Women inspiring women
March 6, 2008 Women inspiring Women to run with the mantle of Equality, Peace and Justice UNIFEM Australia announces five international guest speakers promoting International Women’s Day Five international women who have advanced gender equality, human rights and peace keeping will be the focus of Australia’s global event of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2008.
UNIFEM Australia will be hosting the guests; Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Romy Shapira, Wafa Abel, Milena Pires and Linda Petersen. These women have actively worked globally and in particular Asia, Timor Leste, the Middle East and the Pacific Islands. They will share with wide audiences across Australia their achievements and passionate views which are sure to ignite and engage Australian audiences. Dr. Noeleen Heyzer is a distinguished UN leader and widely recognised for her accomplishments and innovative methods in seeking equality for women. She is the only woman appointed to head one of the United Nation’s Regional Commissions and the most senior UN officer in the Asia Pacific Region, with the title Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok. Dr Heyzer formerly held the role of Executive Director of UNIFEM for 13 years, being the first Executive Director from the South to head UNIFEM, the leading operational agency working for women within the UN. Wafa Abel and Romy Shapira arrive from the unrest of the Middle East from their respective countries Palestine and Israel.
These women testify peace yet their history and culture dictates war with one another. Abel and Shapira are representatives of the International Women’s Commission For a Just and Sustainable Israeli-Palestinian Peace, comprised of Israeli, Palestinian and international women who actively pursue a meaningful peace between the countries. Wafa Abel is the Executive Director of Filastinyat, committed to ensuring the impartial participation of Palestinian women and youth to the public arena. In addition, Romy Shapira is a board member for Bat Shalom of the Jerusalem Link. In Timor Leste (East Timor), less than 400 miles from Australia, Milena Pires, has completed nearly two decades of work in humanitarian rights. Pires work has taken her to Australia, Belgium, and the United Kingdom enabling her to speak four languages. Across each of these countries Pires has held roles as: Community Development Officer for the Timorese, Counsellor for Torture and Trauma Survivors, Asia Policy Officer, member of Timor Leste’s Constitute Assembly, founding member of the national women’s co-ordinating REDE FETO, Country Program Coordinator for UNIFEM in Timor Leste, Sector Working Group manager for Justice, Security and Defence at the Ministry for Economy Development. Her current role is Civil Society Development Specialist for East Timor Justice Sector Support Facility. The fifth important international speaker is Fijian born Linda Petersen who has worked tirelessly for social improvements in the Pacific Islands. She guided Pacific countries in reaching the United National Millenium Development goals and is currently the Manager of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Human Development Programme. This programme reaches out to women’s groups attempting to monitor women’s development, fosters programs to address the unprecedented youth problems causing havoc in so many Pacific communities, provides leadership training for rural women and institutes arts and cultural programs to strengthen traditions. Petersen is qualified by many decades of work with the United Nations Development Programme, before joining the Secretariat of the Pacific Community as Women’s Development Advisor. UNIFEM Australia is honoured to host such passionate advocates of equality on International Women’s Day 2008. Rosalind Strong, National President of UNIFEM Australia, said “Their stories will inspire our audiences and greatly help our work to raise awareness of issues for women in developing countries and support the work of UNIFEM.”
UNIFEM Australia will be the leading NGO promoting International Women’s Day, holding events in most capital cities and across regional Australia. In celebration of International Women’s Day, Air France has generously provided a special giveaway. New members who sign up to support the work of UNIFEM Australia in March will go in the draw to receive two tickets or a trip to Europe.
For Further Contact Information or to arrange an interview: Savannah Finlay 0425 316 658 intern@unifem.org.au