A Common Home for Women

GSW is a non-governmental organisation established in 1990 and headquartered in the U.S’s Washington. The summit convenes once a year since 1997. The first summit took place in 1990 in Montreal of Canada. It can be said that GSW is an international organisation with important role in linking entrepreneurs, experts and female government leaders from countries all over the world. It helps build up a global women alliance to share experience and successful business strategies, discuss measures to avoid problems faced by women in doing business, and facilitate to raise the role and position of women in business and socio-political activities. With the countries organising the annual summit in turn on the voluntary basis, the summit has created opportunities for enterprises and female entrepreneurs worldwide to meet with partners, seek for business opportunities, as well as honour outstanding businesswomen with active contribution to the national economic development process.

 

After 19 years of operation, GSW has become an international forum gathering well-known and influential women to ask governments to find solutions to issues related to business and gender equality in the global economy. Over the past 19 years, GSW has been always a driving force for the establishment of national and regional networks, and a forum for practical experience and idea exchange to help women actively join the global market. A unique feature of the summit is that it gathers at least a representative of each enterprise, a chief executive officer from Fortune 5000 Club and a high-profile woman in governments in a same room to find their influential business orientations and strategies. As an interesting forum with diverse and practical information for high-profile attendants, the forum is often called “Davos of Women”.

 

GSW set up a separate fund used to give awards to countries and women who had made active contribution to improving the living standard of women and children and those who had many achievements in the fight for environment protection and social advancement. The GSW soul holder is now a talented politician struggling for the rights of women. She is Ms Irene Natividad, President of National Committee on Women, director of the Global Forum on Women cum chief executive officer of U.S.-Philippines Organisation.

 

As a prestigious international meeting held annually in different countries in all continents, SGW has so far been held in 18 nations such as in Seoul – South Korea in 2004, Cairo – Egypt in 2006, Berlin – Germany in 2007, Hanoi of Vietnamin 2008, and the next 19^th summit will take place in Santiago of Chile.

 

In 2007 in Berlin of Germany,the summit with the theme “Global Market – Opportunities and Challenges”, drew the attendance of nearly 1,000 representatives from 100 countries and territories nationwide. During the three-day meeting, representatives focused on discussing various issues such as the position of market in the 21^st century and its impacts on businesswomen; the development of partnership relation between private and public areas to facilitate and stimulate the advancement of women in economic field. Especially, the summit held group discussions to introduce knowledge and skills for young female entrepreneurs in managing business and using technology to develop their enterprises.

 

Vietnamese delegation attending the 2007 summit was led by former Vice President Truong My Hoa along with 50 excellent businesswomen in the country. Addressing at the meeting, Ms Truong My Hoa emphasised the gender preconception in many countries all over the world; thus calling the international community and nations to make further efforts to reach the millennium target on gender equality from now until 2015.

 

The summit in Berlin – Germany 2007 was really a prestigious forum for female entrepreneurs to raise their voice and exchange their skills and knowledge in business development with others.

 

In 2008, the summit, held in Vietnam under the theme “Asian Women – Driving Force of World Economy”, attracted 940 female government leaders and entrepreneurs from 72 foreign countries, including 250 representatives from Vietnam. The meeting brought attendants with a general view on economies in Asia where is forecast to become a centre of the world economy in the 21^st century. The strength lies in women and Asia-Pacific region led by China and India, which are demonstrating their greater influence on the global economy. During main discussions as well as group discussions, female entrepreneurs shared and exchanged business experience, gave advices to others in presenting their strength in work as well as in social responsibility. Apart from exchanges in management and business operation experience, the meeting also discussed other hot issues such as environmental protection, control of fatal cervical cancer among women, and fight against girl and woman traffickers.

 

The fact that Vietnam was selected to host SGW summit last year reflects the high appreciation of the summit’s organisation board to the country which is considered as “a new tiger of Asia” with high economic growth, stable political situation and outstanding achievements in poverty reduction, and a safe potential destination for foreign investors and tourists. In addition, Vietnamis now among few countries with the Law on Gender Equality, which demonstrates the expectation and attention of the Party and State to the advancement of women.

 

GSW created opportunities of seeking investment and business, and of expanding and reinforcing international trade exchanges for businesswomen all over the world. Especially, the summit supports many useful recommendations via conferences and forums for governments in the world in order to protect the legitimate rights, ensure gender equality, improve living and working conditions, as well as enhance the role in many respects of women.

 

She suggested more important and meaning institutions and forums as GSW to help women contribute their voice to the human’s common issues, and gather them a battlefield to struggle against stinging unfair issues in the society and for the legitimate rights that women are worth enjoying.

 

The summit left unforgettable impressions in my mind and other women.

 

Preconception on competence of woman, which has lasted from the past to now, makes us double our efforts compared to men in order to assert ourselves in every respects. The summit is really an equal forum with freedom of expression, allowing us express our pressing and preoccupation on how to overcome social preconception as well as share to one another experience to harmonize family and business. I have learnt much from the summit held in Cairo and this practical experience will travel with me in business management activities as well as efforts to look after my family’s happiness.

 

In the past years, GSW with prestige and strong growth has become an important forum for women in the world gather, solve difficulties, and share experience in business.

 

One among over 250 representatives for Vietnamese businesswomen took part in the summit held in Hanoi in 2008, I am extremely happy and proud of gathering with first-grade female leaders in the world, and of learning recipe for success from successful businesswomen working in the world’s leading groups such as Sophia Tong – Managing Director of the Taiwan’s IBM Computer Group, Dong Ming Zhu – chairwoman of the China’s Gree Electric Appliances Group, Ann Sherry – Managing Director of the Australian’s Carnival Company. The summit was also an opportunity to help me judge myself to courageously overcome my foibles.

 

The summit is a good chance for businesswomen to gather to share success and experience in their business for a sustainable development of businesswomen in the world, gather a battlefield to struggle against stinging unfair issues in the society and for the legitimate rights that women are worth enjoying. GSW also helped me judge myself to courageously overcome my foibles and uphold my advantage in order to enrich my family and the country.

 

The 18^th summit held in Hanoi discussed the hot social issues including hunger elimination and poverty reduction, energy, and environment, as well as business cooperation and development opportunities in the Asia. These issues aimed to uphold the position of woman in many social respects, as well as direct women to international practical problems in order to help them be profoundly aware of their role, mission in social security activities and the human’s peace and development.