All human beings are born free and equal
in dignity
and rights. They are endowed with reason
and conscience
and should act towards one another in a
spirit of brotherhood.
Universal Declaration
of Human Rights
Theme
for Triennium:
The Challenge to the New Woman
| The
New Woman and Agriculture |
.......................1978 |
| The New Woman
and Industrialization |
.......................1979 |
| The New Woman
and the Family |
.......................1980 |
Mildred
Head was the second International President
from the United Kingdom. Dame Caroline Haslett
was president from 1950 to 1956. Through
her election as the eleventh president of
the International Federation at the Fourteenth
International Congress (1977) in Helsinki,
Finland, Mildred Head assured herself of
sitting on committees composed of all women.
 While
there were many women who, like herself,
owned and ran their own retail stores, she
was the only woman on committees devoted
to the interests of distribution of goods
produced by small businesses in the United
Kingdom. She was the lone female member
of the National Chamber of Trade (UK) and
was elected as President by her thirty-nine
male counterparts in 1971.
Mildred
Head achieved the rare distinction of simultaneously
making history and carrying on a family
tradition of public service when, in 1971,
she was elected Mayor of the town of Sudbury,
only the second woman to hold the position
in four hundred years. Her father had been
Mayor for three terms.
During
her term as President of the International
Federation and, at the same time, serving
as President of the British National Chamber
of Trade, Mildred Head was appointed to
the European Economic Commission (EEC) to
represent British retailers on the Committee
of Consultants for Trade and Distribution.
She was the only woman to be nominated for
the position. Two hundred ninety-nine men
had been nominated.
Mildred
Head was a fitting choice to lead the IFBPW
into its fiftieth year. Her accomplishments
served as inspiration for all women.
IFBPW
PRESIDENT - SALLY BUTLER
1947-1950 USA
IN
MEMORIAM
"We
regret to announce the death on September
21, 1979, of Sally Butler, a Past President
of BPW/USA (1946-1948) and second president
of the International Federation (1947-1950).
Members who attended the Thirty-Sixth Board
Meeting in London in 1976 will long remember
her reading of the International Collect,
written by her friend, Mary Stewart, and
adopted as the prayer of the International
Federation. We are sad that she will not
be with us to celebrate the Golden Jubilee
Congress (Widening Horizons, 1979, 48:4
p.4)."
INTERNATIONAL
WEEK MESSAGE from the INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
1978 Theme: The New Woman in Agriculture
"The
new woman in agriculture is an important
theme because, with the exception of industrialized
nations, eighty per cent of the world's
women live in rural areas and at least fifty
per cent are in the work force. Since most
BPW Clubs are in urban areas, it is important
to reach out to women living in rural areas.
BPW programs should reach the remotest areas."
39th
BOARD MEETING
ATHENS, GREECE, February 19-22, 1979
The
site for the Thirty-Ninth Board Meeting
was Athens, Greece. The International President,
Mildred Head, welcomed 501 members from
34 countries and thanked the Hellenic Federation
members and President Mary Kamtsidou for
hosting the Board Meeting.
The
theme of the Board Meeting "Where Do
We Go From Here?" was chosen in order
to evaluate IFBPW policy and procedure.
Statutory business had been cut to a minimum
to give everyone an opportunity to be heard.
President Head encouraged the participants
to "please tell us what you want for
you are the International Federation and
the role of the International Officers and
staff at International Headquarters is to
serve you and carry out your policy directives."
Gloria Tilbury (Zambia) summarized the discussion
of "Where Do We Go From Here?"
by listing themes that had emerged as priority
issues: strengthening regional communication
and cooperation and continuation of regional
seminars, attraction and retention of young
career women as well as increasing total
number of members and strengthening ties
with other non-governmental organizations
(NGOs).
Other
discussions at the Board Meeting centered
around the following topics: women and new
concepts of family life, women in business,
and women in policy-making positions. The
United Nations Committee presented a workshop
on health, education and employment - three
subjects on the agenda of the upcoming World
Conference of the United Nations Decade
for Women (1980).
While
giving her Address to the Thirty-Ninth Board
Meeting, the International President said,
"We know that about two-thirds of the
world's people are living in substandard
conditions. Much is being done to alleviate
this distress by the United Nations and
many other organizations, but the numbers
are so vast that improvement will come only
if people help themselves within their own
countries in collaboration with international
assistance. We (IFBPW) would like to help
and, whilst our scope is limited, there
is much we can effectively do. We can talk
to the rest of the world, we can stimulate
public opinion, and we can establish standards."
 REGIONAL
SEMINARS
President
Head considered regional seminars as very
important because "the platform provided
by a seminar gives the opportunity for the
exchange of ideas, for hearing top quality
speakers and for framing recommendations
which all members can then introduce to
their own governments." She further
stated that "a seminar doesn't finish
when we pack our bags and leave because
we have resolved that there are many actions
which we have to take when we get home.
Governments must be approached, other organizations
asked to cooperate, and local BPW Clubs
stimulated in order to carry out all those
good intentions for the betterment of each
of our communities."
Salima
Ahmed, International's Third Vice President
and President of BPW Pakistan, organized
an international seminar with the theme
"The Total Woman" (with special
reference to Muslim women of the developing
countries) in 1978 in Pakistan. The highlight
of the seminar was the announcement by the
President of Pakistan, General Mohammad
Ziaul Haq, that a Women's Affairs Division
would be set up within the government. His
attendance marked the first time in the
country's thirty-year history that a head
of state had attended a women's assembly.
The International President spoke at the
opening ceremonies and Charlotte VanDine
(Canada), International Honorary Secretary,
conducted the Candlelighting Ceremony. The
dual purpose of the seminar was to work
toward the liberation and development of
women and increase the working woman's understanding
of her responsibilities toward less fortunate
women. One hundred and twenty-five women
attended the three day seminar.
The
Fourth All Africa Seminar was held in Nairobi,
Kenya, in October 1978 with forty delegates
from five African countries and the International
President in attendance. J.J. Nyagah, Kenyan
Minister of Agriculture, opened the seminar
with the theme "The New Woman in Agriculture."
Topics included insect and pest control,
distribution of produce, education, and
communicating with rural women involved
in agriculture. The UNICEF /NGO cooperative
pilot project in Kenya called "Water
for Health" was described by members
of the Nairobi Club who reported that their
contribution to the project had been the
purchase of water tanks for villages in
an eastern province of Kenya.
The
first regional seminar ever held in the
Asia and Pacific region took place in Singapore,
September 21-22, 1979. Approximately one
hundred and twenty women from eighteen countries
attended this seminar with the theme "Women-Towards
Achieving Equal Status in Asia and Australia."
All of the International Officers attended
the two-day seminar. Since affiliates from
the Asia and Pacific region were meeting
together for the first time, a workshop
on regional cooperation was offered. Achieving
equal status in agriculture and in industry,
and the need for family planning and its
effect on family life were topics of discussion.
Following the seminar, Carolyn Dixon (New
Zealand) wrote a letter of appreciation
to the Singapore Associate Club members
and their President, Caroline Lam, in which
she said, "The seminar was eye-opening
and the problems that many of our Club members
encounter every day gave me much room for
thought. I am looking forward to seeing
regional cooperation result from seminars
such as this one. More international contact
is needed between us all." A newsletter
about affiliates in the Asia and Pacific
region was published in 1980 as a follow-up
to the seminar.
The
fourth regional Congress of Business and
Professional Women of the Americas (November
6-10, 1979), sponsored by BPW / USA, was
attended by two hundred and nine people
from twenty countries. It was held in Guatemala
City with the theme, "Women in Development:
Equality Through Education and Employment."
President Head was present and reported
that recommendations made by the Congress
concerned subjects such as parenting skills,
changing employment opportunities, use of
mass media for the eradication of illiteracy,
sexual harassment, and continuing education.
Other
regional seminars took place during the
triennium in Barbados, Belgium, Germany,
Ireland and Switzerland.
MEMBERSHIP
COMMITTEE
Rosmarie
Michel (Switzerland), Membership Committee
Chairperson, reported that there were affiliates
in 67 countries in 1980, five more countries
than in 1977, and the total number of IFBPW
members was approximately 210,000. The Committee
had conducted a membership workshop at the
Thirty-Ninth Board Meeting to discuss challenges
and develop initiatives. The goal was to
stimulate BPW members to launch membership
recruitment drives. The Chairperson expressed
concern that while the number of affiliates
was rising, the actual number of members
was declining and stated that the key to
increasing membership depended on the three
P's: Programs, Publicity and Participation.
During the triennium, publicity was given
a boost by the Publications Chairperson,
Delia Dalton (UK), and her committee which
had published six membership publicity leaflets
and bookmarks listing all affiliates. President
Head encouraged everyone to take an active
role in membership recruitment with these
words, "You [the members] are the IFBPW.
You are, each one of you, a membership officer
working to extend the influence of the Federation."
HONORARY
TREASURER/FINANCE COMMITTEE
Myra
Ruth Harmon (USA), Honorary Treasurer, reported
that financial stability during the triennium
had made it possible to increase IFBPW representation
at various United Nations meetings and conferences,
to assist with regional seminars, and provide
additional funds for membership work.
Joyce
Kinchington (UK), Finance Committee Chairperson,
stated that her Committee's major goal had
been to build up an Accumulated Fund (equivalent
to at least one year's expenditure) so that
a reserve was available in the event of
unforeseen expenses. Prior experience showed
that dues could not remain at current levels
for more than a three-year period if IFBPW
was to function properly. Therefore, the
Committee submitted a recommendation to
Congress in 1980 to increase dues from seventy-five
cents to one dollar and ten cents per member.
The increase was approved and would become
effective on April 1, 1982.
PUBLICATIONS
COMMITTEE
Delia
Dalton (UK), Publications Committee Chairperson,
reported the introduction of Internews,
a one-page news bulletin published every
three months and including news about current
activities and affiliates. Free bookmarks
listing all affiliates and six publicity
leaflets were published with the intent
of providing basic facts about the International
Federation to the individual member. Ballpoint
pens and leather bookmarks bearing the name
of the International Federation were sold.
The Chairperson thanked Gwen Nelson (Australia)
for collating the results of a questionnaire
concerning the international magazine, Widening
Horizons, which had been sent to the membership.
The Chairperson paid a warm tribute to Ruth
Jowett for modernizing Widening Horizons
during her seven years (1973-1980) as editor.
She announced that the new editor was Wendy
Peters.
EDUCATIONAL
AND CULTURAL COMMITTEE
The
Educational and Cultural Committee program
for the triennium was based on the theme,
"The New Woman and Agriculture,"
according to Chairperson Jeanne Chaton (France).
Affiliates had made the following observations
regarding the theme: Rural schools should
be the foundation of the economic life of
rural areas; agricultural training for women
should not be limited to home economics
but also should include farm management
and marketing of products; the continuing
problems of women producers such as malnutrition
and the lack of clean water, hygiene, transportation
and hospitals should be addressed. There
was praise for the excellent relations that
existed between some rural and urban BPW
clubs.
EMPLOYMENT
CONDITIONS COMMITTEE/ILO
The
Employment Conditions Committee, under the
leadership of Chairperson Helen K. Leslie
(USA), presented resolutions to Congress
in 1980 concerning self-help programs for
unemployed women as well as part-time employment
and its effects on the status of women.
Both resolutions were approved.
Madeleine
Jaccard, ILO Representative, reported that
the issue of special problems relating to
older workers was the subject of the ILO
Conference in 1979. She pointed out that
the principle of equality of opportunity
and treatment for workers regardless of
age was not as yet laid down in the International
Labor standards. International standards
relating to employment and conditions of
work of nursing personnel and professional
workers were adopted.
LEGISLATION
COMMITTEE
The
Legislation Committee, under the direction
of Cecilia Mandal-Ericson (Sweden), considered
a large number of issues during the triennium.
Resolutions submitted by the Legislation
Committee and adopted at Congress in 1980
concerned discriminatory practices in many
parts of the world in relation to inheritance
laws and minimum marriage age. The resolutions
stated that laws of inheritance should ensure
the same right of inheritance irrespective
of gender, and that the minimum legal age
for marriage should be raised to ensure
that marriage is a voluntary agreement between
two adults.
PROJECTS
COMMITTEE
UNIVERSITY of WEST INDIES SOCIAL WELFARE
TRAINING CENTRE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - U.W.I./UNICEF
Joan
Bielby (New Zealand), Chairperson of the
Projects Committee, reported that $1,000
had been contributed by affiliates to the
University of West Indies Scholarship Program
during the triennium.
WOMEN
and VOCATIONAL CENTRE at RAMALLAH SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM - UNRWA/UNESCO
 Affiliates
contributed $8,000 in scholarship aid to
"Ramallah" during the triennium.
At
the Projects Committee Workshop at the Thirty-Ninth
Board Meeting in 1979, participants noted
that support for the two existing international
projects had fallen considerably. Possible
new projects had been discussed. In response
to these considerations, it was resolved
at Congress in 1980 to officially recognize
the UNESCO Co-Action (Cooperative Action)
Programme as the International Federation's
third project. The Co-Action Programme consisted
of many projects in different parts of the
world coordinated by UNESCO. All Co-Action
Programmes were self-help programs and were
initiated by the people from the country
concerned. Copies of the Co-Action Programme
booklet listing the projects were sent to
all affiliates who were asked to support
one or more of the projects. The Chairperson
asked that affiliates send donations to
International Headquarters specifying which
project had been chosen for support. Another
option for affiliates was to contribute
to the Co-Action Programme for use where
needed.
GOLDEN
JUBILEE INTERNATIONAL AID FUND IS ESTABLISHED
An
International Gift Shop was operated for
the first time during the Golden Jubilee
Congress in 1980 under the direction of
the Projects Committee. The Projects Committee
Chairperson thanked the members of the Swiss
Federation's Planning Committee for the
Golden Jubilee Congress for suggesting the
idea and helping set up and run the Gift
Shop. The purpose of the Gift Shop was two-fold:
to develop mutual understanding by a display
and sale of goods typical of the countries
affiliated with the International Federation,
and to establish a fund to assist all IFBPW
affiliates in sending at least one representative
to International meetings. It was called
the Golden Jubilee International Fund, later
referred to as the International Aid Fund.
All items sold in the Gift Shop were donated
by members. The Projects Committee reported
that the first International Gift Shop had
raised $6,871 for the new fund.
During
her term as International President, Mildred
Head was an active participant in the organization
known as Women's International Non-Governmental
Organizations (WINGOs), as her predecessor,
Beryl Nashar, had been. Membership was composed
of the presidents of women's international
organizations. President Head stated that,
"We [WINGOs] are agreed that we should
work together whenever possible and would
like to enter into a joint project. We look
for a worthwhile project. If we could establish
this, I am sure that the combined efforts
of several organizations working together
would fire everyone to literally move mountains."
Her three years as International Projects
Committee Chairperson (1974-1977) had strengthened
her conviction that IFBPW needed to undertake
a new project and so, during 1979, President
Head initiated a series of meetings between
the leaders of the International Federation
and four other international women's organizations:
Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW),
International Council of Women (ICW), International
Federation of University Women (IFUW), Soroptimist
International (SI). These meetings laid
the groundwork for the official founding
of Project Five-O in 1982.
UNITED
NATIONS COMMITTEE
Blanche
Weekes (Republic of Ireland), Chairperson
of the United Nations Committee, assigned
each committee member responsibility for
one aspect of work of the United Nations
that concerned the International Federation:
the Economic and Social Council; Commission
on the Status of Women; Commission on Human
Rights; UNICEF and the Year of the Child;
United Nations Environment Programme; and
Food and Agriculture Organization, World
Health Organization, and the rural woman.
Communication between the United Nations
Committee and members was enhanced by publication
of a Bulletin (formerly called Programme
Notes) that was distributed with the monthly
International Circular to all affiliates.
Eight Bulletins were published during the
triennium.
UNITED NATIONS CONSULTATIVE STATUS CATEGORY
I GRANTED
The
Chairperson thanked Esther Hymer (USA),
IFBPW Representative to the UN in New York,
for working over a period of years to ensure
the upgrading of IFBPW in April 1978 from
consultative status in Category II to Category
I with the United Nations Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC). Upgrading the organization's
consultative status had been suggested by
Beryl Nashar during her term as International
President. The difference between Category
I and Category II status was significant.
Representatives of IFBPW were now permitted
to speak in ECOSOC meetings; place items
on the agenda; submit written statements
of two thousand words (instead of five hundred
words previously allowed as a Category II
organization) directly to the Council; and
sit in ECOSOC meetings in a seat reserved
for representatives of IFBPW. President
Head noted that the promotion would demand
keeping up the high standard which had gained
IFBPW that honor.
Work
in connection with the "World Plan
of Action for the Implementation of the
Objectives of International Women's Year
(equality, development and peace)"
was of primary importance to the UN Committee
during the triennium. A twelve page summary
of the "World Plan of Action"
had been published by IFBPW in French, English
and Spanish and distributed to all affiliates.
The
United Nations Committee developed a questionnaire
with the purpose of planning for the second
half of the Decade for Women asking affiliates
to report on discrimination against women
in employment, access of women to supervisory
or management posts, and fairness of laws
regarding employment. Members were also
asked to report their top priority for the
second half of the Decade for Women, 1981-1985;
they answered - "to ensure that more
women reach decision-making levels of employment."
The
IFBPW Representative to the UN in New York,
Esther Hymer (USA), was the Chairperson
of the NGO Committee on the UN Decade for
Women. The Committee consisted of eighty-five
members representing sixty-five non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and was responsible
for coordinating preparatory meetings on
every continent to stimulate implementation
of the goals of the International Women's
Decade - equality, development and peace.
Setting priorities for the 1981-1985 program
for the second half of the Decade was another
important objective of the preparatory meetings.
The
International Federation received a Tribute
of Appreciation dated February 15, 1978,
from the Department of State of the United
States of America. President Mildred Head
said flit was a great honor to be shared
by every member of the IFBPW and that the
citation was to show appreciation for the
work which had been carried out over the
years by the International Federation working
closely with the United Nations and especially
for the part IFBPW had played in the promotion
of International Women's Year in 1975 and
the Decade for Women 1976-1985."
CONVENTION
ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW) IS ADOPTED
An
event of great significance to women around
the world took place on December 18, 1979,
when the Thirty-Fourth General Assembly
Session of the United Nations unanimously
adopted the Convention on the Elimination
of all forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW). After ratification by twenty Member
States, the Convention would become a legally
binding international instrument designed
to eliminate discrimination which denies
or limits women's equality in political,
economic, social and civil fields as well
as in family relations. The United Nations
Commission on the Status of Women was responsible
for the drafting of the Convention. Helvi
Sipila, member of BPW Finland and a distinguished
lawyer, was a key legal adviser during the
drafting process. IFBPW had worked for years
towards the adoption of this Convention
by submitting statements on its provisions
to the Commission on the Status of Women.
This Convention served notice that the United
Nations had formally incorporated the principles
of women's rights and gender equality. The
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
Against Women was formed with responsibility
for overseeing implementation of the Convention.
INTERNATIONAL
RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN (INSTRAW)
Findings
at the 1975 World Conference of the International
Women's Year indicated a great need for
improvements in research and training in
areas relating to women and development.
The International Research and Training
Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW),
founded in December 1975, was an autonomous
institution affiliated with the United Nations
which focused on practical and specific
objectives to increase technical cooperation
for development that would benefit women.
Two BPW members, Marcelle Devaud (France)
and Nobuko Takahashi (Japan), were appointed
in 1975 by the United Nations Secretary-General,
Kurt Waldheim, as two of INSTRAW's ten founding
trustees. INSTRAW was funded by voluntary
contributions from governments and non-governmental
organizations.
VOLUNTARY
FUND FOR THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN
By
resolution of the United Nations General
Assembly in 1976, the Voluntary Fund for
the United Nations Decade for Women, renamed
the United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM) in 1984, was established
as a separate entity in autonomous association
with the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) to assist in implementing the goals
of the Decade. The Fund was an extension
of the special fund created to support activities
during International Women's Year. The goal
of raising $10 million in three years was
met in 1980. The money was used to fund
ninety-three programs around the world.
The Voluntary Fund operated in two main
areas: working with large national and international
development agencies to ensure that programs
took account of women's needs and potentials;
and designing and managing programs to improve
women's skills, wage-earning potential,
productivity and self-reliance. Working
through local offices of the UN Development
Programme and in collaboration with numerous
agencies and NGOs, the Voluntary Fund selected
projects through a careful evaluation process
which determined technical, training and
financial requirements.
WOMEN'S
WORLD BANKING
President
Mildred Head presented a special report
to the Thirty-Ninth Board Meeting in 1979
which she introduced by saying, "I
have the honor to present to you today a
report of a proposed plan to found the first
organization of its kind in history which
will dedicate itself to advancing and promoting
the full economic participation of women
worldwide. The name of the organization
is Women's World Banking (WWB). You will
recall that we were unanimous in approving
a resolution at the Fourteenth International
Congress in 1977 supporting women's access
to financial credit and assistance as well
to the principle of increasing women's knowledge
of efficient business and financial management
practices. At the Thirty-Ninth Board Meeting
in 1979, the following motion was unanimously
approved:
That
the members agree that IFBPW should pledge
its support, in principle, to the concepts
of Women's World Banking and that close
contact should be maintained between the
two organizations with a view to giving
practical help as and when possible.
 The
original idea for the founding of this organization
had grown out of discussions which took
place at a preparatory meeting for the World
Conference of International Women's Year.
Women from Ghana had been invited to take
part in the meeting to voice their concerns
relating to the status of women. Their top
concern was the difficulty that women encountered
when attempting to gain access to credit.
They believed that if women had access to
credit, they would be able to generate funds
to meet other human needs such as better
health care and housing. Esther Ocloo of
Ghana carried this message to the World
Conference in Mexico City where she became
reacquainted with Esther Hymer (USA), IFBPW
Representative to the UN in New York. The
two women had met in Africa many years earlier
when Esther Ocloo acted as translator for
Esther Hymer who was working for United
Church Women. This unexpected opportunity
to become reacquainted with Esther Hymer
inspired Esther Ocloo to found the first
BPW Club in Ghana and later to hold many
national leadership positions in BPW Ghana
as well serving as Vice President of the
International Federation.
Esther
Ocloo delivered the message of the Ghanaian
women to the World Conference in 1975 which
delegates heard and heeded. She subsequently
became a founder and first Chairperson (1979-1985)
of Women's World Banking, an organization
dedicated to advancing and promoting the
full economic participation of women. WWB
works by encouraging banks to make loans
to women. WWB and its affiliates then guarantee
the loans and give training and support
services to ensure that borrowers repay
their loans. Women's World Banking became
a reality in 1979 with an initial startup
grant of $250,000. Esther Ocloo's association
with WWB has been continuous since 1979
and she is currently (1995) a Member of
the Advisory Board. From small beginnings,
Women's World Banking, with headquarters
in New York City, has grown into an internationally
acclaimed institution with affiliates in
over forty countries. Women have proven
to be exceptionally creditworthy achieving
a loan repayment rate of more than ninety
per cent.
The
United Nations declared 1979 the International
Year of the Child because at least 350 million
young lives still remained beyond the reach
of basic services such as medicine, education
and sanitation. The Year of the Child was
intended to spur specific, practical measures
to benefit children. Affiliates around the
world responded. The Dacca Club in Pakistan
donated fifty sets of textbooks to a primary
school in the city of Dacca. The Lanaki
Club of Kenya donated three hundred dollars
to needy children. The Seminole Club in
the United States and the Cochabamba Club
in Bolivia worked on a joint project for
International Year of the Child. USA members
collected orthopedic appliances and sent
them to Bolivia where Bolivian members presented
them to a children's rehabilitation center.
At
a preparatory meeting for the World Conference
of the United Nations Decade for Women (1980),
IFBPW and other international women's organizations
were asked, for the first time, to support
and work with the United Nations Regional
Economic Commissions. Members at the Thirty-Ninth
Board Meeting in 1979 responded by passing
a resolution of support. The Commissions
operated in five regions: Africa (ECA),
Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Europe (ECE),
Latin America (ECLA), and Western Asia (ECWA).
Concerns of the Commissions included productivity,
industrialization, exchange of goods and
nation building. The International Federation,
because of its status as a non-governmental
organization in consultative status with
the United Nations, was subsequently invited
to take part in seminars sponsored by the
Regional Economic Commissions. IFBPW's relationship
with the Commissions was formalized at Congress
in 1980 with the decision to appoint members
as liaisons between the International Federation
and the United Nations Regional Economic
Commissions.
GOLDEN
JUBILEE (15th) INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
Montreux, Switzerland, May 25-31, 1980
The
Golden Jubilee International Congress was
officially opened by Julia Arri, the President
of BPW/USA. This was appropriate because
fifty years earlier, Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips,
the first Executive Secretary (1919-1922)
and fifth president (1926-1929) of the National
Federation of Business and Professional
Women's Clubs of the United States of America,
had officially opened the founding International
Conference in Geneva, Switzerland in 1930.
As Chairperson of her Federation's International
Relations Committee, she had presented a
recommendation to the National Convention
in 1929 asking that "at an early date,
and as soon as it shall deem advisable,
the Executive Board, upon the advice and
consent of the Board of Directors, be empowered
to take steps towards the calling of an
International Conference of business and
professional women." The Executive
Board selected August 24-26, 1930, as the
dates of the conference. One hundred members
of the United States Federation joined women
from fifteen other countries at this inaugural
international conference. The International
Federation of Business and Professional
Women was founded on August 26, 1930. Dr.
Lena Madesin Phillips was unanimously chosen
as the first president of the new organization
and remained in that capacity until 1947.
(A History of the National Federation of
Business and Professional Women's Clubs
- USA, 1919-1944, p. 55).
During
her opening address to Congress, Julia Arri
said, "If Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips
were here today, she would consider her
dreams fulfilled. The women of the United
States stand in the reflected glow of the
past achievements of Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips
as does every BPW member in the world."
Julia Arri concluded her opening speech
with these words:
The
potential of the International Federation
is like undiscovered
gold lying just below the surface but so
accessible
if we are only willing to dig for it.
Erna
Hamburger, President of the hosting Swiss
Federation, extended greetings to the large
number of members and guests in attendance
at Congress - 1,528 from 46 countries. Mildred
Head, International President, told the
gathering that lithe Golden Jubilee of 1980
is a time to look back in order to recognize
the signposts that will lead IFBPW forward
to success and prosperity. We look back
in gratitude to those of our members, led
by Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips, who founded
our great international organization in
1930 and to all those who have worked during
the intermediate years to make it so successful."
 The
Golden Jubilee Day Celebration was held
during Congress on May 28. It began with
an orchestral musical interlude which included
an original musical composition, "Intrada,"
especially written for the occasion by Genevieve
Calme, a member of BPW Switzerland. A highlight
of the Celebration was a presentation of
the history of the International Federation
illustrated by slides and recordings. "This
was the Beginning, with Eyes to See, Minds
to Think, Hearts to Dare" was the title
of the presentation produced and narrated
by Lisa Sergio (USA). She had been a friend
and colleague of Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips,
was the author of her biography, A Measure
Filled, and had been the editor of Widening
Horizons for many years. Louise Allenspach,
member of BPW Switzerland and former International
Vice President, paid for the production
of one thousand five hundred souvenir cassette
tapes of "Intrada" and Lisa Sergio's
historical presentation and gave one to
each Congress registrant.
Lucille
Mair, Secretary-General of the up coming
World Conference of the United Nations Decade
for Women (1980), the guest speaker on Golden
Jubilee Day, spoke about the background
and aims of the Conference and described
the three themes of the United Nations Decade
for Women - equality, development and peace.
She reminded everyone that 1980 marked the
beginning of the United Nations Third Development
Decade designed to overcome hunger and poverty
and raise living standards. She concluded
by saying that "women comprise half
the world's population and must be considered
as productive, not simply reproductive."
Affiliates
in forty-four countries undertook projects
especially dedicated to celebrating the
Golden Jubilee of IFBPW. The results were
compiled and published in a fifty-six page
booklet with the title IFBPW Golden Jubilee
- 50. President Head's introductory message
said, "The wide spectrum of activity
of the members of the International Federation
is well illustrated by this record which
sets out to tell of some of their achievements
which have been especially dedicated to
celebrate our Golden Jubilee." It was
published to illustrate the achievements
of these special efforts not only to all
BPW members, but to the general public as
well. BPW Switzerland had initiated this
undertaking by proposing a resolution at
Congress in 1977 asking that each affiliate
carry out a special project during 1978
and 1979.
As
their special Golden Jubilee project, members
of BPW Zimbabwe decided to raise funds to
furnish a dormitory for girls with severe
physical handicaps at the Jairos Jiri Centre
in Salisbury. The fund, which surpassed
its target, was used to buy new beds, mattresses,
blankets, bed linen, curtains, carpets,
lockers, lights and wall decorations. Marjorie
Nupen, President of BPW Zimbabwe, reported
that, for the first time in their lives,
the girls could live in comfort. Another
very important goal of the project was to
encourage the girls to seek further training
and schooling and to help them secure employment.
Jess Sanders, International Secretary (1985-1989)
and Past President (1982-1984) of BPW Zimbabwe
reported that her Federation's Golden Jubilee
project was ongoing and that the members
had refurbished the dormitory at the Jairos
Jiri Center in 1995 and were continuing
"to provide what money could not buy
- personal contact." This is just one
of the worthwhile Golden Jubilee projects
still in existence more than fifteen years
after its inception.
"Mutual
Understanding" was the theme chosen
for the Golden Jubilee I Congress. An innovation
proposed and organized by Beryl Nashar (Australia),
Immediate Past International President and
Chairperson of the International Planning
Committee for the Golden Jubilee Congress,
resulted in the scheduling of two optional
sessions. During each of these sessions,
twenty fifteen-minute presentations based
on the Congress theme were presented by
members. As part of her presentation, Maxine
Hays (USA), proposed an IDEA - a plan for
International Development of Entrepreneurial
Assistance - and suggested holding a regional
seminar devoted to management for women
entrepreneurs and for women in middle and
upper management. There were many other
interesting presentations, and the innovation
was deemed a success.
PRESIDENT'S
ADDRESS
President
Head thanked the members of her Executive
Committee and said that no one has ever
had a finer set of women to work with."
She also thanked the members of Committees
saying that she considered that "each
Standing Committee acted as a driving force,
producing ideas for future policy and stimulating
projects of research and action." Special
thanks was given by the International President
to Beatrice Kyle, General Secretary, for
"her immense knowledge of women's affairs
that was of inestimable value to IFBPW."
During
her term the International President reported
that she had visited affiliates in thirty-two
countries.
Concluding
her President's Address to the Golden Jubilee
Congress, Mildred Head said that "she
would not be satisfied until there were
affiliates in all the countries of the world.
We [IFBPW] must promote and project to get
the best value from our work and initiative,
and if we want to sell our wares, we must
take them to the marketplace and display
them with pride." |
