 
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!"
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