The Commonwealth Women’s Forum is needed to “unearth responses to the challenges that women and girls are facing”
The Commonwealth Women’s Forum is needed to “unearth responses to the challenges that women and girls are facing,” said Malta’s President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.
Ms Coleiro Preca was addressing the launch of the Women’s Forum in Malta.
Speaking to Women’s rights NGOs, government ministers and High Commissioners, she stressed the importance of highlighting the “suffering” and “harsh realities” of women across the globe, and urged governments to move from “rhetoric to action”.
“Women and Girls are still being denied education, abducted from their families for sexual exploitation, made to suffer the horrific practice of female genital mutilation and victims of violence and cruelty,” she said, as she encouraged women to be “agents of change”.
The Women’s Forum, which will take place at the high-level Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2015, is a CHOGM Malta Taskforce initiative and is being organised by the Malta Government, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Gender Section.
The theme of the forum is ‘Women Ahead: Be All That You Can Be’. It will bring together women’s rights campaigners, NGOs, government leaders, women’s machineries, and powerful women entrepreneurs.
Dr Claire Cassar, Chair of the Commonwealth Women’s Forum organising committee, discussed the themes that will be covered by the Forum.
She said: “The Forum will focus on placing women’s social and economic issues on the Commonwealth agenda, sharing stories of success, raising awareness about matters affecting women’s development, creating a networking platform for building new relationships and reinforcing existing ones, and encouraging younger generations of women to secure fulfilment in their lives and in the lives of others.”
In a message for the event, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma declared that the empowerment of women and girls is a central concern for the Commonwealth.
He said: “The advancement of women is integral to social, political, and economic progress in all our member states. The Commonwealth Charter recognises gender equality and women’s empowerment as essential components of human development and basic human rights.
“The Commonwealth Secretariat works with governments, international institutions, NGOs, and women’s organisations, to deepen the understanding and implementation of gender sensitive policies.”
Sarah Kitakule, from the Gender Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat, presenting at the launch, said: “The Commonwealth must summon both the political and financial will to honour and sustain its commitment to deliver real progress on improving the lives of women and girls.”
She added: “Our presence here today reaffirms our pledge to support all efforts for women’s social, political and economic empowerment, and increased equality for all as a prerequisite for more sustainable development and democracy across our united Commonwealth family.”
Also speaking at the event, Phyllis Muscat, Head of the CHOGM Malta 2015 Taskforce, said: “We are delighted that our suggestion for the inclusion of a Commonwealth Women’s Forum has been embraced by all parties, and will give a voice to women from across the Commonwealth.”
