Women Leaders Intercultural Forum

“To bring about a truly secure world, we must adopt a new paradigm that shifts priority to the security of individuals and of communities—that is, to achieving human security. This will require a renewed commitment both to human rights and human development—and a shared sense of responsibility for all people, in all parts of the world.” - Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative

The Women Leaders Intercultural Forum (WLIF) brings together women leaders of the world to advance the role of women in promoting intercultural understanding. WLF aims to augment women’s ability to increase the enjoyment of human security in their communities, their countries and the entire world. The network was convened by Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative with Columbia University, United Nations Population Fund, Women’s Learning Partnership, Council of Women World Leaders, and Markkula Center for Ethics at Santa Clara University.

The Forum’s goals include:

• Create and strengthen networks of women working in different regions to increase the enjoyment of human security at the community, national, regional and international levels.
• Strengthen and redefine women’s leadership to include the practice of open dialogue, learning and cooperation between women already in positions of power and the next generation of women leaders.
• Expose women of different nations, cultures, religions and age groups to each other to increase understanding and knowledge, and publicly demonstrate that women around the world have more in common than that which divides them.

In 2006, the Forum will launch a five-year process in which women leaders from different sectors and regions bridge divides and make progress on the issues that commonly affect them. A program of annual meetings will begin on September 24-26, 2006, when the inaugural conference will be held at Columbia University in New York. 150 Women from the Muslim world, the Americas and Europe will join together to make progress on four themes central to women’s lives across the globe: violence against women, the economic empowerment of women, women and migration and women’s relationship with culture.

In subsequent meetings, women from all regions and cultures will be represented, and the topics chosen for discussion and action will shift as they reflect current events and the needs and desires of women everywhere.

Read more about the Women Leaders Intercultural Forum.