WLN Statement 2000

WOMEN LEADERS NETWORK FROM APEC ECONOMIES
5th MEETING, BRUNEI, JUNE 17-20, 2000

DRAFT DECLARATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

We, the Women Leaders Network from APEC economies met for the fifth time in Brunei Darussalam prior to the SME Ministerial Meeting. The theme for this year’s meeting of the WLN was "SMEs as Global Traders". Following the agenda set for the SME Business Forum and the SME Ministerial Meetings, the WLN held sessions on Financing SMEs, Enhancing Strategic Alliances in SMEs, Human Resource Development for SMEs, and the role of E-Commerce in SMEs. We welcome the participation of the Confederation of Women’s Business Council-APEC in the WLN.

Recalling the:

• 1996 Manila WLN Call to Action;
• WLN   Declarations   of   1997   Ottawa-Hull,   1998   Kuala  Lumpur  and   1999 Wellington;
• Recommendations   from   the  Ministerial   Meeting  on  Women   in   Economic Development and Cooperation in Manila in 1998

and building upon the theme for APEC 2000 of:

• ‘Delivering to the Community’;
• ‘building stronger foundations’;
• ‘creating opportunities in the millennium’;
• ‘making APEC matter more to the people’;
• ‘recognizing APEC’s commitment to continue to engage the business community, women and youth’,

We congratulate the Leaders for their adoption of the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC and the formation of the SOM Ad-hoc Advisory Group on Gender Integration (AGGI).

Recalling the 1996 Manila Call to Action, the Women Leaders’ Network from APEC economies has developed an Expert Data Base of women leaders from across APEC with expertise in all areas of issues relevant to APEC.

Recognizing the value of the increasing participation of women in SMEs throughout the APEC economies, we note that women are building new businesses and adding value to the economy at unprecedented rates. We must endeavour to ensure that the economic divide between rich and poor decreases. In building new partnerships across cultures and continents, we need to continue to develop and enhance the women’s contributions to the economics.

The WLN recommends that APEC Leaders:

• review the membership of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) so that women’s participation is increased and that each economy ensures that of its three ABAC members, at least one is a woman.

The WLN recommends that APEC Ministers:

• draw upon the Expert Data Base developed by the WLN to ensure the full participation of women in the APEC process.
• implement training programmes, in particular distance learning, to assist women to access the most advanced training and skills development available;
• ensure that all women and in particular, young women, indigenous women,  rural women and women most at risk have equal access to education and opportunities for skills development
• formulate policies  which  encourage employers  to  develop  more  favourable working terms and conditions for women
• establish appropriate mechanisms and incentives to facilitate the development of women-owned SMEs and E-businesses
• develop incentives for private sector investment in women-owned SMEs;
• improve access to finance for women-owned SMEs and remove barriers to investment and finance which continue to exist;
• identify best practice models with respect to access to technology, finance and training  for  women,   and  encourage  implementation  throughout  the  APEC economies.

Finally, we applaud APEC Leaders and Ministers for their recognition of the contribution and unique role of the Women Leaders’ Network from the APEC economies. We thank the Council of Women of Brunei Darussalam and the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources of the Government of Brunei Darussalam for hosting the 5th meeting of the Women Leaders’ Network. We support the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Mexico as Chairs of the 2001 and 2002 APEC Leaders Meetings, respectively, and in particular, China’s commitment to continue the momentum and acceptance of the Women Leaders’ Network.

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