The Council of Women World Leaders
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What's New
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 Council of Women World Leaders Dialogue with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. On October 17th, the Council of Women World Leaders Presidential Series on Girls Education hosted the Honorable Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female head of state elected in Africa. A dialogue about education and development was moderated by Judy Woodruff of PBS. The event benefited the Liberian Education Trust and was attended by guests and education experts from around the globe.
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Mary Robinson, Council Chair
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The Council of Women World Leaders is a network of current and former women heads of state and heads of government established in 1996 by Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, President of Iceland (1980-1996), and Laura Liswood, Secretary General. The Council is an outgrowth of the Women's Leadership Project in which Laura Liswood interviewed and documented, in video and book form, discussions with 15 current and former women heads of state. In 1996, a first-ever gathering of these women was held in Stockholm, Sweden. The Council was created in response to that meeting and is housed at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University as an independent, international organization. There are currently 31 members.
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Laura
Liswood
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Mary Robinson, President of Ireland (1990-97) and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002) is the Chair of the Council.
In 1998 the Council of Women World Leaders launched an effort to promote a critical mass of women leaders' voices to shape national and international agendas while encouraging ministerial level exchange to identify and address the particular challenges facing women in ministerial leadership positions and increase their visibility both nationally and internationally. The Ministerial Initiative aims to:
- Provide a vehicle for women leaders to have a collective voice on global issues;
- Prepare and influence agendas for the United Nations and other multilateral organizations;
- Raise issues of concern for women and create a mandate for change;
- Increase the visibility of women leaders with the media, policy organizations, and intergovernmental bodies;
- Provide a private forum for women at the highest levels to share experiences and discuss issues related to their position;
- Develop a resource list of women leaders capable of assuming other global leadership roles; and,
- Create dialogue with business, civil society and non-governmental organizations.
In 2002, the Council formalized its support for networks of ministers in its Ministerial Initiative under the leadership of the Honorable Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State (1997-2001). Ministers and other high level women leaders representing seven sectors were convened between 1998 and 2007 of which five were formalized into ministerial networks (Environment; Finance, Economics, and Development; Women’s Affairs; Health; and Culture).
Contact Us:
The Council of Women World Leaders
The Aspen Institute
One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
FAX: 202.293.0525
PHONE: 202.736.2522
Email the Council
http://www.womenworldleaders.org
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