Patricia Scotland will argue action on gender equality and women’s empowerment is “core to the success of the Commonwealth” at this Thursday’s Women Leaders’ Summit.
Patricia Scotland will argue action on gender equality and women’s empowerment is “core to the success of the Commonwealth” at this Thursday’s Women Leaders’ Summit.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General has pledged to be a champion for women and girls, stating that the fight for gender equality is central to delivering the global goals on development, governance, human rights and climate change.
The action plan generated on Thursday will inform the debate and help to prepare for September’s Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting in Samoa and the Commonwealth’s Gender Equality Framework 2020.
The event will bring together female leaders from government, business and civil society, from all parts of the Commonwealth to discuss three specific subject areas:
- Violence Against Women and Girls,
- Women in Leadership and
- Women’s Economic Empowerment.
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, said:
“This is a particularly auspicious day to be meeting as we greet only the second woman to be appointed as prime minister of the UK.
“I am proud to be the first female Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and I want to mark this ‘first’ by bringing together key women leaders from across the Commonwealth to think about how the Commonwealth can better deliver for women and girls.
“I want re-invigorate the Commonwealth’s commitments on gender equality and the global goals. This will be the first of a series of meetings we will hold together as women leaders of the Commonwealth.
“As 53 diverse nations with a population of some 2.3 billion people the Commonwealth is full of potential to change the world for women and I’m grateful that so many talented women will join me to be a part of that.”
The summit is delivered in partnership with the Women of the World Festival, Southbank Centre, Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Royal Commonwealth Society, bringing together women and men from diverse backgrounds with the aim of setting targets to address gender inequality in the Commonwealth.
Women leaders in government, business and civil society from across the Commonwealth will participate in the event. Dr Kiran Bedi will deliver the keynote address.
Dr Bedi is the current Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry and was the first woman in India to have joined the officer ranks of the Indian Police Service, eventually becoming Director General, Bureau of Police Research And Development for the Government of India. She is a social activist, runs two NGOs, is an acclaimed author and is an Indian Lawn Tennis Champion.
Editor’s notes
The Women Leaders’ Summit is the fourth of four keynote events the Secretary-General has convened in her first 100 days in office on her four priority areas: gender equality, climate change, good governance and human rights, and delivering for the 60 per cent of the Commonwealth who are under 30.
