10TH WOMENS AFFAIRS MINISTERIAL MEETING PARTNERS FORUM (10WPF)

Womens Leadership for Enterprise

June 15-17, 2013
Every three years, Commonwealth Ministers responsible for womens affairs meet to discuss progress and
challenges relating to gender equality in the Commonwealth. This year Ministers will be hosted by the Government
of Bangladesh under the theme Womens Leadership for Enterprise.
Held in the wings of the 10th Womens Affairs Ministerial Meeting (10WAMM), the Partners Forum provides an
opportunity for civil society, academics, donor agencies and other womens affairs experts to meet, share and
learn from each other; to discuss critical issues and barriers to delivering womens empowerment and gender
equality; and to engage with Ministers and Senior Officials in order to contribute to Commonwealth and global
agenda-setting processes.
The Partners Forum is organised by the Commonwealth Foundation in partnership with BRAC, in collaboration
with the Government of Bangladesh and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Representatives of key national and
regional organisations have also provided formal input into the planning of the Forum.
The Partners Forum will focus on:
a)

Sharing good practices, both local and international,

on womens empowerment and leadership in
business and enterprise;
b) Women leadership for enterprises in developing
countries and opportunities from developed nations;
and
c) Building South-to-South solidarity.
Sessions will include presentations, debates and direct
interaction with Ministers and women leaders from
enterprise.

PLACE AND TIME

BRAC Centre for Development Management, Savar,
Dhaka, Bangladesh
15-17 June 2013
(opening ceremony: 9.00-10.30am, 15 June)

Participants are also able to attend the official Opening

Ceremony of the 10th Commonwealth Womens Affairs
Ministerial Meeting, 17 June (afternoon).

GET INVOLVED
Participants will include representatives from civil society,
youth groups, business and the private/corporate sector,
academia, researchers, donor agencies and government.

REGISTRATION
Advance registration is essential. Participants can register
online at www.brac.net/10wpf or can mail their interest in
participation by emailing suman.islam@brac.net attaching a
brief CV.
Registration fees:

International & Regional participants GBP 120.00

Bangladeshi participants BDT 2,500.00

Website: http://www.thecommonwealth.org/

ACCOMMODATION

FORUM DESIGN COMMITTEE

It is strongly recommended that participants stay at the

Partners Forum venue. Reasonable rates are available.

Organisations across the globe are contributing to the

designing of the 10WPF. These organisations are working
both at the national and international level.

EXHIBITION

The Partners Forum venue will host an exhibition showcasing

the excellence of women entrepreneurs through their
products and services. Forum participants will have an
opportunity to interact with local women entrepreneurs
including members from Bangladesh Womens Chambers
of Commerce, SME Foundation, Aarong and Ministry of
Women & Childrens Affairs.

BRAC

Spreading solutions born in Bangladesh to 10 other

countries around the world BRAC is a global leader to
alleviate poverty by empowering the poor, and helping
them to bring about positive changes in their lives by
creating opportunity for the worlds poor. It works with a
holistic development approach geared toward inclusion,
using tools like microfinance, education, healthcare, legal
services, community empowerment, gender justice and
more. BRAC now touches the lives of an estimated 126
million people, with staff and BRAC-trained entrepreneurs
numbering in the hundreds of thousands, a global
movement bringing change to 11 countries in Asia, Africa
and the Caribbean.
www.brac.net/

Women Empowerment
Literacy and
Development
Organisation (WELDO),
Pakistan
Caribbean Policy
Development Centre,
Barbados
Women in Law and
Development in Africa
(WilDAF)

COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
The Commonwealth Foundation is a development
organisation with an international remit and reach, uniquely
situated at the interface between government and civil
society. We develop the capacity of civil society to act
together and learn from each other to engage with the
institutions that shape peoples lives. We strive for more
effective, responsive and accountable governance with
civil society participation, which contributes to improved
development outcomes.
www.commonwealthfoundation.com/

For further information please contact

Suman Ahsanul Islam
Programme Head, Gender Justice and Diversity, BRAC
Phone: +880 2 9881265 (Ext 3926), Cell: +880 1819 240 657
Email: suman.islam@brac.net, Website: www.brac.net

Naripokkho, Bangladesh
Steps Towards
Development,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh Women
Chamber of Commerce
& Industry (BWCCI)
Ministry of Women
& Children Affairs,
Government of
Bangladesh