In 2006, women's union at all levels in Long An province mobilized and managed VND 160 billion and supported nearly 32,000 households with loans for production.

This year marks the beginning of the second decade, being the 11th anniversary of the Women Leaders Network (WLN) which was launched in Manila in October 1996. Since then we have worked together as an effective international network to promote the integration of gender as a cross-cutting issue within the context of APEC processes, programs, projects and systems.

Dr. Amelou Benitez Reyes, president and life-time trustee of The Philippine Women’s University, continues the Benitez tradition of service to the nation as the University’s 8th president and 4th Philwomenian alumna to occupy this top post. She is also the 2nd president of PWC of Davao.

Brief introduction: Gender expert with comprehensive experience in the conceptualization, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of gender included planning and programs in the educational system, reproductive health supply and working women’s organizations. Extended experience in mainstreaming gender perspective into national and international policies and planning, with comprehensive experience in the academic field, in research and teaching, and as a consultant for project evaluation.

This year, we cerebrate the 11th year of the Women Leaders’ Network. Every year, women leaders in APEC regions have met to discuss and prepare recommendations and have submitted to the Ministerial Meeting. I believe that these activities have played a role in informing the importance of recognizing gender in government policy, in particular, in economic policy. However, the functions of the WLN are still at a conceptual level and cannot exercise specific impacts.

Date of birth: December 2, 1953

Conceptual Framework of Thailand’s Proposal

Joint (HRD) Programme on E-women Leadership Development Training Network (E-WLTN)

Mrs. Kanda Vajrabya currently serves as the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDSH), Thailand.

Professional experience:

- From March 1983 to March 1990: President of Huaihua prefectural Women’s Federation, Hunan Province; the Head of the Huitong County;

- From January 1990 to December 1994: Vice-President of Hunan Provincial Women’s Federation;

- From December 1994 to September 1998: Member of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress in Hunan Province; President of Hunan Provincial Women’s Federation;

- From September 1998 to September 2003: Member of the Secretariat, All-China Women’s Federation

Her Excellency Mme. Ha Thi Khiet,

Distinguished Delegates.

Background of study: Mathematics-Physics, Political science, Management

List of Heads and focal points of WLN 2006 delegations

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2005-Present: Executive Director, APEC Women’s e-Business Center

1998- Present: Executive Director, Asian Pacific Women’s Information Network Center

1986- Present: Professor, School of information science, Sookmyung Women’s University

The initiative aims to expand informatization and e-Business opportunities for current and prospect women entrepreneurs, thus promoting more start-ups, micro-enterprises and SMEs led or owned by women. The initiative is based on a holistic, systematic and continuous approach and is comprised of four collaborating parts that will be carried out annually from 2005 to 2009, namely 1) research, 2) capacity building, 3) e-community building, and 4) policy forum.

Capital Formation for Women in Trade

When we talk about Trade, most people automatically think big. But, the global reality is, the SME’s are now the new economic Leaders. And, SME’s contribute 1 trillion US dollars a year which is 30% of trade in APEC

Ms. Abruzzi is the Chairman and Founder of the International Women's Federation of Commerce and Industry (IWFCI); the first Chamber of Commerce for women in the world at the time of its inaugural meeting in 1992 in Melbourne.

Biodata of Ms. Nguyen Phuong Minh,VWU Vice President

WLN Meeting Vietnam 2006: contents and priorities

Mrs. Tran Thi Thu Hang was born in Thanh Hoa, a province in northern center part of Vietnam. She studied International Trade at the Hanoi Foreign Trade University, Development Economics at CERDI, France and Public Management at National University of Singapore and Kennedy of Government respectively.

APEC 2006: Priorities and expected outcomes

It is a privilege for me to address such distinguished audience from governments, private sector, academics, unions and NGOs at this meeting of APEC Woman Leaders’ Network.

Heather Gibb is Senior Researcher at The North-South Institute, an independent policy research institute based in Ottawa, Canada that addresses relations between industrialized and developing countries.

Women Leaders Network of APEC: From Call to Action to Our Second Decade

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Distinguished Delegates of the Women Leaders Network, Distinguished Guests,

Honorable President of the Viet Nam Women's Union Ha Thi Khiet, distinguished women leaders from each economy and honorable guests,

Dear delegates,

Dear distinguish guests,

It is a great pleasure for the Vietnamese women in particular and our country in general to host the 11th APEC Women Leaders’ Network Meeting in the framework of APEC 2006 in Vietnam. On behalf of the Vietnamese government and people, I would like to express my warm welcome to all delegates from member economies to Hanoi to attend this significant meeting.

Dear Delegates,
It is with great joy the women and the people of Vietnam welcome you to the 2006 APEC Year in Vietnam. Today, at the Hanoi International Conference Center, the Vietnam Women’s Union, in the capacity of Chairwomen of APEC Women Leaders’ Network, solemnly host the 11th APEC WLN Meeting.

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11th Meeting of APEC Women Leaders’ Network (WLN)

19–22 Sep. 2006

International Conference Center – Hanoi, Vietnam

“Towards a Dynamic Community: Enhancing the Competitiveness of Women’s Businesses for Sustainable Development and Prosperity”

Le Thi Quy, director of the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies and a driving force behind Viet Nam’s gender equality law, spoke with Phu nu Thu do (Capital Women) newspaper about the empowerment of women in society.

Women organisations of Viet Nam and Cambodia will closely join in programmes for their common targets of gender equality, poverty reduction, women's health, and prevention of maltreatment to women and children.

In the morning January 17th, Vice President Nguyen Thi Oanh warmly received Mozambique President’s spouse – Mme Maria De Luther Guebuza in an official visit to Vietnam.

This is a training aimed at updating information and enhancing knowledge for staff of the Central Women’s Union on issues emerging in the process of international integration of Vietnam in the new phase.

In the afternoon of December 13th, President of Vietnam Women’s Union received and worked with Mme Sylvia Ting, Spouse of Ex-President of CT&D Corporate, President of Lawrence S.Ting Community Support Fund.

The illiterate members of Bac Yen District Women’s Union accounts for 80% of all illiteracy. Eradication of illiteracy is the most urgent task at every level of the Women’s Union in Bac Yen District of Son La Province .

The Ngoc Uyen and Quan Am monasteries are located in the Buu Hoa Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province. These are the two monasteries with the most monks and nuns. In terms of Buddhism, the monks have fulfilled the responsibility of the Buddhists and actively participated in charitable projects.

On 8th November, the Central VWU organized training for its leaders, carders in all departments and members to strengthen their knowledge and skills in ethnic communities and religious work.

Despite of the difficulty that nearly 30% of the local women are in ethnic minorities, the Provincial Women's Union of Gia Lai has actively supported and promoted the national tradition of mutual affection.

Chilean President expressed her admiration to the Vietnamese women for their great contributions and the sacrifices they have made when she met around 400 local woman leaders at the Centre for Women and Development in Hanoi on Nov. 18.