The 21st
Board Meeting was held in breathtaking nearness
to the Victoria Falls, Southern Rhodesia,
May 21-27, 1961. In a sense it was a coming
of age. Mrs. Paula van Gorp, the Honorary
Treasurer, made the introductions at a general
briefing session the first evening. Her
hope that members would "get as mixed
up as we can" was well understood,
not to bear any reference to the sessions
to come, but indicated the happy exchange
of welcomes as members arrived for the first
time at an International Federation Meeting
on African soil. Miss Elisabeth Feller,
President, had realised it would be an appropriate
moment to take an inward look and discuss
the implications of a Motion about which
the South African Federation had given Notice
at the Paris Congress, namely, that as events
had changed so rapidly since the beginning
of the Federation, "it might be advantageous
to bring our aims and objects into line
with current international developments."
Immediately
following the Paris Congress, an ad hoc
Committee had been set up composed of two
former International Presidents, Miss Sally
Butler (U.S.A), Miss Margaret Hyndman (Canada),
and Mrs. Agda Rössel (Sweden), who
had been Deputy President throughout the
illness of Dame Caroline Haslett. They had
invited the views of National Federations
and given them much thought.
Of
these three, Miss Hyndman was present. She
outlined the reasons for taking a second
look in the light of changing conditions
since the Federation was first formulated
in 1930. During that period of economic
depression there was a necessity to fight
for and maintain the position achieved by
Business and Professional Women, and to
fight for even greater equality. The purpose
of the present discussion was to get a perspective
and think in terms of what lay ahead. It
was necessary to know and assess the Federation's
ability, particularly, to take responsibility.
"We might find," she said, "that
there was not too much wrong with the aims
as expressed in the Constitution, but that
the shortcomings lay within ourselves."
The aims were then taken one by one by a
Panel.
1st
Aim: to promote the interests of business
and professional women and to secure combined
action by them.
Mrs.
Hardy, President of U.S. Federation, said
this required an analysis of what was meant
by "interests." There was a challenge
to every Federation in this world view.
She urged that members who had achieved
success should help spread their expert
knowledge to others.
2nd Aim: to work for
high business and professional standards
of service.
 Mrs.
Dykes, President of the South African Federation,
said it was essential to have training in
management and administration, and the Federation
should be able to hold Seminars and invite
experts to guide thinking on these lines.
The Chairman saw two points arising here:
the human disinclination to carry working
qualifications into Club life, and the willingness
of women to support other women.
3rd
Aim: to promote friendly relations and understanding
among Business and Professional Women of
all Countries.
Mrs.
Van Gorp, Honorary Treasurer of the International,
said that most Clubs showed interest through
the annual International themes. Understanding
required knowledge which depended upon communication.
A knowledge of languages was a first requisite
of an organisation of this kind.
4th
Aim: to make available and ensure the use
of the specialised knowledge of Business
and Professional Women in the promotion
and support of the programmes and activities
of the United Nations and other world governmental
organisations.
Miss
Tomlinson, First Vice-President of the International,
passed from the missionary spirit of 1930-47
to the need to establish the status of Business
and Professional Women, and to gaining a
standing as a consultative organ of the
Economic and Social Council of the United
Nations, a position in the Councils of the
world, which members of the early days had
won.
Miss
Hyndman summed up the discussions. She said
the challenge was "to study and learn,
better ourselves in our own business and
professions and to take our place as leaders
in our clubs, our governments, and our countries.
Communication is essential between the individual
member and the elected International Officers
so that leaders will have more to give,
and in this way, can achieve the aims and
take the responsibilities which are our
heritage." It seemed there was not
much wrong with the original aims, and under
them, members could go on with a forward-looking
confidence.
The
Opening Ceremony of the Board Meeting was
on the terrace of the Victoria Falls Hotel.
The Governor of Southern Rhodesia, the Hon.
Sir Humphrey Gibbs, O.B.E., and Lady Gibbs
were welcomed by Miss Feller and by Mrs.
Withpetersen, President of the Rhodesia
and Nyasaland Federation.
The
Governor expressed his pleasure at welcoming
visitors from beyond the borders of Africa.
He said that the people in that part of
the world had been forced to progress in
one leap from living in completely undeveloped
countries to modern states with all their
complicated and expensive requirements,
whereas most of the older countries of the
world had developed more slowly over time.
"We really don't know much about each
other, and this is a tragedy, because I
expect that most men and women all over
the world share pretty much the same faults
and virtues, and, for this reason, I wholeheartedly
support organisations such as yours which
can do a lot to promote better understanding."
Three
African guests who shared with Miss Tomlinson
the distinction of having been government
nominated participants at the U.N. Seminar,
"On Participation of Women in Public
Life," held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
Dec. 12-23, 1960, were introduced. They
were: Mrs. Theodora Phillipa Obafummilayo
Manuwa, O.B.E., of Lagos, Nigeria; Mrs.
Jemima Thoiya Gecaga, first woman member
of the Legislative Council of Kenya; and
Mrs. Bernice T. Mohapeloa, B.E.M., of Basutoland.
All were invited to speak during the course
of the Meeting, and so enlarged the knowledge
of members on the problems of African women.
During
the discussion of reports under the heading
United Nations, it was evident that some
Federations were very active in their planned
projects. Where there were difficulties
due to distances, Miss Hyndman suggested
correspondence courses might be worked out.
The ad hoc Committee on the Emigration of
Refugees and the Refugee Relief Fund became
fused into one to be known as the "Rehabilitation
and Refugee Relief Committee," its
composition to be decided by the Executive
Committee.
The
Federation had been seeking Consultative
Status with I.L.O., Miss Tomlinson said
in answer to a question, but it had not
yet come. The structure did not provide
for it at this time. It had taken fifteen
years of persistence to be included on the
Special List. As a result of the formation
of a B.P.W. Club in Buenos Aires, Miss Saira
Arias had represented the Federation at
an I.L.O. meeting there in April 1961.
The
Report of the Legislation Committee, given
by Mrs. Dykes, underlined some anomalies
in Law affecting women. There was much to
be done for the group of emergent African
women going through the transitional period
from tribal native law and custom into the
civil law of the country. A point was made
of recording the Report as accepted rather
than adopted.
Membership
was increasing, reported Miss Randall. Two
new Associate Clubs, Dacca and Buenos Aires,
had been admitted. Dublin was in process
of forming. Full Federation Status looked
likely very soon for South West Africa.
An interesting form of recruiting was being
used by the Berlin Club. It had a group
of young members, of about 21 years of age,
who sometimes had discussions and sometimes
danced. On occasion, they are specially
invited to meetings of importance in the
Senior Group. Later, they begin to attend
regularly and ask for full membership.
Great
interest in nongovernmental organisations
had been shown by women attending the U.N.
Seminar at Addis Ababa (December 1960),
reported Miss Tomlinson, who had herself
attended as the U.K. Government's delegate,
and at which Dr. Denti de Pirajno (Italy)
had represented the Federation. They had
been asked many questions about such women's
organisations. During the Seminar, an unexpected
revolt flared up in the city, which meant
carrying on their discussions under dangerous
and distracting circumstances.
Among
the resolutions passed at Victoria Falls
were eight from the Federation's United
Nations Committee urging or supporting action
by the U.N. on matters such as vocational
guidance opportunities, seminars and advisory
services, expansion of employment opportunities,
and tax legislation. A resolution by South
Africa's Federation relating to the Preamble
to Article 26 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights was discussed very fully,
but finally lost.
The
Workshops, organised by Mrs. Nora Price,
carrying a step further the discussion on
the Aims begun by the Panel earlier in the
Proceedings, brought out some pointers that
members at home might well find helpful
in the running of their national Federations
and at Club level. It was suggested that
overemphasis on selectivity was often a
deterrent to younger members who needed
opportunities to show leadership which led
naturally to the suggestion of limited terms
of office. Leadership was defined as, among
other things, the ability to command respect,
to develop leadership in others, and to
delegate responsibility. It was reiterated
that members should support women seeking
posts on public boards and local councils
particularly, nor were children to be exempted
from accepting responsibility in the home.
In the promotion of friendly relations,
a yearly study of a country as a project
for Clubs and the exchange of literature
between Federations was recommended. After
the soul-searching which had been going
on, it was found that the collective aims
and objectives of the International "were
still good." The need was to become
more aware of them and to implement them.
The compilation of a booklet bringing together
all the resolutions which had been passed
since the inception of the International
showed that they reflected change, yet the
fundamental principles had remained unchanged.
It was to be rendered into French by the
Head Translator at UNESCO. Once again the
International's affiliation with the Liaison
Committee of Women's Organisations came
under fire. There was some feeling that
much of the processes involved, such as
getting the names of organisations on specific
resolutions, was time-consuming and unnecessary,
since the organisations themselves were
in consultative status. It was resolved
to ask the Executive Committee to consider
the position after consultation with the
Federation's representatives on the three
Liaison Committees: London, Geneva, and
New York. The interest shown by African
women in the U.N. Seminar on "The Participation
of Women in Public Life" at Addis Ababa,
already referred to, resulted in a resolution
that member Federations should organise
such seminars and take every opportunity
to meet women of all races. The great practical
value of the work done by the Status of
Women Commission was acknowledged in a resolution
calling for its membership to be increased.
The
entertainment put on by Mr. Hugh Tracey,
Director of the International Library of
African Music at Johannesburg, included
a talk on some thirty years he had spent
visiting and recording the music of 500
African tribes. Three young African musicians,
from the National Museum of Northern Rhodesia
played their instruments: calabashes, each
with a hole covered with the web of the
White Paper Spider, and drums hollowed out
from trees and covered with the skin of
a type of small antelope. The local Committee
presented two documentary films of great
interest loaned by the Rhodes-Livingstone
Museum with a commentary. One was An Aboriginal
Creation Story produced at the University
of Adelaide, Australia, and the other, The
Hunters, depicted the quest for food by
African bushmen.
Three
afternoons had been left for excursions
by boat up the Zambesi River, flying over
Victoria Falls and deep into the wildlife
area in Dawn and Sunset Patrols, and at
night, a walk or drive to see the lunar
rainbow.
The
final social event was the Banquet in the
Victoria Falls Hotel. The tables were strewn
with flowers. Members of the Ndola Club
had arranged a pyramid of handmade flags
of the member Federations with a lighted
candle by each one. Menu cards, individually
hand painted by members of the Livingstone
Club and some of their husbands, listed
the special Rhodesian dishes to be accompanied
by South African wines.
Mrs.
Margaret Brett, Mayor of Bulawayo and founder
President of the Bulawayo Club, toasted
the International Federation. She said "it
is necessary to project our thinking into
the next thirty years as those of thirty
years ago have helped us to reach this day."
Miss Ruth Tomlinson responded for the Federation.
Miss Feller, International President, proposed
the toast to the Federation of Rhodesia
and Nyasaland, saying she felt the fascination
of contrast between her country, Switzerland,
and "this truly beautiful part of Africa."
The
Hon. J. C. Graylin, Federal Minister of
Agriculture, referring to "this vast
emptiness - this sea of trees stretching
from horizon to horizon - the problems of
this enormous area are not for anyone race
or party or group to solve." The Kariba
Dam was a great achievement. He pleaded
for the world's confidence in their abilities.
This
meeting on the soil of a Continent unfamiliar
to so many of the members attending brought,
perhaps, the most widening of horizons yet
experienced by them. The Federation's objectives
appeared at once more vital and more complicated
to achieve.
A
King's Message
"Please
accept and convey to all participants my
heartfelt thanks, sincere good wishes for
a successful Congress and Greetings to all."
Olav R.
This
was His Majesty King Olav's reply to the
greetings and thanks for his Patronage sent
by the Ninth Congress of the Federation,
which met at Oslo, July 25-31, 1962. It
was the second time Norway had been the
hostess country. The world had passed through
shattering experiences since the Board Meeting
in Trondheim in 1939. It was still agonising
over many problems that were not to be easily
solved, but for a brief spell, the hearts
of B.P.W. members could be warmed with pleasure
by the traditional friendliness of their
Norwegian counterparts. It was, too, the
first time the International Federation
had received such a message from a king.
It not only brought a touch of glamour but
also was like receiving a testimonial bearing
a sovereign seal affirming the catholicity
of the Federation's objectives - this women's
organisation which sought to serve directly
or indirectly the good of both men and women.
The attendance appears to have been the
highest yet. Twenty-four countries had sent
Delegates and Observers, and two Associated
Clubs, Nairobi, Kenya and Lagos Centre,
Nigeria, were represented.
The
Opening, presided over by Miss Elisabeth
Feller, was heralded with music of Norwegian
composers played by the pianist, Mr. Ivar
Johnsen. The President of the Norwegian
Federation, Mrs. Thordis Saxlund, welcomed
everybody. The guest Speaker, Mrs. Aase
Bjerkholt, Minister of Family and Consumer
Affairs, said it was necessary for women
to feel morally responsible for helping
those in less developed areas. An open air
Folklore entertainment given that evening
by the Oslo Club at Norsk Folkemuseum, and
folk dances under the leadership of Mr.
Kjell Sandbaek, and a demonstration by Mr.
Sevag on ancient musical instruments with
an unrehearsed accompaniment by birds singing
in the trees, made members feel happily
refreshed after their travels.
Miss
Feller quickly brought members' minds back
to the business of the Congress next morning.
She said it was time to think about the
roads over the "bridges" which
the Paris Congress had set out to build.
She would be happy, she said, if the Federation
had one field worker at its disposal, but
it had not the funds to follow the signposts
that showed the direction of places which
needed its support.
Membership
figures are based on the number of subscriptions
paid by the end of the financial year, and
are therefore liable to a certain fluctuation
which corrects itself. At the time of the
Oslo Congress, there were 270,762 members,
excluding those in Associate Clubs, but
there was a larger spread over the world
than in 1959. The Membership Development
Committee recommended a survey be made of
the interests of young women so that programmes
could be compiled that would appeal to them.
The Chairman, Miss Laura Lorraine (U.S.A.),
in her report, had pressed the belief that
nothing could take the place of personal
contact, interest and concern, real hospitality,
and sustained friendliness, in building
up membership. "This was everyone's
job," was her plea.
When
Judge Hughes reported on the work of the
Federation's United Nations Committee, she
stressed its importance as the means through
which the voice of business and professional
women could be heard throughout the world.
The Federation had, for some time, held
Consultative Status with E.C.O.S.O.C Status
of Women Commission, Human Rights Commission,
U.N.E.S.C.O., and I.L.O. (Special List).
Since the last Congress, six communications
had been sent to the Secretary General,
and the Federation's opinion sought on two
matters: manifestations of anti-Semitism
and other forms of intolerance, and their
global study regarding occupations relating
to engineering, architecture, and law. The
Federation had been represented at all United
Nations Agencies, to which it was accredited,
as well as at meetings of W.H.O. It had
also been represented at Conferences sponsored
by the Status of Women Commission at Addis
Ababa, Bucharest, and Tokyo.
Passing
to the Committee's second function, Judge
Hughes mentioned three projects of particular
interest carried out by National Federations:
Refugee Programmes, Seminars on the Participation
of Women in Public Life, and Vocational
Guidance. It is not, perhaps, always fully
understood how the work of this Committee
has a two-way significance. As Judge Hughes
said, "the United Nations need the
co-operation of the nongovernmental organisations,
not only for advice, but to carry out their
recommendations." In the other direction,
the member organisations, such as the International
Federation, have a channel for the expression
of their point of view backed up by data
acquired through local national study.
It
is in such ways that the Subcommittees of
this very hard working main Committee play
such a valuable role. Indirectly, the emphasis
in training for qualified personnel, pointed
out by Dr. Schreiner-Bienert in regard to
W.H.O., is of interest to business and professional
women through other Agencies as well.
The
United Nations programme was the subject
of the Workshops at this Congress. The Speaker
was Mme. S. Grinberg- Vinaver, Chief of
Section, U.N. Commission on the Status of
Women, who brought with her a message of
good wishes from the Secretary General.
The Commission had been in existence for
sixteen years, yet is less autonomous than
the Federation, she said, for it has to
report to higher bodies composed mostly
of men, whereas the Federation was its own
master. Lack of political rights gave very
little chance for women to improve their
conditions in other fields or to take part
themselves in government and the economic
life of their countries, nor to train new
generations to do so.
Four
members on the Workshop's Panel dealt with
specific areas of work.
(1)
Miss Katherine Peden (U.S.A.) on Advisory
Services. The International Federation had
strongly endorsed the organisation of U.N.
Seminars under this heading in 1956, 1958,
1959, and 1961. The Status of Women had
been commended for requesting U.N. development
plans and assistance to governments in organising
national and local seminars. Citing her
own Federation, Miss Peden said that the
third in a series of economic seminars had
been held in conjunction with their recent
National Convention in Los Angeles
(2)
Vocational Guidance and Career Advancement.
Miss Nazla Dane referred to an idea initiated
thirteen years ago by the Toronto Club which
had operated under the title, Occupational
Information Bureau. This had now been adopted
as a National project with the title changed
to Career Previews. By holding "clinics,"
business and professional women already
established in their careers had made themselves
available for talks about their jobs. In
response to a questionnaire circulated nationally,
it had been found that some clubs were unwilling
to undertake the project, and sometimes
school authorities discouraged the idea.
But where the educational authorities and
the Clubs cooperated, enthusiasm had run
high.
(3)
Access to Education. Mme. de Saint-Blanquat
spoke of the splendid teamwork that had
resulted in the Federation being awarded
two U.N.E.S.C.O. Study Tour Grants: one,
to bring a Japanese woman across the United
States and to several countries in Europe;
the other, to enable an African woman to
go to Australia. Their programmes had convinced
U.N.E.S.C.O. that these were good investments
in the training of women as leaders in adult
education.
(4)
Assistance to Women in Developing Countries.
Mrs. Ayo Manuwa (Nigeria) said that in countries
where generations of people had lived without
opportunities, their greatest need was education
from nursery age through adulthood, including
vocational and technical training. Market
women and others needed not only to be taught
to read and write but to care for their
families and homes, for which money and
instructors were needed. Conditions and
needs were best understood by attending
Seminars held in the less developed areas
of the world. What women had to work for
is to make it possible for women in all
countries to derive benefit from all programme
actions. Members were urged to submit names
of qualified women to the member governments
(in the U.N.) who could apply for the United
Nations Fellowships now available through
the Advisory Services programme which had
recently been voted an increased oppropriation
(subject to approval of the General Assembly).
When
the 16th Session of the Status of Women
Commission had met, Miss Ruth Tomlinson
(leader), was accompanied by three other
members: Dr. Sofia Corradi (Italy), Miss
Winifred Wilson (Rhodesia and Nyasaland),
and Mrs. Virginia Beirnes (Canada). A good
deal of time had been given to the training
of young people, and once again Miss Tomlinson
pressed home the importance of replying
to questionnaires.
A workshop,
divided into twenty-two groups, pursued
the question of membership. This should
include all women who worked (providing
the persons are acceptable to the local
Club) and who accept the aims and objectives
of the Federation. It should be known why
members come and why they go. Experience
pointed to fellowship being the chief factor
in the former, but to retain them, the programme
had "to give them experience broader
than their ordinary lives." First steps
could present some difficulties, such as
occurred in Japan. Miss Kageyama said the
first club had been formed in Tokyo about
ten years ago by some twenty professional
women of high standard and there was a certain
reluctance to take in business women. When
Miss Randall had visited Japan, she had
pointed out that there were now business
women in highly responsible positions also,
and the Federation was for both: its objectives
could be furthered by having a cross section
of women who work. For the Fine Arts Committee,
Mrs. Astrid Andren reported several exhibitions
arranged by National Federations. An Antwerp
member, Mrs. Jacqueline Fontyn, had been
awarded first prize in an international
competition for women composers in Mannheim
for her trio for piano.
It
becomes obvious as the story of the International
Federation unfolds through its printed Proceedings
of Board Meetings and Congresses that it
had itself left the first steps and was
climbing towards effective growth and maturity.
The machinery was in gear and running with
an easier rhythm. There were, nonetheless,
a number of revisions made to the Constitution,
including the deletion of the International
Theme Committee and the Programme Coordination
Committee. The Membership Booklet had been
printed in English, French, Spanish, Swedish,
and Japanese, the French and Japanese versions
having been made by members of these Federations.
The
oft debated question of representation on
the Liaison Committee of Women's Organisations
was settled by a decision to withdraw from
it. The reason was that, as the Federation
had Consultative Status of its own, it could
act more freely than as a member of this
Committee.
There
were sixteen resolutions, including the
preparation of a history of the International,
reaffirming support for the United Nations
and urging the new nations of Asia and Africa
to apply for membership of the Status of
Women Commission. There were resolutions
on education, the holding of regional seminars,
marriage age, consent and registration,
and support for W.H.O. over Ritual Operations.
Arising from the Summer Session 1962 of
the Economic and Social Council, a resolution
recommended National Federations to urge
their governments' representatives to expand
community development and programmes for
the advancement of women in developing countries.
Help
to refugees came up in a new context. Miss
Hyndman had explored the possibility of
helping to finance the education of girls
in the new teacher-training and vocation-training
centre at Ramallah, Jordan. U.N.W.R.A. and
U.N.E.S.C.O. were working together on this.
The training for boys was well under way,
and the new venture was to adapt the programme
to the needs of girls in the poverty-stricken
refugee population from Lebanon, Syria,
the Gaza Strip, and Jordan. U.N.W.R.A. was
asking for funds in the form of scholarships
of $500 (£180 sterling) for each student
for one year. These children had only been
two or three years old, it was pointed out,
when their parents had become refugees and
were entirely innocent of anything that
had led to the Palestine refugee problem.
It was decided to adopt the project.
On
the financial side, Mrs. Van Gorp reported
"not much difference" except in
the voluntary Delegates Fund of 50 cents
(3s. 6d) per member payable once only. This
Fund had risen from $7,000 to $27,000, and
seven grants had been paid from it to bring
Delegates to this meeting at Oslo. Widening
Horizons had increased its subscribers.
Congress expressed its appreciation of Miss
Lisa Sergio's work as Editor over a long
period. The editorial chair was now being
taken over by Miss Isabel MacMillan of Canada.
Lady
Littlewood described the Trust Fund set
up in memory of Dame Caroline Haslett, former
International President. It was in two parts:
the Electrical interests section and the
General. Among the organisations in the
General Section was the International and
B.P.W. Clubs in Great Britain. Together
they had contributed £650. An Award
made in this second section was for a research
assignment in a certain section of the home
economics field over the past forty years.
 A
welcome break in the concentrated Agenda
was provided by a Reception by Mayor Rolf
Stranger in the magnificent new City Hall
which had been built gradually and painstakingly
over a period of ten years, conceived and
adorned by the greatest artists of the time.
Officers and Delegates were guests at a
Reception by Den Kgl. Norske Regjering in
the beautiful rooms at Parkveien 45, Oslo,
where Mrs. Aase Bjerkholt, Minister of Family
and Consumer Affairs, received them.
At
the Banquet, there were many reminders of
Scandinavian marine history-ships that had
sailed the long coast of Norway - and other
distinctive aspects of the country's life.
This was held at Najaden, the Norsk Sjøfartsmuseums
Restaurant at Bygdønes. Mrs. Thordis
Saxlund, President of the Norwegian Federation,
gave velkommen til bords (welcome to table),
Miss Feller gave skäl to King Olav,
and Takk for maten (Thanks for the meal)
was given by Mrs. Märta Liljegren,
International Vice-President. Miss Ruth
Tomlinson was the principal Speaker after
several Toasts. A huge bonfire lit up the
scene as members reluctantly dispersed.
It
was again time to elect new Officers. There
was no opposition to Miss Helen G. Irwin
of the U.S.A., who had been U.N. Fellowship
Chairman for six years. She was accordingly
declared President in succession to Miss
Feller, who had completed her term of office.
Miss
Irwin said the years ahead would not be
easy ones: "We are living in a period
when millions are seeking an end to the
misery and others are seeking new patterns
of life society." She concluded by
recalling to life the words of Dr. Lena
Madesin Phillips as appropriate in 1930
as in 1962, "In this hour of destiny,
we must travel to greater things. We may
even reach the stars." |
