Trade Liberalisation and Women: Recommendations

Recommendations

STATEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS of the Women Leaders' Network at its Second Meeting, "The Economic Impact of Women in the APEC Region", Ottawa-Hull,
September 13 - 16, 1997

"From Action to Implementation"

Preamble

1. We, the Women Leaders' Network from APEC Economies, came together in Ottawa-Hull, Canada on September 13-16 1997, to reaffirm our "Call to Action" to APEC Leaders in October 1996 in Manila and to promote its continued and consistent implementation throughout the APEC processes and structures.

2. We re-emphasize the vital contribution of women to APEC economies. Investment in women's human resources and their enterprises will benefit APEC economies and will strengthen prospects for equitable economic growth. the reduction of poverty and the promotion of sustainable development in the region.

APEC Progress in Addressing Gender Issues

3. We consider as highly significant the 1996 Declaration of APEC Leaders in Subic (Paragraph 18), which directed Ministers to put special emphasis on the full participation of women and youth in the implementation of the economic and technical cooperation agenda. We commend the Economic Committee for recognizing some of the challenges to women's full participation in the labour market in their 1996 report.

4. We also applaud APEC for taking steps to implement its commitment, including agreement at the 1996 Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Ministerial Meeting to address the specific needs of women entrepreneurs in APEC:

Agreement at the 1996 APEC IST Ministerial Meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation to recognise gender as a cross-cutting concern with implications in other APEC for a and to establish an ad-hoc group on gender
Agreement at the 1997 Transportation Ministerial Meeting to identify training and development initiatives to prepare women for career opportunities in the transportation sector
The recognition of gender in the medium term priorities of Human Resources Development Working Group (HRD WG); and
Increased gender-related activities in various APEC Working Groups.

5. We consider these actions to be consistent with the 1995 Beijing Declaration, Platform for Action and other strategic initiatives regarding gender that have been adopted at other international conferences and summits.

Action urged for APEC Leaders

6. In order to fulfill the 1996 commitment of Leaders to put special emphasis on tale full participation of women. we urge Leaders to:

Recognize gender as a cross-cutting priority in all APEC fora and integrate a gender perspective at all levels of APEC work, such as the Leaders' initiative on the Impact of Expanding Population and Economic Growth, Food, Energy and the Environment (FEEEP);
Approve the recommendation of APEC Senior Officials to convene a Ministerial Meeting in the Republic of the Philippines in l 998, bringing together Ministers whose responsibilities cut across women's issues, in order to address women's concerns more effectively in APEC; and
Ensure the full participation of women through equitable representation at all levels of APEC including such APEC-appointed bodies as ABAC, and all APEC activities.

The Women Leaders' Network

1. The Women Leaders' Network is a dynamic and flexible regional network composed of women ready to contribute to APEC's vision of equitable and sustainable growth. It consists of women each of whom is a leader in one or more fields and who has made significant contributions to their economies and societies. The unique nature of this network is its diversity in that it encompasses women in business, government, academe and civil society in all the economies of APEC.

2. Launched in 1996, the network facilitates the integration of gender perspectives into the APEC agenda. It actively participates in APEC activities and has been sought out for its gender expertise in a number of APEC fora.

3. It generates, consolidates, disseminates, promotes and applies gender-relevant information and knowledge. It shares best practices and lessons learned and promotes sound policies that address the special concerns of women. It serves as a catalyst to raise awareness and build strategic alliances to ensure the relevance of APEC's agenda to women. It offers a source of expertise, mentoring, role modeling and partnership.

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