{"id":12218,"date":"2017-08-10T10:32:26","date_gmt":"2017-08-10T14:32:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/?page_id=12218"},"modified":"2017-08-14T12:12:38","modified_gmt":"2017-08-14T16:12:38","slug":"may-22-2015-no-ccxxix","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/may-22-2015-no-ccxxix\/","title":{"rendered":"May 22, 2015; No. CCXXIX"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nMay 22, 2015; No. CCXXIX
\nSpecial Edition: Global Summit of Women 2015
\n<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN CELEBRATES 25TH<\/sup>\u00a0ANNIVERSARY WITH 1,000 WOMEN IN SAO PAULO\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

With a look forward through a line-up of young women entrepreneurs, who introduced themselves and their dreams for progress 25 years from now, and a look back through a line-up of six successful women CEOs who cited progress from 25 years ago, the Global Summit of Women kicked off its 25th Anniversary edition attended by 1,000 women leaders in business and government from 63 countries in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last week (May 14-16th).\u00a0 They came, as they have done for the past 25 years — to share solutions and strategies forged by women for increasing women’s economic empowerment globally.<\/p>\n

From Antigua to Australia, delegates converged in Brazil with a spirit of celebration and camaraderie as they connected with one another under the theme of \u201cCreative Women \u2013 Creative Economies.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0The largest delegation at the 2015 Summit with 71 came from the U.S., while South Africa brought 55 delegates led by the\u00a0Deputy Minister of Small Business Development Elizabeth Thabethe<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Vietnam\u2019s delegation of 52 entrepreneurs and government leaders was spearheaded by\u00a0Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Other countries with large delegations included China with 51, Spain and Mongolia with 35, France with 26, DR Congo with 32, Poland with 29, and Mexico with 25.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe diverse group of leaders who joined the Summit this year, as well as the past quarter-century, created a magical atmosphere in which we all are going home with new ideas, new contacts, and more energy to continue to work to improve the economic lives women around the world,\u201d said Summit President Irene Natividad.\u00a0\u00a0She pointed out to delegates that a change of perspective regarding women \u2013 a shift from seeing them as economically\u00a0vulnerable<\/em>\u00a0to viewing them as economically\u00a0valuable\u00a0<\/em>\u2013 is needed to reflect the reality of women\u2019s economic clout as half of the world\u2019s workers, as the majority of its consumers, and as the dynamic\u00a0engine behind small business growth.\u00a0\u00a0Julie Katzman, Executive Vice President of the InterAmerican Development\u00a0Bank<\/em><\/strong>, echoed this sentiment, when she pointed out that women represent a $13 trillion market, much bigger than China\u2019s.\u00a0 “While companies worldwide are developing strategies to reach the China market, why are they not doing so with the women\u2019s market,” asked Katzman.\u00a0\u00a0This \u2018business case\u2019 for gender equity was reiterated throughout the Summit\u2019s program.<\/p>\n

\n


\n35 WOMEN MINISTERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT PUBLIC\/PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS;
\nMinistries Pledge to Adopt Target for Contracts to Women-Owned Businesses\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

A very productive Ministerial Roundtable this year brought thirty-five Ministers with various portfolios ranging from trade and industry to communications to gender equity to share specific programs or policies they have led, along with business and civil society partners in their respective countries, that advanced the status of women or girls.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

35 women government ministers at the Summit’s Ministerial Roundtable.<\/p>\n

\"\"Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development of Malaysia and Minister of Social Transformation from Antigua and Barbuda at the Ministerial Roundtable.<\/p>\n

Brazil\u2019s Minister of Policies for Women Eleonora Menicucci<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0joined the Roundtable to share Brazil\u2019s efforts to accelerate women\u2019s economic progress.\u00a0\u00a0Other Ministers presenting best practices included\u00a0France\u2019s State Secretary for Women\u2019s Rights Pascale Boistard, Poland\u2019s State Secretary for Equal Treatment Malgorzata Fuszara<\/em><\/strong>, and\u00a0China\u2019s Vice Minister and Vice President of the All-China Women\u2019s Federation Zhao Donghua<\/em><\/strong>, among others.<\/p>\n

Following a presentation from Arancha Gonzalez, Executive Director of the UN\u2019s International Trade Centre on the ITC\u2019s work with the governments of Samoa and Kenya to allocate a small percentage of their Ministerial budgets for contracts for women-owned businesses, three Ministers participating in the Roundtable pledged to adopt a percentage target for contracts issued by their Ministries.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Minister of State for the UAE Maitha Salem Al Shamsi<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0Philippines Undersecretary of Trade and Industry Nora Terrado, and South African Deputy Minister for Small Business Development Elizabeth Thabethe\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>each stated their Ministries would follow through on implementing a target for contracts for women-owned businesses.<\/p>\n

Upon review of the public-private sector projects presented at the Roundtable, the Summit was pleased to present its\u00a0Ministerial Award\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>to\u00a0Malaysia\u2019s Minister for Women, Family, and Community Development Dato\u2019 Sri Rohani Abdul Karim\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>for the Ministry\u2019s\u00a0Career Comeback Program.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>This project encourages women workers who left employment for family reasons to return to the workforce through training, networking and subsidies to employers who rehire these returnees \u2013 a replicable project in developed and emerging economies.<\/p>\n

To see a listing of government VIPs who participated in the Summit,\u00a0click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

UN UNDERSECRETARY GENERAL AND VIETNAM VICE PRESIDENT AWARDED AT SUMMIT<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

While the Global Summit of Women featured numerous women CEOs and government leaders throughout the three-day program, two remarkable women were recognized at the Summit in Brazil with lifetime achievement awards.\u00a0\u00a0Both have courageously uplifted women globally and in their respective countries for many years.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Receiving the Summit\u2019s \u201cGlobal Women\u2019s Leadership Award\u201d was Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Undersecretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0A lifelong champion of women\u2019s economic empowerment, she served as Deputy President of South Africa as well as Minister of Minerals and Energy and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry before joining the UN.\u00a0\u00a0At every step of her career, women\u2019s rights was always the focal point.\u00a0\u00a0For her global leadership in advancing women, the Summit was pleased to salute Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, an award made more special by the large South African delegation in attendance who serenaded her with pride upon the announcement.\u00a0 To see a video of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka’s acceptance speech at the Summit,\u00a0click here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/em>The Summit was also pleased to salute the\u00a0Vice President of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Doan with the Summit\u2019s \u201cGovernment Leadership Award<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Vice President Doan was participating in her 8th<\/sup>\u00a0Global Summit of Women, leading a delegation of women entrepreneurs from her country to each one.\u00a0\u00a0A faithful supporter of women in her country, the Vice President was awarded for her active role in the Vietnamese government\u2019s support for its women, and for connecting women entrepreneurs from her country with their counterparts in every part of the world through the various Summits.\u00a0\u00a0It should be noted that one third of Vietnam\u2019s largest enterprises are headed by women.<\/p>\n

\n

CWDI REPORT: LATIN AMERICA TRAILS OTHER REGIONS IN PLACING WOMEN ON CORPORATE BOARDS<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Corporate Women Directors International (CWDI), the research arm of the Global Summit of Women, released the results of its 23rd<\/sup>\u00a0study on women on corporate boards at the Summit in Brazil.\u00a0\u00a0Summit President and CWDI Chair Irene Natividad shared that women account for only 6.4% of directors on the boards of the 100 largest companies in Latin America<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0This percentage pales in comparison to Europe (20%), US (19.2%), and Asia-Pacific (9.4%).\u00a0\u00a0Moreover, nearly half (47) of the 100 largest companies in Latin America fail to have a single woman on their Board of Directors.<\/p>\n

PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN BOARD DIRECTORS IN LATIN AMERICA<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN BOARD DIRECTORS, BY REGION<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile there is global momentum \u2013 largely driven by Europe — to increase the presence of women board directors globally, Latin American companies are being left behind in moving women to senior leadership roles,\u201d states Natividad.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe reasons for the low percentage of women board directors in the region are not difficult to see, since there are still so few women CEOs and senior executives in the pipeline from which board directors are normally drawn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the countries represented by companies in the study,\u00a0Colombia leads the way with 13.4% of board seats held by women in its largest companies, more than twice the regional average of 6.4%.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Brazil, whose companies make up nearly half the largest companies on the list, averaged 6.3%.\u00a0\u00a0Mexico\u2019s companies had only 5.1% female board representation, while Chile\u2019s percentage of 3.2% is the lowest in the region.<\/p>\n

\n

Quotas?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The release of the report on women board directors in Latin America triggered a spirited discussion at the Summit plenary session on \u201cCreative Strategies for Women-on-Board Initiatives.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Germany\u2019s Parliamentary Secretary Elke Ferner\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>in the Ministry for Women stated that Germany was the latest European country to enact a quota for women directors because voluntary targets didn\u2019t work and something had to be done to speed up women\u2019s access to board appointments.\u00a0\u00a0France already has a quota, which has resulted in 30% of board seats in the CAC40 leading companies now held by women.\u00a0\u00a0According to\u00a0Muriel Penicaud, French Ambassador for International Investment and CEO of Business France,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>France\u2019s quota was part of a larger French government initiative to address gender equity in its totality, which is why companies have been so responsive to the law.\u00a0\u00a0That there are other avenues to getting women board appointments was emphasized by\u00a0Isabel Tocino, Board Director of Santander, Ence, and Enegas from Spain<\/em><\/strong>, who felt that quotas were not sustainable in the long term.\u00a0\u00a0She felt that it was more important to develop women\u2019s corporate leadership talents early on, and for women to access search firms and other networks in their quest for board seats.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I. Natividad, M. Penicaud, I. Tocino, and A. Pessoa<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

E. Ferner<\/p>\n

Ana Paula Pessoa, Partner and Co-Head of the Brunswick Group in Brazil and a Board Director of News Corp<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0noted that she became a director in U.S. and European Boards, but not a single Brazilian company had yet invited her to join their own boards.\u00a0\u00a0She credits a more traditional male network and culture in Brazil as part of the reason.\u00a0\u00a0With a proposed quota bill for women on boards of state-owned enterprises in Brazil currently languishing in the Senate, one of\u00a0Brazil\u2019s leading businesswomen Luiza Helena Trajano, CEO of Magazine Luiza<\/em><\/strong>, took the opportunity at the Global Summit of Women to awaken a push for a quota for women on corporate boards in the country.<\/p>\n

\n

INSPIRING YOUTH AT THE GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A young 19-year-old inventor, Raissa Muller, became a Summit \u2018star\u2019 presenter when she introduced her invention of a sponge to clean up dirty oil from waterways to Summit delegates, who came away impressed with her poised delivery, smarts and creativity.\u00a0\u00a0She was one of other young entrepreneurs deliberately invited to the 25th<\/sup>anniversary Summit to show what is possible in terms of women\u2019s business leadership in the future.\u00a0\u00a0They kicked off the Opening Ceremony with their wishes for change 25 years from now:\u00a0\u00a0Luisa Ribeiro<\/em><\/strong>, Founder and CEO of Gemaventures in Brazil;\u00a0\u00a0Fatima Ezahra El Ouasdi<\/em><\/strong>, Founder of Politiqu\u2019elles in France;\u00a0\u00a0Deborah Xavier<\/em><\/strong>, Founder of Brazil\u2019s Jogo de Damas;\u00a0\u00a0Lorrana Scarpioni<\/em><\/strong>, Founder and CEO of Bliive;\u00a0\u00a0and\u00a0Khaya Cokoto<\/em><\/strong>, Managing Director of XSpark Design and Advertising from South Africa.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Raissa Muller<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

L. Scarpioni, L. Ribeiro, and D. Xavier<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Fatima Ezahra El Ouasdi<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Khaya Cokoto<\/p>\n

To inspire and grow the next generation of women in business, 150 young business students from Sao Paolo universities took part in a Youth Forum and 20 others received \u2018scholarships\u2019 to the entire three-day event.\u00a0\u00a0In addition, to foster entrepreneurial skills among youth, a \u201cGirl Apps\u201d contest for young women to create apps serving community needs was added to the Summit through the support of Microsoft Brazil.\u00a0\u00a0The winning project was an app for people with disabilities to find accessible locations throughout the city of Sao Paulo.\u00a0\u00a0Winners received technology and entrepreneurial coaching to make their apps come to life. \u201cYoung people\u2019s economic creativity that use the tools of technology must be fostered, because they are the doors to productivity in the 21st<\/sup>\u00a0century,\u201d said Natividad.<\/p>\n

\n

FOR MORE ON THE GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN:<\/strong><\/p>\n

WWW.GLOBEWOMEN.ORG\/GLOBALSUMMIT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Don’t receive this e-newsletter regularly?
\nSubscribe\u00a0by\u00a0clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CONTACT US<\/strong>
\n<\/em>Global Summit of Women
\n1100 G St. NW, Ste.\u00a0700
\nWashington, DC 20005\u00a0 USA
\ntel: 202-835-3713 \/ fax: 202-466-6195
\n<\/em>email:\u00a0summit@globewomen.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

May 22, 2015; No. CCXXIX Special Edition: Global Summit of Women 2015 \u00a0 GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN CELEBRATES 25TH\u00a0ANNIVERSARY WITH 1,000 WOMEN IN SAO PAULO\u00a0 With a look forward through a line-up of young...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12218","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12218"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12218\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12240,"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12218\/revisions\/12240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globewomen.org\/globalsummit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}