Why a National Women’s Summit?

2. Why a National Women’s Summit? “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City • The economic and financial crises have placed vulnerable economies such as ours on the brink of bankruptcy; environmental threats such as climate change are increasingly endangering communities, families’ and women’s well-being; our human rights, democratic institutions and systems of governance have been seriously eroded and undermined by massive corruption and mismanagement • What should be our response and what are our priority issues in times of crises? How can NGOs strengthen their solidarity so that it can harness its collective strengths in the face of these crises?

3. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City Objectives • To critically assess our gains fifteen years after Beijing focusing on best practices and innovative programs and collectively think of strategies and innovative approaches to sustain and broaden such gains. • To identify key challenges and constraints that continue to impede women’s campaign for political transformation towards gender equality and empowerment. • To actively and concretely respond to persistent as well as new and emerging threats such as the current financial crisis and its impact on women’s well-being; climate change; feminization of migration; violence against women and women’s well-being, among others.

4. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City The National Women’s Summit • an NGO event to gather women’s groups, civil society groups and invited government officials with the goal of collectively assessing the situation of women at the national and local levels. • It aims to revisit the BPFA and find consensus as to how to use it in responding to persistent as well as emerging challenges and sustain achievements through self-reliant leadership and collective action. • The forum will also prepare the Philippine participants for the Asia Pacific NGO Forum that will immediately follow the National Women’s Summit

5. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City Convener: Dean Leticia Ramos-Shahani Overall Coordinator: Prof. Aurora Javate de Dios with WAGI Secretariat Venue: Miriam College Date: October 20 – 21, 2009 Fees: Php 1,000 (inclusive of snacks & kits) For Miriam Faculty: P500

6. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City Tentative Programme as of September 25, 2009

7. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City

8. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City

9. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City

10. “Women’s Self Reliant Leadership and Collective Empowerment in Times of Crises” 20-21 October 2009, Miriam College, Quezon City Role of Participants • As organizer/co-organizer of a parallel workshop session • As speaker in the workshop sessions • As facilitator or moderator of a session • As organizer of an exhibit • As member of the documentation or media team • As active participant • PLEASE REGISTER NOW! • Deadline for Submission of Abstracts October 5

11. National Summit Contact Persons/Numbers and Websites /email address WAGI:Ellen Guanzon and Mel Reyes : Telefax- 435-9229 wagi@mc.edu.ph www.cedaw-watch.org/womensummit.html www.wagi-mc.org/womensummit.html nationalwomenssumit@yahoo.com Password: empowerment YAHOOGROUPS: NWS2009@yahoogroups.com