Congresses to focus on problems of mutual concern and form closer working relationships thus making the International Federation a more effective voice for women.

AFRICA:
Beth Mugo (Kenya), Regional Coordinator

The Sixth All Africa Seminar used the International Federation's theme for the biennium as its theme - "Women as Policy Makers, Women as Developers." It was held in Gaborone, Botswana, in November 1986. President Juusela, First Vice President, Esther Ocloo, and Africa's Regional Coordinator, Beth Mugo, were present. Esther Ocloo (Ghana) presented a paper on Women's World Banking which detailed how WWB could help women to become both equal partners in development and participants in the decision-making management process. She said that "one of the keys for women in developing countries was the ability to move from the informal to the formal economy. Despite the attempts to have it factored in, unpaid work was unrecognized as a formal part of a country's gross national product (GNP), and without recognition, women's work remained outside the concern of most national governments. Training as well as access to capital was crucial for recognition and independence."

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC:
Alix Haywood (New Zealand), Regional Coordinator

The differences of language, cultures and socioeconomic circumstances coupled with the great distances separating countries in the region made coordination of the Asia and the Pacific Region a challenge for its first Coordinator, Alix Haywood. Nevertheless, in December 1986, BPW Pakistan organized an ambitious All Asia seminar. Its theme was "Rural Women and Development" with four subthemes: Health and Population, Education, Economic Opportunities, and Cooperatives for Rural Women. This seminar was directly related to the Forward-looking Strategies and focused on the needs of rural women in developing countries. A major feature of the program was a trip to a demonstration village outside Karachi where BPW Pakistan had established a social, educational and economic project. The project included health education and literacy courses in conjunction with training women in the growth of cash crops.

EUROPE:
Marian Watts (France), Regional Coordinator

The European Congress was held in Ostend, Belgium, in September 1986. Its theme was "European Women between Nairobi and the year 2000." President Juusela welcomed nearly four hundred members from ten countries. Other International Officers attending the Congress were Esther Ocloo (Ghana), First Vice President; Rosmarie Michel (Switzerland), Immediate Past President; and Jess Sanders (Zimbabwe), Honorary Secretary. The European Regional Coordinator, Marian Watts, reported to Congress in 1987 that Europe was not only a politically coherent unit, but the European affiliates had created a structure called the European Coordinating Committee in 1981 to facilitate coordination in the region. As a result, the Regional Coordinator had the help of a ready-made and experienced committee. In 1977 the International Federation, as a non-governmental organization, had gained consultative status with the Council of Europe. The European Coordinating Committee had the responsibility of making certain that the International Federation was represented at meetings of the Council of Europe.

LATIN AMERICA and the Spanish-speaking countries of the WEST INDIES:
Silvia Salazar Salazar (Mexico), Regional Coordinator

Latin America's Regional Coordinator, Silvia Salazar Salazar, reported on the progress of Project Five-O Mexico (See Projects Committee).

NORTH AMERICA and the non Spanish-speaking countries of the CARIBBEAN:
Anne Steinbeck (USA), Regional Coordinator

In October 1986 BPW /USA was a sponsor of a regional conference in the United States with the theme "Equity by the Year 2000, Bringing the Nairobi Strategies Home." The topics of workshops included women's work/women's worth, women's health issues, women and peace, and the relationship between women, development and the environment.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

There were 64 countries affiliated with IFBPW in 1987, a gain of two countries since 1985. Many existing affiliates showed growth in membership. Several countries had established three Associate Clubs and were in the process of applying for Federation status. Wendy Hogg (UK), Membership Committee Chairperson and Second Vice President, reported that "membership work in Africa and Asia and the Pacific Regions was booming and thanked Alix Haywood (New Zealand) and Beth Mugo (Kenya), Regional Coordinators, for their assistance during the biennium. Marian Watts (France), Regional Coordinator, was also commended for her work in the European Region. The Membership Chairperson stated that the decision to divide IFBPW into regions had resulted in an increased level of membership work during the biennium.

HONORARY TREASURER/FINANCE COMMITTEE

At the conclusion of two terms as Honorary Treasurer, Norma Young (Australia) was pleased to announce to Congress in 1987 that the Accumulated Fund had reached its target level of an amount equal to one year's expenditure. She said that this was an important accomplishment since the International Federation had no other assets that could be used as collateral in case of emergency. The newly formed BPW group called "Friends of IFBPW" included over one hundred members who had pledged a minimum of one hundred dollars per year for at least two years. An oval-shaped badge had been specially designed for the "Friends."

Julia Arri (USA), Finance Officer and Committee Chairperson reported that due to the current unfavorable exchange rate and increased scope of IFBPW activities, it was necessary to raise dues. The proposed 1987/88 budget showed a projected budget deficit of $11,355. Congress delegates therefore voted to raise dues from $2.20 per member to $2.40 as of April 1, 1989. This was the first dues increase since 1985.

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Margaret Geddes (Australia), Publications Committee Chairperson, joined with President Juusela in expressing appreciation to Publications Committee member, Ulla-Liza Blom (Sweden), and the Swedish Federation for initiative and perseverance in securing the first commercial advertisement for Widening Horizons (Summer, 1986) from the car manufacturing company, Volvo.

The Chairperson announced that the new editor of Widening Horizons was Debbi Scholes who was also assistant editor of Guiding magazine, published by Girl Guides Association. She was hired in January 1986 upon the retirement of Heather Davidson.

Seventeen issues of Internews were published and provided reports of projects and initiatives of IFBPW affiliates around the world.

AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

Josephine Ngugi (Kenya), Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee, represented IFBPW at a meeting on ''Women in Agroforest-Industries" convened by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in October 1985 as part of its program to promote the integration of women in industrial development. Many issues were discussed including education, training, credit and financing as well as the role of NGOs such as IFBPW. The meeting recommended that resources be set aside specifically for women's advancement in agroforest industries. Women's labor was said to account for about half of the world's food production.

The Eighth International Conference on Women in Agriculture was held on March 8, 1986, in Verona, Italy. The Conference was organized through the collaboration of the Verona Agricultural Fair Board and BPW Italy. Speaking to the 700 women in attendance, Tuulikki Juusela, International Federation President and Chairperson of the Conference, stated that women's work in agriculture, far from being rewarded, was not even adequately appreciated, and yet women's roots lay in agriculture. Agriculture Committee Chairperson, Josephine Ngugi, addressed the Conference on the role of women in agriculture and new developments in agricultural technology in Africa. Angelica Biacca, President of BPW Italy, described the opportunities offered to all working women through membership in BPW. She said that the most important goal of sponsoring an event such as the Women in Agriculture Conference was to support other women in determining concrete actions to deal with the challenges that lay ahead.

International Vice President, Esther Ocloo (Ghana), opened the Agriculture Committee Workshop at Congress in 1987 by discussing the involvement of women in agriculture and the problems they face. She said that "improved technology has, in some cases, increased the burden on farmers as crops have to be harvested more frequently, perhaps three times a year rather than once or twice. At the same time, fewer young people, when given the choice, were opting to work on farms. In the developed countries a small percentage of people were involved in agriculture compared with a large percentage in the developing world. In some developing countries, women farmers were required to get their husband's approval before applying for a loan. Credit difficulties, little support in the home, and low literacy rates which hampered learning new techniques were all factors that made it difficult for women to gain economic independence." Members attending the Agriculture Committee Workshop made the following suggestions: obtain loans through the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Women's World Banking; encourage bank lending policies favorable to women; publicize opportunities for women at the grassroots level; and submit articles to Widening Horizons summarizing the successes of women in agriculture.

One such success story of women in agriculture unfolded in Ghana under the leadership of Esther Ocloo, President of BPW Ghana, and also International Vice President at the time. She had been submitted an application to UNIFEM for help with a project called the "Integrated Agricultural Project." UNIFEM responded by donating a tractor to BPW Ghana which took responsibility for coordinating its use by the Lolobi Rice Grower's Association, the Appolonia Women Farmers' Association and BPW members who were farmers. This donation was augmented by a second tractor, maize seeds and fertilizer received from the Agricultural Development Bank. Loans from the Bank did not have to be repaid until after harvesting, an obvious advantage to poor farmers.

EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COMMITTEE/UNESCO

Juliana Schwager-Jebbink (Switzerland), Chairperson of the Educational and Cultural Committee, included these specific recommendations on education and culture in her report to Congress in 1987: Educational recommendations Members should become aware of and make use of publications in their regions such as the bimonthly publication about women's achievements, Women of Europe; Cultural recommendations - Women working in cultural professions should be encouraged to join BPW Clubs. Speakers should be invited to meetings to discuss topics of cultural and historical interest. Grants for education should be given to girls and women planning to enter professions in the cultural field. The Chairperson reported that BPW Switzerland had begun a financial aid program to mark the Golden Jubilee of IFBPW in 1980 which was still functioning in 1987. The program supported several young women in completing their education in Fine Arts and Music. Affiliates were also encouraged to establish Educational and Cultural Committees. The Chairperson informed members that not only did BPW Italy have an Educational and Cultural Committee, but it also had a Musical Commission which sponsored annual national musical competitions.

Jeanne Chaton (France), UNESCO Representative in Paris, reported that one of UNESCO's programs ("Women's Status") directed toward implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies, dealt with equal opportunities in school education, in training for new technology, in formal and informal higher education with special effort in basic literacy and post-literacy, and also with studies on aspects of the roles of men and women within the family.

Over the years Jeanne Chaton submitted many articles to Widening Horizons. The July 1987 issue contained an article by her entitled "International Human Rights of Women." The article began with the statement, "WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS TOO! Does this sound like a childishly simple statement of fact? Indeed it is. But it must be repeated over and over again until women's rights are treated on equal footing with human rights... 'Discrimination on grounds of gender is a human rights violation which is just as serious as any other type of human rights violation'.* Governments must be confronted politically and legally where their behavior contradicts tenets of their policies and legal commitments. As proponents of sexual equality we [IFBPW] are obligated to use every statute, piece of legislation, and forum such as the Commission on Human Rights, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in order to implement the protective norms available to us. As business and professional women, we owe it to those we represent to do so in an intelligent, cohesive and thorough manner. Before we can do so, however, we must believe and act as if women's rights are human rights too!"
* from a statement by Lucille G. Caron, Canadian government member of the ILO Governing Body to the ILO Confoerence, 1986.

Rosmarie Michel, Immediate Past International President, presented a Certificate of Appreciation at Congress in 1987 to Jeanne Chaton saying that "not only had she been the UNESCO Representative for sixteen years and a frequent contributor to Widening Horizons, but she had also served as a counselor to members of the Educational and Cultural Committee, the United Nations Committee and five International Presidents. Her knowledge of UNESCO was unparalleled due to her lengthy career as an expert/consultant with UNESCO." Andree Bailly (France), who had served as Alternate Representative for several years, was appointed as the new UNESCO Representative.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS COMMITTEE

June O'Dell (UK), Chairperson of the Employment Conditions Committee, acknowledged in her report to Congress the differing priorities of affiliates around the world as well as different rates of progression toward goals. She listed objectives of women which were common to all members: equal opportunities and access to education, training and employment; breaking down barriers which lead to job segregation; leveling of the wage differentials between men and women; recognition of the flexible working patterns essential for women's active contribution to their country's economy; lifting the double burden of home and work through provision of adequate day care facilities for dependents; recognition that responsibility for children, elderly relatives and other dependents should be shared and not rest entirely with women; awareness of changing work patterns; opportunity to work in new technologies and in developing areas of employment; and protective employment legislation for part-time workers. Concluding her report, she said that "the final target for all women is the same and we can learn a great deal from each other."

HEALTH COMMITTEE

Helen Smith (UK), Health Committee Chairperson, listed the two major goals of her Committee: to become known by other international organizations and to participate in their activities, and as a non-governmental organization, to acquire consultative status with the World Health Organization (WHO). The Chairperson reported that a prerequisite for consultative status with WHO included a two-year information exchange period between the International Federation and WHO and that more time was needed to collect information from all affiliates on health-related projects as part of that process. Helen Smith said that the objectives of the Health Committee would be supported and ideas for action would be encouraged through direct liaison with WHO and, therefore, work on this important objective would continue into the next biennium.

WHO produced targets for each world region as part of its "Health for All for the Year 2000" program which focused on the importance of international cooperation in promoting primary health care for all people. It was recommended that affiliates assist in meeting these targets by encouraging positive changes in life styles, the environment and health care systems.

Women's health had emerged as a key subtheme augmenting the main themes of the United Nations Decade for Women - equality, development and peace. It was estimated that 500,000 women died each year from pregnancy related causes, most of them preventable.

Results of the evaluation by WHO of strategies for "Health for All by the Year 2000" revealed that malnutrition - most often protein calorie deficiency affected 100 million children under the age of five in developing countries. Members of the Chingola Club of Zambia decided to do something about the crisis situation of malnutrition in their country. They enlisted the aid of Felicity Bradley, a former member of the Chingola Club who had moved to the United Kingdom and had become International Relations Representative for BPW UK. When approached by members from her former Zambian Club for help, she suggested that the Southeast Division Clubs of BPW UK, under the leadership of the Farnham Club, adopt the fight against malnutrition in Zambia as their official project. The project raised funds to pay for a large quantity of Shaklee Protein Powder which was sent to the Chingola Club. Members of the Chingola Club then delivered the shipment to the Chawama Medical Clinic in Zambia to be administered to the malnourished children in the area. This is but one of many examples of collaboration by BPW members on different continents.

Participants at the Health Committee Workshop at Congress in 1987 concluded that women's organizations such as IFBPW have a major role to play in the effective involvement of the community and other health groups in health care education, advocacy, and programs.

LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

The Legislation Committee, chaired by Yvette Swan (Bermuda), researched several legislative issues during the biennium through the use of questionnaires sent to affiliates. The questionnaire on "Employment and Finance" was based on the United Nation's Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Articles XI and XIII. Answers from affiliates indicated that equality of opportunity in employment, funding of child care, housing for single women, and equity in pay were important issues that needed action.

Yvette Swan noted that while the achievement of getting governments to ratify CEDAW was a beginning, the real challenge was to see that the conditions presented in the document were implemented. In addition, the Chairperson pointed out that the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies to the year 2000 mandated that "governments should ensure for both men and women equality before the law and that for true equality to become a reality for women, the sharing of power on equal terms with men must be a major strategy."

A focal point of the Legislation Committee was violence within the family. Yvette Swan quoted information received by her committee from the Chairperson of the United States Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence which stated that "because, in the past, most instances of sexual abuse were kept secret within the family, we are just beginning to learn the true extent of the problem. A victim of family violence is no less a victim than one set upon by strangers." Chairperson Swan said, "it is therefore important that, as women, we endeavor to assist our governments in identifying and helping to correct these problems."

PROJECTS COMMITTEE

Khorshedi Alam (Bangladesh), Projects Committee Chairperson, summarized some noteworthy projects carried out by affiliates during the biennium.

Australia: BPW Australia had recently launched two programs, one to aid and encourage girls' education in Papua New Guinea and the other to assist women and girls in Australia to further their education.

Bangladesh: The Dhaka Club had organized a seminar on "The Role of Women in the Promotion of Health." BPW Bangladesh owned and operated two hostels for working women because the housing needs of working women in Bangladesh were so acute. In May 1987, BPW Bangladesh had set up an Ad Hoc Committee for launching Project Five-O in Bangladesh in collaboration with other international organizations.

Finland: BPW member, Helvi Sipila, was Chairperson of the Finnish National Association for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). BPW Finland had raised money for UNIFEM through several fund raising projects.

Nepal: BPW Nepal ran a Secretarial School, Day Care Center and an Immunization Center.

Pakistan: BPW Pakistan planned to build a home in Lahore for retired working women on a piece of land recently donated to them by the Government of Pakistan.

PROJECT FIVE-O MEXICO

Silvia Salazar Salazar, President of BPW Mexico and the International Federation's Project Five-O Mexico Coordinator, made a preliminary presentation to Congress in 1985. At Congress in 1987, she updated members with the news that the Government of Baja California Sur had generously donated a piece of land located in the capital city of La Paz for use as the site of Project Five-O Mexico. A scale model of the plans for the nursing school was on display at Congress. A publicity brochure was produced by the all-women Project Five-O Mexico Steering Committee consisting of the project coordinator, architect, academic coordinator and accountant.

Since announcement of Project Five-O Mexico in 1985, affiliates and individual members of the International Federation had contributed $20,000. Many affiliates raised money for Project Five-O Mexico through fund raising projects. For example, Mildred Head (UK), Past International President (1977-1980), contributed the capital to enable BPW UK to produce a calendar marking its fiftieth anniversary. Mollie MacLaren (UK) had suggested the idea of producing the calendar. More than 3,000 calendars were sold with all proceeds donated to Project Five-O Mexico.

Project Five-O Mexico was officially approved in 1986 as part of the UNESCO Co-Action Programme. This approval was important because the project was now eligible to receive professional and technical advice as well as financial support from UNESCO.

INTERNATIONAL AID FUND

The International Gift Shop, run by the Projects Committee with help from members of BPW Netherlands at Congress in 1987, raised $7,075 for the International Aid Fund to be used to help those affiliates with financial need to send representatives to the next Congress.

STRATEGIC LONG-RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE

A newly established Strategic Long-Range Planning Committee made its first report to Congress in 1987. Rosmarie Michel, Immediate Past International President, was the Committee's Chairperson and listed three major areas in which short, medium, and long-range plans were necessary: membership, publicity, and financial planning. In relation to membership, the Committee suggested consideration of the following: additional membership categories, training of affiliates in membership promotion, and innovative recruitment models. Publicity included all information published by IFBPW and should project an image that would attract women worldwide. IFBPW must have a sound financial structure to accomplish its aims. To ensure self-sufficiency, innovative and flexible models in seeking financial resources were essential. The Chairperson stated that her committee had worked "to draw up guidelines for future decisions to give the activities and aims of IFBPW a firm purpose. That did not imply a change in goals. The goals of the International Federation were as valid now as they had been in 1930, but attitudes had changed and to achieve the end, there had to be a change in the means."

TRADE AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE (AD HOC)

The Ad Hoc Trade and Commerce Committee, chaired by Daisy de Wende (Bolivia), had updated the inaugural 1985 IFBPW Trade Directory during the biennium. The Committee's primary focus during the biennium had been the coordination of plans for the first IFBPW Trade Presentation.

IFBPW TRADE PRESENTATION 1987

One of the stated functions of the Ad Hoc Trade and Commerce Committee was "organizing trade fairs and exhibitions with the coordination and assistance of local BPW officers and members interested in trade." Through the efforts of both the International Federation and BPW Netherlands, the Netherlands Government had agreed to support, through CBI, an IFBPW Trade Presentation at Congress in 1987. The Center for the Promotion of Imports for developing countries (CBI) was an agency of the Netherlands Government established in 1971 to promote the import of industrial products and services to the Netherlands. Its primary aim was to contribute to the prosperity of developing countries by providing trade information and intermediary and training services within the policy framework set by the Minister for International Development Cooperation.

President Juusela opened the IFBPW Trade Presentation at Congress in 1987 with these remarks, "Women entrepreneurs are a large and vital force within the economy of each country around the world. Economic independence is a prerequisite for self-reliance and women's organizations can play an important role in encouraging that independence." Also speaking at the opening of the Trade Presentation, Esther Ocloo (Ghana), International Federation's First Vice President, said, "Let the experiences gained from this first IFBPW Trade Presentation inspire and strengthen our determination to work together to improve the performance of our businesses and increase their capacities."

Thirty-nine women entrepreneurs from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Zambia displayed their products at the IFBPW Trade Presentation. This was the first time that the International Federation had sponsored a trade presentation for women entrepreneurs. Most of the participants operated small and medium-sized businesses in the informal sector and produced relatively small quantities of quality products. Cornelius Willemse, Head of the Promotion Section of CBI, participating in the Trade and Commerce Committee Workshop at Congress, recommended to the Trade Presentation participants that they "work on guaranteeing both quality and quantity of goods as well as delivery of those goods to export markets." He also stated that "further support was needed for developing professional production structures (e.g., cooperatives) within the countries of the women entrepreneurs to effectively market products for export."

Daisy de Wende (Bolivia), Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Trade and Commerce Committee, emphasized the significance of the first IFBPW Trade Presentation which had been directed not only towards helping women find markets, but also to gaining new members through creating interest in economic activities within IFBPW. The Chairperson expressed her deep appreciation to the Government of the Netherlands, CBI, and BPW Netherlands, on behalf of all members of IFBPW. She thanked Willy van Iersel (Netherlands) especially for her tremendous dedication and support of the Trade and Commerce Committee and for serving as the Chairperson of the eleven-member Trade Presentation Committee.

UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE

Esther Ocloo (Ghana), United Nations Committee Chairperson and First Vice President, opened her report to Congress in 1987 with this tribute:

The International Federation owes a huge debt of gratitude to the United Nations whose clarion call sounded in Mexico City at the 1975 World Conference of the United Nations International Women's Year. The potential and capabilities of women were pronounced throughout the world, waking governments and all people to recognize the role of women.
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women* did sterling work.
*Note: The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women was the official preparatory body for International Women's Year, the World Conference of the International Women's Year (1975), the International Women's Decade 1976-1985, the World Conference of the International Women's Decade (1980) and the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women (1985).

Esther Ocloo then asked Virginia Saurwein, Chief of the United Nations/Non-Governmental Organizations (UN/NGO) Unit in New York, an eighteen-year veteran leader at the United Nations, to accept the appreciation and the gratitude of BPW members worldwide for the United Nations role in "bringing women into the light and into the forefront."

The document "Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the Year 2000" had served as the guide for the United Nations Committee during the biennium. "Forward from Nairobi" was the title of a series of five articles written by the United Nations Chairperson and published in the UN Bulletin to maintain 'The Spirit of Nairobi' among members and serve as a catalyst for action. The United Nations Committee issued sixteen UN Bulletins during the biennium. As a non-governmental organization in consultative status, IFBPW reported regularly to the UN Commission on the Status of Women on its activities, programs and projects directed towards implementation of the "Forward-looking Strategies." Three strategies selected as priorities by the Commission on the Status of Women during the biennium had been: increasing participation of women in political decision-making, improving the status of women in the labor market, and studying the increase in family violence and the impact on women of changing family structures.

IFBPW, in collaboration with ten other women's international non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the United Nations, submitted a statement to the Thirty-First Session (1986) of the Commission on the Status of Women drawing "particular attention to the special needs and concerns of young women and girls" in relation to the "Forward-looking Strategies." The statement said, "Equal access to education and gainful employment possibilities is an urgent prerequisite for young women and girls. Also, the reproductive health needs of young women must be taken into account. We urge Governments to give immediate attention to the planning and funding of economic, health and education programs for young women."

Esther Ocloo, UN Committee Chairperson, and Esther Hymer (USA), IFBPW Representative to the UN in New York, reported on the consultative meeting of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the United Nations Regional Economic Commissions in February 1986 and organized by the NGO Committee on the UN Decade for Women. The objective was to bring to fruition the goals expressed in the "Forward-looking Strategies." IFBPW presented a statement at the meeting recommending to the Secretary-General of the UN, the Commission on the Status of Women, the UN Regional Economic Commissions and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): the appointment of an NGO Liaison Officer in each region; an office for Women in Development; and, in general, the facilitation of better communication between the Economic Commissions and NGOs.

Four resolutions were submitted to Congress in 1987 by the United Nations Committee. They were in reference to the implementation of the "Forward-looking Strategies," the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), and observance of the Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

August 5, 1987, was designated as United Nations Day at Congress. Speeches were given on the subjects of non-governmental organizations and UNIFEM. Virginia Saurwein, Chief of the non-governmental organization(NGO), Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, spoke of how the United Nations Charter enabled NGOs to bring their expertise and grassroots concerns to the attention of the United Nations. She said that "through its consultative status, IFBPW had made an impact on the framing of resolutions and recommendations in technical, scientific, and other professional areas of UN activities. The International Federation's UN Representatives had access to government delegations and secretariat staff and assisted directly in the phrasing and presentation of resolutions and decisions placed before intergovernmental bodies." She stressed that "BPW members should advise International Headquarters and their UN Representatives of their activities and especially of government support for issues that come up before the UN bodies. This would help the UN Representatives lobby and promote the policies of the International Federation." She stated that, "The International Federation had made an impact at the United Nations - there were many doors open - and it was up to BPW members to take advantage of this fact and to improve IFBPW's already excellent representation through well-thought-out strategies, thereby ensuring many more years of fruitful and valuable collaboration."

Margaret Snyder, Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), told Congress that "IFBPW was an active member of UNIFEM's NGO Advisory Committee at the United Nations in New York and had contributed ideas and financial support. In turn, UNIFEM supported the activities of BPW members in developing countries. In fact, the first project ever supported by UNIFEM had been a BPW project in Ghana. Within the United Nations system itself, UNIFEM was the sole body responsible for funding and technical assistance dealing exclusively with the broad range of issues of concern to women. Since becoming operational in 1978, UNIFEM had made 30 million dollars available for over 400 projects which had assisted thousands of women in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean."

18th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, August 2-7, 1987

President Tuulikki Juusela welcomed over 1,200 guests and members to the Eighteenth International Congress with the theme "Women, the Vital Force." Tineke Salverde, President of the hosting Netherlands Federation, expressed the hope that this would be an unforgettable Congress at which working women from around the world would have a chance to form real friendships.

S. Miedema, Secretary-General, Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment of the Netherlands Government, officially opened the Eighteenth Congress. "It is vital," he said, "to change the relationship within the core unit, between man and woman. Love means mutual respect, seeing one another as equal partners, sharing household jobs - in short, allowing one another room for development."

The keynote speaker at Congress, Dunja Pastizzi-Ferencic, Director of the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), told delegates, "We expect business and professional women with their expertise, talent and entrepreneurship to lead the way in the search for equality and empowerment of women, to lead the way in strengthening women's vital participation in development, to lead the way in bringing the human race to maturity, which implies development for all in peace." She explained that "the primary goal of INSTRAW, an autonomous United Nations organization, was to strengthen the concept of networking among institutions and individuals. INSTRAW was not a funding agency but conducted in-depth surveys of women's needs and then made suggestions for possible programs and projects to be carried out by coalitions of governments, NGOs and community-based organizations." Dunja Pastizzi-Ferencic concluded her speech by paying tribute to two BPW members at Congress. She said that "not only were the two individuals current members of the Board of Trustees of INSTRAW, but they had been appointed Trustees of INSTRAW twelve years previously by the United Nations Secretary General in 1975, the year of INSTRAW's founding. They were Nobuko Takahashi from Japan and Marcelle Devaud from France."

Members contributed to an IFBPW fund called the Young BPW Fund '87 during the triennium. Grants from the Fund were given to fifteen of the twenty-six Young Career Women attending Congress in 1987. In addition, affiliates sponsored their own Young Career Women. With Martha Gallant (USA) as their leader, the Young Career Women participated as panelists at Congress and discussed the topic, "The Future of Our Federation." The five major subtopics were: image of IFBPW, programs, projects, membership, and the Young Career Women Programme.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

After thanking everyone who had helped make the 1985-1987 biennium a success, the President summarized the term's achievements: regionalizing IFBPW; the first IFBPW Trade Presentation; networking between BPW Clubs and with other international organizations such as Women's World Banking; leadership and financial support of Project Five-O Mexico; participation in meetings and seminars organized by the United Nations; and putting the "Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the Year 2000" into action.

At the close of her Address to Congress, President Juusela said:

The process leading us towards the year 2000 and beyond is in motion. We shall be asking each day from this moment on, Why Not A Woman? No one will come and offer us a chance to change our living situation and the world. As our Young Career Women said, we have to go and seize that chance for ourselves by participating, working, studying and cooperating with others. How do we really want the world to look in the future? How does the future of women look? What kind of problems do we have to face and how can we solve them together? It is very difficult to foretell the future but one thing is clear, we are the vital force!"