BPW International

Closing Conference of the Civil Initiative Strategic Research Centre Project, 3-4 April, Ankara, Turkey

I presented at this high level conference which included video messages from Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, US Department of State and Georg Kell, Execuitve Director, UN Global Compact; government,  EU and UN representation from the ILO, UNDP. Past International Presidents Tuulikki Juusela and Livia Ricci made impressive presentations. BPW International collaborators from We Connect International, ITC, CXCatalysts and SPINNA presented on the Global Platform for Action on Sourcing from Women Vendors. Open space workshops provided opportunities for participants to learn how they could get involved in the tourism, health, textile and construction sectors. This project was funded by the European Union and the Government of the Turkish Republic. The key focus of the meeting's sessions were the Women's Empowerment Principles with key speakers presenting on each of the 7 principles. In addition to the past international presidents in attendance the event was supported by BPW members from Germany, USA, Australia, Taiwan with strong participation from BPW Italy.

South Eastern Europe Cooperation for Women's Leadership in Business, 5th of April, Ankara, Turkey

This meeting brought together BPW Turkey, UNESCO Centre for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries and BPW International to launch and develop cooperation for women's leadership in business in the south eastern region of Europe, namely: Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro and Macedonia.  BPW International is partnering with the UNESCO Centre to explore the possibility of opening news clubs where we do not have existing representation. Goodwill missions are being planned for these countries. This exciting initiative is being led by Arzu Ozyol, Founding President, BPW Turkey and board member, UNESCO Centre for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries.

Meeting with President Ketty Tzitzikosta, 9th of April, Filothei, Athens, Greece

It was further agreed at this meeting that Ketty Tzitzikosta, President, Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO & UNESCO Centre for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries, will link the UNESCO Centre Network with BPW Athens in order to create a new stronger network, considering that the UNESCO Centre Network are amongst some of the most active and influential businesswomen in the Balkan region. A BPW Athens and Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO event is now being planned to take place on the 30th May, just prior to the Global Summit of Women on 31May - 2 June. BPW members attending the Global Summit are encouraged to support our BPW Athens events.

Women's Empowerment Towards Equality, 7th of April, Nicosia, Cyprus

BPW Cyprus in collaboration with the European Parliament Office in Cyprus organised a most successful and well organised conference. As keynote speaker, it was an honour to address this distinguished audience and provide my opening remarks in Greek. Mr Lucas Luca, H.E. The Minister of Justice and Public Order and National Machinery for WOmen's Rights addressed the event as did Alexandra Galanou, President BPW Cyprus; Tasos Georgiou, Head of the European Parliament Office in Cyprus; Ketty Tzitzikosta, President UNESCO Hellenic National Commission and Dr Myria Vasiliadou, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Cyprus Republic. Sabine Schmelzer, Europe Regional Coordinator conducted a workshop in the afternoon session on developing members' leadership skills in BPW. The conference was attended by BPW members from Australia, Taiwan with strong participation from BPW Athens.

Equal Pay Day press conference, 10 April, Istanbul, Turkey

The newly formed BPW Bosphorus launched its inaugural international ‘‘Equal Pay Day’’ campaign with Şişli Municipality Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül in İstanbul on Tuesday. A Press Conference was organised with panelists providing comment including: Freda Miriklis, President BPW International, Arzu Ozyol, President BPW Turkey, Deniz Yeker, President BPW Bosphorus and Mustafa Sarıgül, Şişli Municipality Mayor.

Realising Inclusive and Green Growth: Business & Industry Consultation with Government and Civil Society, World Forum, The Hague, The Netherlands, 11-12 April

This important preparatory meeting leading into the RIO + 20 conference in June, was a high level business and industry consultation with government and civil society. The meeting considered collaboration for a sustainable future ahead of Heads of State and leaders from around the world that will renew their commitment to sustainable development.  Key note speeches were delivered by Jozias van Aartsen, Mayor of The Hague; Ben Knapen, Minister of European Affairs and international Cooperation of the Netherlands; Sha Zukang, UN Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs and other high level speakers. In considering the transition to an inclusive and green economy, i argued that women are substantive participants to shape and implement opportunities for government and business moving forward and that they must be in positions of decision making to accelerate a transition towards an inclusive green economy.

BPW Empowering Entrepreneurs…
Every day of the week, all over the world, Governments at all levels, and businesses and companies of all sizes buy products and services. They buy products to manufacture new products for sale; they buy products to use in their offices and factories; they buy services to assist them in carrying on with their own businesses. The global economy exists through a complex network of supply chains… each business created to service the need of another business, or to provide products and services direct to consumers. That is fact.

BPW International is working alongside the International Trade Centre to increase the participation of women in these global supply chains.  One of the most immediate and realistic ways that we can do that is to have our members actively involved in and supporting the Global Platform for Action on Sourcing from Women Vendors and its ‘realtime’ counterpart, the Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum (WVEF).

WVEF is a forum where women-owned businesses (WoBs) are provided direct contact with the procuring entities of major corporations (and soon hopefully governments as well!) with the ability to secure real contracts and/or gain further knowledge about the needs of these corporate buyers and how to better do business with them. At the inaugural WVEF, over USD $14Million in contracts were signed.. showing that real business is being done.

The next WVEF is to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in the latter part of 2012. We are currently calling for all potential participants to complete the 2012 Member’s Survey.. to let the ITC know which industry sectors women own businesses. Once they know which sectors to focus on, ITC can work to bring relevant buyers and sellers together, to do business in the here and now!

We encourage all our members (particularly women entrepreneurs) to complete this survey to let ITC know which industry sectors to focus on at the next WVEF.

We then encourage you to register so that you too can attend the next WVEF in Jakarta in 2012 – I look forward to seeing you there!

Freda Miriklis
BPW International President

Dr. Huma Qureshi was officially appointed as BPW International Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
ESCAP is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. With a membership of 62 Governments, 58 of which are in the region, and a geographical scope that stretches from Turkey in the west to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south, ESCAP is the most comprehensive of the United Nations five regional commissions. "Dr. Huma’s academic credentials will be a valuable assistance to strengthen our contribution to ESCAP  especially through health related meetings where we believe she will make an excellent contribution to BPW International mission" said Freda Miriklis, President of BPW International.

The Permanent Representative is Mrs Marlene Parenzan, whose efforts and work done in the name of BPW International, we sincerely appreciate.
Mrs Ozyol is the founding President of BPW Turkey and lives in Ankara, Turkey. She has been involved with BPW for many years now and has given advice on environmental matters especially in the area of water and represents BPW as part of our membership with the Water for Women partnership. Mrs Ozyol is currently a member of the Steering Committee of Rio+20 and is organizing preparatory meetings for Rio+20 in Marseille representing BPW  through the Water for Women partnership.
Mrs Ozyol is the Turkey Representative to the UNESCO Center for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries - which acts for the benefit of women and disseminating actively the United Nations resolutions aiming at promoting peace, the respect of human rights, women's empowerment and their increased participation in development.
We believe that Arzu will be an valuable member to our United Nation’s team
Freda Miriklis
President of BPW International

BPW Members and Friends,

I would like to begin this message with a big thank you. I know our members work tirelessly to bring BPW values to life on a daily basis. I would like to acknowledge and thank each and every one of you for the wonderful work that you are continuing around the world in the name of BPW. I continue to hear reports of, and experience first hand the stories of our members as they bring their creativity and imagination to bear on some of our most difficult social problems.

Each making a difference.
Each promoting gender balance.
Each a beacon of resilience and hope.

Read the complete message and download the documents (available in french, spanish, italian)

Dear BPW

As this year draws to an end I am reminded of the exceptional work that continues to be done by Affiliates around the world that work for gender equality promoting women in the economy and women in decision making roles.

I have been moved and inspired by the work that is done in the name of BPW and these past few days have returned from mission tours in South Korea, Taiwan and Pakistan. It is humbling to see first hand the life changing impact that we are making at grassroots levels around the world.

Freda Miriklis attends the Commonwealth Business Forum, Perth

Commonwealth Business Forum session

Commonwealth Business Forum session

Commonwealth Business Forum session

Commonwealth Business Forum session

Commonwealth Business Council

BPW International President, Freda Miriklis, in Greece.

A BPW meeting will be held in Athens prior to the Global Summit of Women (GSW) in May 2012

BPW Athens Meeting

BPW Athens Meeting

Dear BPW

We have witnessed troubled times and heavy rain throughout the north and central provinces of Thailand that have led to the country’s worst flooding in almost 60 years. Our thoughts and prayers are with our members in BPW Thailand during this most troubling time.

Registration opened for the NGO CSW, NY, Consultation Day & NGO Reception. Please note that the deadline for registration is very tight: Friday, 25 November 2011.