13th Meeting of the Women Leaders Network
Arequipa, Peru, 12â€Â14 May 2008

Recommendations to APEC Economic Leaders and Ministers

The 13th meeting of the Women Leaders Network (WLN) was convened in Arequipa, Peru the 12th – 14th May, 2008. The theme of the meeting was Successful Women, Successful Economies. Over three hundred women and men, representing the public and private sectors, civil society, academia and indigenous and rural women met to consider issues that are critical to supporting the 2008 APEC agenda and the Bogor Goals of free and open trade among the developed economies by 2010 and all economies by 2020. WLN affirmed its commitment to supporting Peru´s priorities of:

• Facilitation of Women’s Access to International Markets
• Education in ICT
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Rural Women & Trade
• Micro Enterprise and Micro Finance

WLN calls upon Economic Leaders and Ministers to implement the decisions taken by the 13th Meeting of the WLN. WLN calls upon the responsible Minister to inform your WLN representative of the extent of implementation of these recommendations before the next WLN meeting.

Ministers Responsible for Trade

Based on research conducted by WLN, and the proceedings of the 13th WLN meeting, including the Women in Export Day, WLN strongly recommends that the Ministers Responsible for Trade :

1. Direct their departments to:

a.   Develop and provide accessible and affordable export credit plans and microfinance for small and micro enterprises; and

b.   Develop capacity-building programs to assist women-led enterprises to access global supply chains, particularly in the service sector and for rural, impoverished and indigenous women.

2. Consult and include relevant women and women’s organizations in the planning, negotiation and implementation of trade agreements. This is to ensure that gender concerns and outcomes are included as an integral part of all negotiations and reports in relation to any and all trade arrangements.
3. Improve collection and analysis of sexâ€Âdisaggregated data on trade and entrepreneurship and continue to commission research and case studies to monitor these outcomes.
4. Address issues of Intellectual Property Protection of indigenous knowledge, arts and design, and prevent exploitation of traditional knowledge and ways of life.

Telecommunications and Information Working Group (TELWG)

To reduce the impact on women of the digital divide and enable them to take advantage of the digital economy:

1. Develop standards, uniform ICT indicators and sexâ€Âdisaggregated databases that can be applied across all economies so that meaningful comparisons can be made and reported.
2. Implement incentive programs to encourage the private sector at all levels to establish ICT infrastructure and training programs for women.
3. Make eâ€ÂTechnology available, affordable and sustainable for women, including women in rural areas.

Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

WLN recommends that you:

1. Develop enabling policies, programs and financing to bring womenâ€Âled micro enterprises into formal market systems by:

-     Reporting on the number of women-led enterprises in the formal and informal economy;

2. Create incentives to encourage corporations to

-     Attract, retain and promote women; and
-     Do business with women-led enterprises, including micro and SME, to facilitate women’s entry into global supply chains.

3. Ensure that governments increase the percentage of contracts with qualified womenâ€Âled enterprises.
4. Improve the collection of sexâ€Âdisaggregated data on micro, small and medium enterprises.

SMEs Working Group

WLN strongly recommends that the name of SME Working Group be changed to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Working Group.

Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG)

Develop an action plan to advance and promote:

-     the education of women and girls in science and technology
-     enterprise skills, beginning at school level

WLN within APEC

To further APEC’s achievements on its commitment to gender issues, WLN asks APEC Leaders to:

1. Grant the WLN guest status at the meetings of all APEC working groups from 2009;
2. Appoint at least one woman to each economy’s APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) delegation from 2008, to begin to address the striking gender imbalance currently evident within ABAC;
3. Include the presentation of the WLN recommendations by the Chair of WLN as a standing ABAC agenda item at the APEC Leaders Dialogue from 2009; and
4. Ensure the continued attendance of ABAC at the WLN meetings each year.

*******

WLN thanks the Ministry for Women and Social Development of Peru for their outstanding hospitality and congratulates the government of Peru for hosting these important events.

WLN looks forward to convening its 14th meeting in Singapore on 20 August, 2009

Click here (PDF, 102KB) to download a copy of this document.

The Women Leaders Network (WLN) – over four hundred women leaders, representing business, government, academia and civil society – met to consider issues that are critical to building a sustainable future.  Issues were addressed through the core focus areas of globalisation, climate change, sustainable trade, technology and business practices, and strengthening the capacity of women entrepreneurs and their communities of interest.

 It is requested that the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade note the following decisions taken by the WLN, including future actions for Leaders, Ministers and the WLN.

Climate Change

Recognising the major challenge of climate change:

WLN must immediately be fully engaged and consulted in the positive work being undertaken by APEC economies to meet the challenge of climate change, ensuring that women are fully integrated in the development of their strategies and solutions.

Priority areas where APEC problem solving will particularly benefit from WLN views and expertise, as key decision makers, include:

• the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions;

• community awareness, education and response;

• emergency preparedness and early warning systems;

• disaster management;

• community health and wellbeing; and

• community and economic recovery.

Ensuring women benefit from the Trade Liberalisation Agenda

The WLN recognises the increasing importance of APEC in trade, especially given the uncertainties in World Trade Organisation negotiations. In November 2006, APEC Ministers noted that Regional Trade Arrangements/Free Trade Agreements and the Doha Development Agenda could be having differential impacts on women and proposed research be undertaken .  WLN is equipped to support the Ministers Responsible for Trade in progressing their research through the Committee on Trade and Investment.  Peru intends to make this issue a key focus of WLN in 2008, including a workshop on the impact of free trade agreements on women in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Ministers are asked to ensure that research on the nature and extent of any differential impacts on women of Regional Trade Liberalisation and Free Trade Agreements within the APEC region is prioritised and urgently progressed in consultation with the WLN Chair. The timeframe for reporting the outcomes of this research should coincide with the 2008 WLN and APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meetings.

Women and Labour Mobility

WLN will discuss with ABAC the issue of labour mobility and ensure that ABAC’s recommendations to the 2007 APEC Leaders meeting takes into account the implications for women, in particular the protection and safeguarding of the rights of migrant women.

WLN calls on APEC Ministers to favourably consider the development of a common accreditation system for skills recognition that would facilitate the recognition of skills and qualifications across the APEC economies.

Facilitating the full participation of women in business

Facilitating the full participation of women in the economy – delivered through education, skills and capacity development, and access to opportunities – is a central strategy to alleviate poverty and enable women to build a sustainable future for themselves, their families and their communities.

The WLN calls upon responsible Ministers to identify opportunities for women and to identify and to overcome any barriers to women in Micro, Small, Medium and Large enterprises accessing business development opportunities, ICT, financing, markets and any other forms of assistance within their economy.  One of the measures for evaluating the quality of the business environment in an economy must be opportunities for women.

Further, the WLN urges leaders to ensure that, by 2010, their economies have identified, funded and implemented gender-responsive programs and policy models that will assist women-owned and/or women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Such interventions should enable women to expand their businesses, and to build international trade links and networks, through increased participation in global supply/value chains.

The WLN is deeply concerned about APEC’s decision to abolish the Micro-Enterprise Sub-Working Group. Micro-Enterprises are a lifeline for the hundreds of millions of women in the APEC region who are disproportionately affected by poverty: seventy-five percent of those who live on one dollar a day are women; women often lack property, divorce or inheritance rights; and only one percent of private property is owned by women.

Formal written reassurance is sought from responsible Ministers, by December 2007, that they will ensure that the SME Working Group maintains a strong focus on Micro-Enterprise. 

Digital Divide

To build a sustainable e-future, strategies and programs need to provide women with ICT competencies, trade and entrepreneurship support, harnessing gender differences to increase women’s capacity to contribute to and benefit from the growth of their economies.

To ensure that women are able to take full advantage of developments in ICT, and are not left behind, APEC Ministers should ensure:

• improved infrastructure and access

• skills development targeted at women’s needs;

• gender-disaggregated research and sharing of best practices; and

• that women-led businesses are fast-tracked into the global value chain.

WLN within APEC

The WLN is pivotal to strengthening APEC’s capacity to deliver on its responsibility to integrate gender as a cross-cutting issue in all its problem solving and actions. To further APEC’s achievement of its commitments on gender issues, WLN asks APEC Leaders to:

• grant the WLN guest status at the meetings of all APEC working groups from 2008;

• appoint at least one woman to each economy’s APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) delegation from 2008, to begin to address the striking gender imbalance currently evident within ABAC;

• include the presentation of the WLN recommendations by the Chair of WLN as a standing ABAC agenda item at the APEC Leaders Dialogue from 2008; and

• ensure the continued attendance of ABAC at the WLN meetings each year.

The way forward for WLN

Each economy focal point is committed to establish and maintain effective communication and consultation with her economy’s APEC Senior Official and, as a priority, to assist with her economy’s preparation for the forthcoming United Nations conference on global warming (Bali, Indonesia 1-3 December 2007).

A Forum on the Digital Economy for Women and a Women in Export Trade Day were held in conjunction with the 2007 WLN meeting. The WLN appreciated the efforts of the Asian Pacific Women’s Information Network Center, with the support of the Korean Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Austrade in organising these complementary events.

The WLN will integrate similar events in its future programs under the pillars of: Trade; Micro-Enterprise; Small and Medium Enterprises; Information and Communications Technology; and Education. 

The WLN will continue to take all reasonable actions to:

• establish a Secretariat in the Philippines; and

• establish a web portal as a major means of awareness raising and communication.

The WLN welcomes the APEC Women Leaders in ICT as a key collaborative partner.

Download  a copy of this document here.

28 – 29th September 2006

“Towards a Dynamic Community: Enhancing the Competitiveness of Women’s Business for Sustainable Development and Prosperity:

• Women entrepreneurs and dynamic, effective and sustainable economic development; and
• WLN in the second decade ~ where do we go from here: capacity building, finance and business network development"

To APEC Ministers responsible for M/SME, we propose 5 recommendations in order to promote Women’s Participation in the Digital Economy; a Favourable Legal Framework and Gender Analysis; and Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (M/SME):

1. Implement the recommendations of the APEC Forum on Digital Economy for Women 2006, including the establishment of an APEC Advisory Committee on Women’s Participation in the Digital Economy.

2. Explicitly include urban and rural women in each economy’s ICT master plan and develop a database and research on women’s contribution to the digital economy across the APEC region. This can be made available in a single portal, so that economies can collaborate and share their research, knowledge, technology and experience.

3. Review existing investment, business and credit laws, regulations and practices to eliminate gender bias in their impact and enforcement, and strengthen their compliance by increasing M/SME awareness of such instruments. These instruments include e-business, e-payment, cross-border trading, intellectual property rights and access to debt and equity capital. 

4. Encourage APEC economies to provide gender analysis training for their government trade officials and make gender analysis an ongoing part of trade policy development at both the economy and regional levels.

5. Identify, fund and implement gender-responsive programs and policy models that will assist women-owned and/or women-led M/SME to expand their businesses and to build international trade links and networks through increased participation in global supply/value chains”.

To APEC Leaders, we proposed 6 Recommendations in Human Security, Women Leaders Network and the Future; and reaffirming APEC support for the Gender Focal Points’ Network: 

6. Promote the economic empowerment of women and safeguard APEC prosperity through encouraging APEC enterprises to adopt and implement the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work, and provide related capacity building programs.

7. Protect the rights of migrant workers, the majority of whom are women, and establish and implement effective legal protection for female and male migrant workers at both the economy and regional levels. 

8. Acknowledge the important contribution of women to APEC and reaffirm APEC’s support for the role of WLN and the millions of women we represent in the region by according the WLN official observer status at relevant Ministerial Meetings and Working Groups (SME, Trade, ECSG, CTI, etc.), beginning with the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Trade in 2007. 

9. Call for an annual WLN report to be formally presented to APEC Leaders.

10. Support and fund the development of a database to increase access to sectoral gender expertise and training to enable capacity building and enhance business networking. 

11. With strong support for the GFPN recommendation to convene the Third Ministerial Meeting on Women, WLN requests APEC Leaders to convene this meeting in 2008, with participation from diverse sectors such as industry, trade, finance, HRD and ICT. Subsequent meetings for Ministers responsible for women should be held every three years”.

 Download a copy of this document here.

 
WLN

WLN is a public-private network of women of all sectors representing academia, civil society, business and government of the APEC economies that plays an important role by contributing women leaders’ perspectives and expertise to the APEC region.

On this 10th anniversary of WLN, we recommend that the APEC Leaders and Ministers 

1. Commend WLN’s efforts to establish an independently funded Secretariat as it enters into its second decade;

2. Acknowledge the enormous contributions WLN has made to the increased awareness of social and economic importance of women and to the development and implementation of policies integrated with gender perspectives within the APEC region;

3. Continue to ensure the inclusion of sex-disaggregated data and gender based analysis in the development and evaluation of APEC projects;

Microcredit Policies and Programs for Women Enterprises’ Development

In honor of the UN’s designation of 2005 as the Year of Microcredit, we commend APEC Leaders and Ministers for their continuing support of micro enterprise issues and projects. We recommend that APEC Leaders and Ministers

4. Recognize the role of Microcredit in promoting and advancing women’s micro enterprises, and the importance of developing and sharing effective Microcredit policies and best practices among APEC members by:

1. Endorsing pioneering research on micro enterprises in the informal sector using sex-disaggregated data
2. Facilitating and sharing best practices and experiences in the micro enterprise sector between developed and developing APEC economies.

5. Seek the most workable ways to institutionalize Microcredit through active discussions among APEC members by

1. Encouraging financial institutions to serve women micro entrepreneurs, through NGOs or other providers;
2. Promoting ideas among APEC economies that will incentivize the financial sector to serve impoverished communities;
3. Supporting the establishment of Microcredit guarantee programs to encourage micro finance institutions and other providers to serve women who do not have collateral;
4. Maintaining the distinction between consumer finance and micro enterprise finance in policy formulation and implementation;

Co-Prosperity Through Promoting The Next-Generation Women Entrepreneurs

In recognition of the importance of the next generation of women entrepreneurs to the co-prosperity of the APEC region, we recommend that member economies

6. Recognize and acknowledge the economic benefits to be gained through promoting women enterprise development;

7. Formulate and implement an enterprise development framework of specific policies and programs to promote and develop the next generation of women entrepreneurs;

8. Promote and provide incentives for woman business incubation centers;

9. Allocate resources to implement best practices in supporting women’s enterprise development and continue ongoing monitoring of its progress;

10. Support the building of institutions or special organizations dedicated to prospective e-Business training for women and household businesses;

11. Provide incentives for venture capital for women’s startup enterprises;

Market Access Promotion

In recognition of the Bogor Goals of free trade within the region in 2010 and 2020, we recommend that economies

12. Allocate resources to undertake more research on the challenges women SMEs face in expanding into the APEC markets;

13. Make resources available to implement and advance best practices regarding policies and programs to promote and encourage the development of women’s business activities within the APEC region; 

14. Develop and provide trade promotion and training programs for women (rural, young and isolated);

Access to Information Communication Technology (ICT)

Prior to the WLN meeting, Asia Pacific Women’s Information Network Center (APWINC) held an APEC forum on the Digital Economy for Women and, regarding women’s e-Business for APEC economies, recommended that:

15. APEC increase the level of support for programs and policies that address women’s

1. access to ICT infrastructure and training, and
2. usage of ICT tools, including e-Communities and e-Markets;

16. And encourage economies to provide incentives for the creation of e-Biz centers.

Download a copy of this document here.

 STATEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Of the Women Leaders Network at its Ninth Meeting
‘Women Leaders: Synergy of Diversity’
La Serena, Chile, September 28 – October 1 2004

Preamble

1. We, the Women Leaders Network from APEC Economies, came together in La Serena, Chile September 28 – October 1, 2004, to reaffirm our commitment to the work advanced by the Leaders from previous meetings and to the continued and consistent integration of women and gender issues throughout the APEC processes and structures. 

2. We re-emphasize the vital contribution of women in all sectors to all APEC economies. Continued investment in the advancement of women and girls will benefit all APEC economies.

3. In supporting this year’s theme of ‘One Community, Our Future’, and the SME Ministerial Meeting’s theme of “Entrepreneurship”, WLN has addressed the following sub-themes from a gender perspective: experiencing our diversity; a commitment to development through trade, sharing the benefits through best practices, and skills for new challenges.

We wish to build upon:

4. The past recommendations of the WLN Meetings to Leaders and Ministers, the work of the Gender Focal Point Network and the APEC spirit of cooperation expressed in the Seattle Vision, the Bogor Declaration and the Osaka Action Agenda; and,

5. Commitments made to women entrepreneurs at the 2004 OECD Ministerial Meeting for Ministers Responsible for SME’s which was attended by many representatives of APEC economies.

We applaud:

6. APEC for taking steps to implement its commitment to gender integration and the role of women in APEC and for continuing to support the active involvement of WLN at the SME Ministerial meeting.

The Women Leaders Network

7. 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 her economy and society. The unique nature of this network is its diversity in that it encompasses women in business, government, academia, civil society, indigenous women and rural women.

8. Launched in 1996 in Manila, the network facilitates the integration of gender perspectives into the APEC agenda. It makes annual recommendations to Leaders and Ministers and functions as a valuable source of advice to APEC leadership. It actively participates in APEC activities, and the Gender Focal Point Network, and provides expertise in a number of APEC fora.

9. WLN generates, consolidates, disseminates, promotes and applies gender-relevant information and knowledge such as, in this 9th Meeting, providing information to increase general awareness on HIV/AIDS and its economic impact in the APEC region, particularly how it affects women and its consecuences. It shares best practices and lessons learned, mentors women across APEC, 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, and serves as a model of international multi-sectoral partnerships.

Recommendations

Recognizing the important contribution of women to society and the economy and recognizing that trade agendas and economic and development policies affect the lives and well-being of women, WLN makes the following recommendations to SME Ministers, so that through their leadership, we may attain:

WOMEN LEADERS NETWORK.-

WLN is a public-private informal network of women of all sectors of the APEC economies that plays an important role by contributing women leaders’ perspectives and expertise into APEC.

• Because of this critical contribution, WLN needs formal recognition and basic administrative support from the APEC Secretariat.

GENDER BASED ANALYSIS

In order to facilitate the formulation of informed policy decisions within the region, we recommend to SME Ministers to support WLN’s request for:

• To place a high priority on the collection and use of sex-disaggregated data on women`s participation in trade, SMEs and MEs in the APEC economies,

• To encourage APEC economies to collaborate and participate in research projects and studies, including a project on e-biz/commerce and cyber-business, as well as on-going research.

SMEs AND MICROENTERPRISES.-

In order to create a more enabling policy and legal environment to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship in SMEs and MEs, WLN’s requests the SME Ministers’ support for the following recommendations:

• To recognize the unique needs of the ME sector and continue promoting microenterprise as a productive economic activity

• To recognize that ME is a unique sector of the economy, ensure that delegates appointed to the MESG have microenterprise-specific expertise

• To support a collaborative project with the WLN and the MESG for 2005 in celebration of the UN year of microcredit

• To formulate and implement policies that promote the development of women-managed SMEs and the sharing of Best Practices across APEC, and invite SME representatives to participate in the SMEWG and Ministerial meetings

• To recognize that Social Entrepreneurship is an emerging form of entrepreneurship , and promote the development of this sector

• To facilitate the development and advancement of business development services for MEs in the APEC region

TRADE.-

Economic integration is a crucial element to the future of the APEC region. Increased trade negotiations at the bi-lateral, regional and WTO levels do not usually take into account the particular effect that trade policy may have on women. To address this lack, WLN recommends that SME Ministers support WLN’s request for:

• Guest status for WLN within the Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI)

• Endorsement and financial support for research on women in trade

• Incorporation in policy formulation and implementation of the results of studies and research on women in trade

• Including women in the planning of the implementation of standard trade practices throughout the APEC region.

CAPACITY BUILDING IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) AND EDUCATION

In an increasingly complex world, it is necessary that all women throughout APEC have affordable and equal access to skills development, education, technology and innovation to ensure that they are equal partners in their economy and throughout APEC, WLN recommends the SME Ministers to support WLN’s request:

• To create the conditions to reduce the digital divide by facilitating economic and technical resources for women-specific programs of technical skills and digital literacy, with particular attention to programs for working women and indigenous peoples.

• To actively support the APEC project “Initiative for APEC Women’s Participation in the Digital Economy”

• To strengthen women’s business literacy at all levels

Download a copy of this document here.

Statement and Recommendations

We, the Women Leaders Network (WLN) from APEC economies came together for the eighth time in Chiang Mai, Thailand on July 30 – August 3, 2003, to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening and deepening the partnerships within WLN and with all APEC fora.

We commend APEC Leaders, Ministers and Senior Officials for their consistent and continuing efforts in implementing the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC and for endorsing the launch of the Gender Focal Point Network (GFPN). 

The theme of this meeting was “Women Make a World of Difference: Partnerships for Gender and Development.”  Under this overarching theme, we discussed the following topics: 

1. Knowledge Creation, Sharing and Management through Partnerships
2. Women’s Human Security
3. Women’s Entrepreneurship

WLN confirms its commitment as an autonomous network ready to play a pro-active partnership role within and outside the GFPN to ensure the integration of women in all APEC fora and activities.  WLN agrees to take on the collection of best practices on women’s entrepreneurship for the GFPN.

Women in all their social and economic capacities contribute greatly to job creation and economic growth in APEC economies and we acknowledge that human security for women and men is the foundation for future economic growth in the APEC region. 

WLN recommendations

In pursuit of enhancing women’s opportunities to contribute to the development and productivity of APEC economies, we issue the following recommendations to the SME Ministers:

• promote fair and equitable access to financial services, particularly for women led micro and small enterprises; 
• support and provide incentives for comprehensive programs that empower women led micro-enterprises; 
• facilitate the collection and dissemination of more extensive data on women’s contribution to the informal sector; 
• grant WLN guest status in the Microenterprise Subgroup of the SME Working Group;

In light of the cross-cutting nature of the integration of gender issues into the APEC process, we would also like to make recommendations to the following Sectoral Ministers.

HRD Ministers

• institute family friendly policies and working conditions, such as affordable child and elder care options and flexible hours, to help women and men balance family life and career;

• recognize the care services, in which women predominate, as important for social and economic progress.  Empower women care workers with good economic and social benefits, higher levels of professional training and better access to business development opportunities and programs in the care-giving field;

• recognize women homemakers’ contributions as important for social and economic progress and empower them through comprehensive measures, such as capacity building and tax incentives;

IST Ministers

• develop and implement a gender responsive ICT plan to empower women, which addresses both urban and rural needs, such as, providing affordable computers, building information infrastructure, education and training in ICT, and roadmaps for SME use of ICT;

• advocate international sex disaggregated ICT indicators to the International Telecommunications Union;

• ensure that women fully participate at all levels in the development of science and technology and have full access to and benefit from science and technology.

In accordance with APEC 2003′s themes and sub-themes, the Women Leaders Network would like to make the following recommendations to the APEC Economic Leaders: 

• facilitate and support research pertaining to women’s and gender related issues, including increase in funding for such research;

• fully implement the provisions of the APEC gender framework  and ensure gender responsive collection and use of sex disaggregated data;

• address the gender dimension of human security issues, and remove barriers that prevent marginalized and displaced women from their full participation in and benefit from the economy;

• ensure that liberalization of trade and investment does not lead to violation of rights, in particular labor rights of women migrant workers and women in the informal sector, as well as rights to human security of those who are vulnerable to trafficking; and 

• reinforce the commitment to the unique economic contribution of indigenous people by supporting existing and new economic partnerships.

Download a copy of this document here.

Acapulco, Mexico
August 20-22, 2002

STATEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

We, the Women Leaders Network from the APEC Economies came together for the seventh time in Acapulco, Mexico from August 20th to 22nd, 2002 to reaffirm our commitment and our efforts to contribute to the economic development, cooperation and prosperity of the APEC region, and to strategize and meet challenges in the new century.

The theme of this meeting was “Sustainable Economic Development with a Gender Perspective”.  Under this theme we discussed the following:

1. The implication of globalization and trade liberalization for women
2. Microenterprises and SMEs
3. Responsible corporate governance and socially responsible business practices

We recognize that globalization has both the potential to open new opportunities or close existing ones.  We also recognize that the social and economic impacts of trade and investment liberalization can reflect and exacerbate the existing gender inequalities.  Our discussion included consideration of labor market implications of globalization, the skills needed by women in the New Economy, and further trade liberalization brought by the WTO New Round and the proliferation of FTAs and its implication on women.

We commend the APEC Chair’s initiative in focusing APEC’s attention to microenterprises, since this is such an important sector for women in all APEC economies.  This initiative supports the spirit of the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC, which emphasizes the participation of women in the economy.  We encourage APEC to continue its focus on the Microenterprise sector beyond 2002.

We congratulate AGGI on its considerable achievements in advancing gender integration in APEC.  We support the creation of the Gender Focal Point Network to sustain the momentum of AGGI’s initiative.  We look forward to being a key part of this Network and to an enhanced role in integrating gender issues throughout APEC.

IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBALIZATION AND TRADE LIBERALIZATION FOR WOMEN

1. WLN recommends that APEC undertake initiatives and projects to evaluate and respond to the implications of globalization and trade liberalization on women’s education, employment, wages and the recognition and acceptance of professional credentials across the APEC region.

2. WLN recommends that APEC recognize the importance of e-business for women and publish best practice examples of e-business, and put in place strategies and programs to significantly increase women’s access to ICT-based education and training, making best use of flexible and innovative methods of teaching and learning.

3. WLN recommends that APEC support the inclusion of a gender perspective in the WTO New Round and Regional Trading Arrangements in the APEC region regularly in such areas as agriculture and the service industry, that have especially pronounced gender implications.

4. WLN recommends that AEC establish a mechanism to enable the protection of intellectual property rights, including the protection of indigenous knowledge within and across economies.

 MICROENTERPRISES AND SMEs 

• Microenterprises

According to the World Bank, 90 percent of the population in developing economies has no access to formal financial services.  In order to achieve a more inclusive world economy we believe that all women in the APEC region should have access to formal financial services.

We support the institutional placement of the Microenterprise issue in the Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group (SMEWG) and affirm the recent enhancement of the Integrated Action Plan for SME Development (SPAN) to incorporate Microenterprise development issues.

1. WLN calls on APEC Leaders to support global goals to substantially increase the number of women who have access to micro-finance and business development services.

2. WLN recommends that APEC economies create an enabling environment for the microenterprise sector and for the development of commercially viable microfinance institutions, through public-private partnerships.

3. In recognitioin of the unique challenges faced by the Micro sector and its immense importance for employment and income creation in APEC economies, WLN recommends a permanent sub-group be created in the SMEWG to address Microfinance and Microenterprise issues.

4. WLN recommends that the SMEWG undertake a study, in cooperation with WLN, of the challenges that Microenterprises face in growing their businesses and the challenges Microfinance organizations face in transitioning to commercially viable institutions.

• SMEs

We commend the SMEWG on the recent enhancement of the SPAN to highlight the important contribution women-owned SMEs make to economic activity and on the launch of the APEC SME Portal Hub which we understand has at least one link related to women per economy.

WLN has held its annual meetings in conjuction with the SME Ministers in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002.  In each of these years WLN has been invited to present recommendations to the SME Ministers.  WLN, by its nature, is a network representing women leaders in business, academe, NGOs and government and, as such, has access to networks of women SMEs across the region.

1. WLN recommends that a closer working relationship be established between WLN ad the SMEWG to enable WLN to function as the major channel of APEC’s outreach to women SMEs in the region, and encourage them to take advantage of APEC resources.

2. WLN recommends that SMEWG mount a series of workshops throughout the APEC region in conjunction with WLN to build capacity of women-owned SMEs, through increasing knowledge of the SME Portal Hub and other APEC SMEWG programs.  These workshops should also serve as networking events to facilitate trade and alliances and information sharing across the APEC region.

3. WLN recommends that SME Ministers support the adoption of government-backed guarantees for loans by SMEs.

RESPONSIBLE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES

We recommend the initiatives of APEC in promoting responsible corporate governance and socially responsible business practices.

We recognize that responsible corporate governance and socially responsible business practices will contribute to the growth of micro-enterprises into small and medium enterprises, and eventually into multi-economy corporations.

1. WLN recommends that APEC develop and adopt guidelines for responsible corporate governance which will encompass the principles of fairness, transparency, accountability and responsibility in corporate governance and socially responsible business practices.

2. WLN recommends that APEC focus on the implementation of transparency in government procurement to improve access to government contracts for women-owned SMEs.

We thank the National Institute for Women in Mexico for the success of the Seventh Annual WLN meeting.

We support and welcome the Kingdom of Thailand as Chair of the Eight WLN Meeting in 2003.

Download a copy of this document here.

"Challenges and Opportunities for APEC Women in the Process of Economic Globalization"

Statement and Recommendations

We, the Women Leaders Network, from APEC economies came together for the sixth time in Beijing, China on August 22-24, 2001, to reaffirm our commitment and our efforts to contribute to the economic development, cooperation and prosperity of the APEC region, and to strategize to meet challenges in the new century.

The theme of this meeting is "Challenges and Opportunities for APEC Women in the Process of Economic Globalization". Under the theme, we discussed the following topics:

1. Women entrepreneurs and world markets
2. Partnerships with women-managed small and medium enterprises
3. Women’s role in science, technology and sustainable development
4. Gender mainstreaming into APEC processes and activities

We re-emphasize the significant contributions of women to their respective economies. Sustainable economic development in the region has been vigorously promoted through the unprecedented courage of women in meeting the challenges of globalization. This has been accomplished through their efforts in seeking opportunities for employment, credit, technical training, commercial and trade cooperation, their use of science, improved and new technologies and, in particular, women’s major role in small and medium enterprises.

We recognize the impact of economic globalization on women. Economic globalization creates opportunities for women to have increased access to the information, technology, knowledge and opportunities that expand channels for women’s employment, promotes broader and more substantial participation in economic development, enables women to earn higher incomes, and improves the quality of life.

However, economic globalization also results in a significant number of women accepting poorly paid, unstable jobs and harsh working conditions, and increases their vulnerability to economic and sexual exploitation. Furthermore, it widens the digital divide and leads to women becoming more marginalized, thereby increasing the risk of poverty, particularly in rural areas.

We commend APEC leaders and Ministers for their consistent and continuing efforts in implementing the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC as reflected in their policies and measures, including clear directives to SOM and working groups.

In addition, we commend the SOM Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Gender Integration (AGGI) on its significant contribution to women’s increased involvement in the work of APEC. We applaud SOM and all APEC fora for their substantial support and efforts, and consider it vitally important that APEC Leaders and Ministers continue to support this work until effective gender integration processes are firmly established.

We re-affirm our commitment to work closely with APEC in their endeavors to achieve sustainable economic growth with equity, particularly through the implementation of the recommendations of WLN.

In this regard, we offer our expertise and research, particularly in gender issues, to all APEC fora.

We recommend that APEC Leaders and Ministers:  

With regard to women entrepreneurs and world markets

1. Measure the contribution of the economic activity of women both at the economy and APEC levels as a basis for sound policy-making.
2. Implement a regulatory framework that enhances women’s access to credit and widens market opportunities.
3. Ensure that economic and labor policies promote work and family balance and do not have a negative impact on women.

With regards to the establishment of partnerships with women-managed small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

1. Formulate policies that promote the continued growth of women-managed SMEs and their involvement in the economic development of the region.
2. Establish and strengthen partnerships between governments and the wider business community with women-managed SMEs in order to help them grow faster by providing access to information, networks, market, trade and intellectual property information.
3. Promote investments in women-managed SMEs, improve the channels of funding and remove any gender-related barriers that limit access to funds.

With regards to women’s role in science, technology and sustainable development

1. Support the continuation and expansion of the work of the Industrial Science and Technology (IST) Working Group to include:

1. The documentation of women’s role in sustainable development and the fields of science and technology, including indigenous technology, to ensure women receive their appropriate recognition, fair benefits and protection.
2. The promotion of continued and systematic updating of sex-disaggregated data concerning women in science and technology to be used as a basis in formulating science and technology policies and programs.

2. Encourage the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in schools, at home and in the workplace.
3. Direct IST and Human Resource Development (HRD) Working Groups to work closely in promoting the participation of girls and women through the formal and informal educational system in science and technology.

With regard to gender mainstreaming into APEC processes and activities  

1. Support the continued work of AGGI in fully implementing the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC and their important preparatory work for the Second Ministerial Meeting on Women to be held in Mexico in 2002.
2. Ensure the appointment of a gender focal point for all APEC fora and support their work at economy and APEC levels.
3. Direct appropriate APEC fora to conduct substantive studies on globalization, the new economy and women for further policy considerations.

 We applaud APEC Leaders and Ministers for their recognition of WLN’s unique role and contribution.

 We thank the All-China Women’s Federation, its co-sponsoring organizations and individuals for the success of this annual meeting.

 Download a copy of this document here.

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.

Download a copy of this document here.

DECLARATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Recalling the APEC Vision for the Asia Pacific for achieving stability, security and prosperityfor the peoples of the Region (Seattle, 1993), and expressing our concern at the differential impacts of the economic crisis on women and men,

We, the Women Leaders Network from APEC Economies,

wish to emphasise the critical contribution of women to the achievement of sustainable economic development and social cohesion in our respective economies. We wish to further emphasise the linkages between social and economic policies and the pre-eminent requirement to ensure that the basic needs of peoples are met and cultural values are respected. The sustainability of natural resources as well as the cooperation within and between economies are essential for economic growth and stability for future generations.

Women in APEC represent an enormous untapped potential for improving the economic and social well-being of the APEC region in the 21s1 Century. Their diversity, cultures, experience and skills can offer new perspectives on advancing the critical policy agenda of APEC economies.

At our annual meeting, we addressed the following APEC 1999 themes:

• Expanding opportunities for busines
• Strengthening the functioning of market
• Broadening understanding and support for APEC.

We congratulate APEC Leaders for the important steps taken to date to integrate gender throughout the activities and processes of APEC, in particular, the convening of the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Women in 1998. We strongly support the agreed conclusions and recommendations outlined in the Joint Ministerial Statement from that meeting and we welcome the Leaders’ directive to develop a Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC.

To maintain this momentum, we request APEC Leaders to:

Adopt the Framework, which includes the following elements: gender analysis; collection and use of sex disaggregated data; involvement of women in APEC; and an implementation plan.

• Ensure the full implementation of the Framework that will lead to a stronger, more inclusive, responsive and effective APEC;

• Develop processes and mechanisms for co-ordinating and monitoring the integration of women, as a means of enhancing the management of APEC;

• Ensure that APEC economies address the differential impacts of trade policies on women and men and ensure that any measures taken as a result of this are an integral part to the WTO process.

The APEC Women Leaders Network has met annually since 1996. We wish to draw to the attention of Leaders a number of continuing themes that have been discussed at this meeting and brought forward from previous meetings. These are key to achieving APEC’s vision for the people of the region.

These include the critical need for APEC and its member economies to address barriers to women accessing finance, information and technology and for women’s full participation in businesses, workforce, education and leadership. We reiterate that APEC and its member economies would benefit from improved monitoring, and information systems that identify the possible differential impacts of policies on women and men and also on different groups and cultures within our societies. We also call upon APEC and member economies to recognise the contribution of the non-government sector in enhancing women’s status in society and in providing support to women in times of economic change.

Our discussions at this 1999 meeting have been guided by the principles of active participation, partnership and respect for diversity.

In addition, for the first time, the Indigenous Women in Exporting Business Seminar brought together indigenous business women from several APEC economies to explore opportunities, share experiences in running export businesses, and discuss the uniqueness of their cultures which provides a value-added component to their businesses and economies. The Indigenous Women in Exporting Business (IWEB) seminar participants recommend to APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade that APEC:

• Note the success and value of the Indigenous Women in Exporting Business Seminar  and the importance of its continuation.

• Recognise and acknowledge the significant and unique role and contribution of indigenous women in our individual economies and to the APEC region as a whole.

• Recognise the existence of indigenous knowledge systems in APEC economies and the importance of protecting indigenous cultures.

The following recommendations from the WLN are addressed to APEC Leaders and Ministers:

Expanding Opportunities For Business

Increasing the participation of women in business and increasing access to exporting markets will act as a catalyst for economic growth. Making it easier to do business in the region is a key goal for APEC.

It is recommended that APEC Leaders and Ministers:

Actively encourage and support women’s participation in its decision making at all levels of APEC.

Address the barriers to women’s access to finance, including micro-finance., as identified by Ministers at the 1998 Ministerial Meeting on Women.

Address the urgent need for women’s training and upgrading of skills to meet the requirements of changing economies.

Recognise the contribution of women owned micro-enterprises and self employment to the growth of our economies and take measures to assist women in these enterprises to expand their businesses.

Take measures to ensure that women have access to comprehensive information and training that will help them to benefit from financial, educational, marketing and technological opportunities.

Develop gender aware policies to minimise the different negative impacts of economic, social and technological change on women and men.

Note that an estimated 80% of all women owned SMEs in the APEC region are in the service sector and ensure that training and support is provided to meet the needs of the service sector providers and address the unique obstacles faced by this sector.

Promote policies that recognise that access to electronic services, and the ability to use them, are necessary for full economic participation in society.

Promote the involvement of women as key participants in the design, choice, implementation and applications of technologies.

Involve non-government organisations, women’s business organisations, employee and employer organisations and groups representing the informal sector in the development of policy.

Note that the Confederation of Women’s Business Councils continues to be a voice for the growing force of women in business in APEC member economies.

Strengthening the Functioning of Markets

An improved competitive environment, deregulation, stronger institutional capacity, and human resource development are central to the growth of strong markets and women’s participation in business within the APEC region and globally. Accelerating APEC’s trade facilitation agenda is central to reducing costs on business. These costs fall disproportionately on small and medium sized businesses and can affect women owned businesses in particular.

It is recommended that APEC Leaders and Ministers:

Ensure better understanding of the social impact of economic crises at both the macro and micro level and design appropriate policies to mitigate the impact on all sectors.

Recognise the critical importance of life long education and training, particularly in science and technology, to women’s full participation in the economy so that our contribution to economic growth is maximised.

Recognise that micro, small and medium sized enterprises in developed and developing economies may face very different challenges, and that support provided must be relevant to each economy and enterprise.

Ensure there are sound fiscal, economic, and financial policies, along with effective regulatory and legislative frameworks that support women in business and in the wider community especially through times of crisis and change.

Take steps to protect women workers at risk of increased isolation, overwork and unsafe work practices and conditions; and reduce disparities between men’s and women’s incomes and job security.

Promote greater transparency in public and private governance and discourage discriminatory practices and reveal their occurrence.

Identify and adopt strategies to overcome gender-specific barriers to the use of electronic commerce.

Develop strategies which enable people to participate in the activities which generate sustainable trade and stable communities by providing appropriate education and making technology information easily accessible.

Broadening Understanding and Support for APEC

There is growing recognition that more needs to be done by APEC to promote understanding of the APEC process to the wider community.

It is recommended that APEC Leaders and Ministers:

Inform communities of the benefits of APEC objectives and policies that will improve conditions for sustained economic growth and sustainable development especially for economically and socially disadvantaged groups.

Involve communities, including women’s organisations, in the development of responses to the economic crisis and recent economic structural changes, and inform citizens on the role that APEC can play in the recovery.

Promote a culture of stewardship towards local, national and global natural resources to enable communities to be perpetually sustained by their natural resources for future generations and recognise in this the unique role women play.

Establish structures and processes to provide a balance between government, business and the non-government sector that mirror and enhance the current consultative mechanisms for business.

Conclusion

The WLN 1999 reiterates its strong support for and commitment to the realisation of the vision of APEC for women in the region. WLN will continue to provide expertise and assess progress achieved in the integration of women in APEC. We urge the APEC SOM (Senior Officials Meeting) Ad Hoc Taskforce, currently developing the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC, to take account of the above recommendations.

Download a copy of this document here.