BPW Japan organized a plenary session, "Strategy for Women's Initiative in Business and Economy," at the 15th APEC WLN Meeting

BPW Japan organized a Plenary Panel Discussion 1, "Strategy for Women's Initiative in Business and Economy," at the 15th APEC Women Leaders Network (WLN) Meeting held in Tokyo, September 19-21, 2010. Twenty-one APEC chair countries by turns convene APEC WLN Meeting every year, to address women's challenges on business practice, and promote gender equality and women's leadership in the field. The theme of 2010 Meeting was "Creation of New Global Economic Activities by Women -Realization through People, Nature and Culture-",

The panel discussion organized by BPW Japan was a great success. Over 400 people gathered at the Plenary Panel Discussion on the 2nd day of WLN Meeting. The President of BPW International, Elizabeth Benham, as a coordinator, played a valuable role to make the discussion efficient, clear, and fruitful. The panelists were women leaders from business, government, education, and civil society in the region of Asia and Pacific. The following discussions from the floor were also lively. (The web-cast is available at the official site of WLN Meeting.) The panel discussion was well-received among audiences and related organizations, including the the Cabinet Office, the host of APEC WLN Meeting.

BPW Japan also contributed to organize the Parallel Event, "Challenge the Career: My career, My style" conducted by Yokohama-City government and held in Yokohama on September 22, 2010.

Among Cooperative Organizations of the 15th APEC WLN Meeting, BPW Japan, along with its successful panel discussion, was a distinguished and instrumental organization to provide a significant contribution to the WLN Recommendations, which will be submitted to APEC Leaders and Ministers in November. Two of members of BPW JAPAN, Toshimi Matsubara (President of BPW Japan) and Masako Hiramatsu (Chair of International Relations of BPW Japan) served as a WLN Planning Board member and as a WLN Steering Committee member, respectively.

Photo: President, BPW Japan, Ms Matsubara (left-most) and panelists:
(from left) Ms Iwata (Executive Vice President, SHISEIDO), Dr Reyes (President, National Council of Women of the Philippines), Ms Benham (President, BPW International), Hon Wong (Minister for Women's Affairs and Ethnic Affairs, New Zealand), and Ms Hayashi (Mayor of Yokohama), September 20, 2010.

Ms Liz Benham, President of BPWI, Ms Freda Miriklis, Vice President of BPWI, and members of BPW Japan in Tokyo, September. 20, 2010.

APEC Leaders and Ministerial Meeting welcomed the recommendations from the 15th APEC Women Leaders Network (WLN) Meeting

The 22nd APEC Ministerial Meeting was held in Yokohama, Japan, on November 10-11, 2010. In the s Joint Statement, it welcomed the recommendations from the 15th APEC Women Leaders Network (WLN) Meeting, to which the BPW Japan made significant contributions, held in September.

The Ministerial Joint Statement included: "We cannot achieve economic growth and prosperity without the full partnership and participation of women around the region. Enhancing women's economic opportunities and entrepreneurship also spreads the benefits of growth more widely"; "We recognize that the full potential of women to contribute to the regional economy remains untapped, and we will improve women's access to finance, education, training, technology, and health systems by promoting entrepreneurship and greater leadership for women in business and government." The Statement also welcomed the recommendations from the 8th Gender Focal Point Network Meeting held in Gifu, and the APEC's first Women Entrepreneurship Summit held in Ranzan, Japan.

The 18th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting held in Yokohama on November 13-14, 2010, also stated the importance of women's economic roles based on the Recommendations from the 15th APEC WLN Meeting.

The 22nd APEC Ministerial Meeting, Joint Statement:
http://www.apec2010.go.jp/policy/economy/apec/2010/docs/ammstatement2010_e.pdf
The 18th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, Yokohama Vision:
http://www.apec2010.go.jp/en/docs/aelmdeclaration2010_e.pdf