Dear 2007 Australian WLN Delegates
I am pleased to advise that the proceedings of the 12th APEC Women Leaders Network (WLN) meeting have been published on the Australian Government Office for Women website at: http://www.ofw.facsia.gov.au/apec_wln/presentation_summaries.htm.
The meeting proceedings will also be posted on the APEC Women Leaders Network website at: www.apecwln.org. We expect to add further presentation materials to the proceedings page in the next few weeks.
I would also like to let you know about the upcoming 13th APEC Women Leaders Network Meeting being held in Arequipa, Peru from 12th to 14th May 2008. A number of Australian delegates are expected to attend the meeting. The theme for this year’s WLN meeting is "Successful Women, Successful Economies."
The meeting will be preceded by the Women in Export Trade Forum (11 May), and the Women in Digital Economy Forum (May 9-10). Australian women are strongly encouraged to attend the 2008 meetings to contribute to the development of new ideas and advice on a range of high priority economic issues affecting women of the APEC region, and particularly women in business.
As this year’s APEC host, Peru is inviting delegates to this year’s meetings to register online at http://www.mimdes.gob.pe/apec/ingles/inicio.html.
Click on the Fora: Register Online button located on the right side of the MIMDES webpage. Then click on the International Registration button. If you have any questions about the 2008 Women Leaders Network Meeting, please contact either Jacqui Thomson or Dirk Staunton at women@facsia.gov.au.
In preparation for the 2008 meetings, the Office for Women has been undertaking consultations with Australian women in small business, peak business organisations and relevant government and non-government organisations. The project Australian Women in Small Business – Opportunities and Obstacles to Trade aims to identify trade opportunities and import/export barriers experienced by Australian women in small business. Findings from the consultations will contribute to discussions at the APEC meetings on issues of women and trade and women and small business.
For further information about the consultations please contact Jacqui Thomson at the Office for Women, email: Jacqui.thomson@facsia.gov.au or ph: 02 6212 9528.
For those not able to attend the meetings in Peru, your views and ideas on strategies to increase trade and business opportunities are important. You are invited to send your comments via email to the Australian Government Office for Women at wln2007@facsia.gov.au for inclusion in the Australian delegation’s report. Submissions close on 22 April 2008.
We look forward to receiving your comments.
Yours sincerely,
Heather Ridout
Chair, 2007 APEC Women Leaders Network
11 April 2008
