CIPE Forum: Strengthening Women's Business Organizations

Dennis McConnell, Maine Business School (mailto:mac@MAINE.MAINE.EDU)
Wed, 19 Feb 1997 12:19:34 EST

Message-ID:  <MAC.970219121934@maine.maine.EDU>
Date:         Wed, 19 Feb 1997 12:19:34 EST
From: "Dennis McConnell, Maine Business School" <mailto:mac@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Subject:      CIPE Forum: Strengthening Women's Business Organizations
To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU

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The  attached announcement was received from CIPE today, and  may
be  of  interest to some list members. I have presented  the  an-
nouncement  essentially as received, but have shortened it  some-
what, to protect e-mail budgets of list members. For list members
without  web capability, I have provided instructions at the  end
of the message which will allow you to request the web  documents
by  e-mail. For list members not familiar with CIPE, I  encourage
you  to visit its homepage. The organization is involved in  many
interesting projects around the world.
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                       International Forum
          Strengthening Women's Business Organizations
      The Center for International Private Enterprise CIPE)
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Phase I: International Women's Forum
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CIPE  is  hosting  a 3-day international forum  to  identify  the
challenges  facing women's business organizations and to  develop
strategies to improve their effectiveness. The conference will be
held  in  Washington, DC, from September 22-24, 1997, at  the  US
Chamber of Commerce.
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Topics of Discussion
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* Addressing  the needs and challenges unique to women  entrepre-
  neurs
* Expanding  the  role  of women's business  organizations  in  a
  democratic society
* Developing grassroots public policy advocacy techniques
* Using successful media techniques
* Creating educational programs and services
* Facilitating  cooperation among women's business  organizations
  worldwide
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Phase II: Global Outreach
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CIPE  will  publish a guide to action based  on  the  conclusions
drawn  from the forum. This guide will serve as a tool for  indi-
vidual organizations to enhance existing programs, as well as the
basis  for continuing CIPE's efforts to strengthen women's  busi-
ness organizations.

Phase II of the program will have a regional focus. CIPE will work closely with local organizations to determine national and/or regional needs and, thereby, accomplish the goal of strengthening women's business organizations. In broad terms, this phase will involve:

* Training women, via their organizations, in basic business skills as well as how to grow businesses from micro- and small- to medium- and large-scale. * Advocating a legal framework and business culture that encour- ages women in business. * Confidence-building and technical assistance in societies where women have not traditionally participated in the economic sector. ----------------------------------------------------------------- CIPE's Program Objectives ----------------------------------------------------------------- * Identifying women's business organizations and the unique needs of their institutions and membership. * Building strong institutions which are capable of providing services, representing members in public policy debates, and participating in the democratic process. * Promoting public policy that encourages women's participation in the business community. ----------------------------------------------------------------- CAST YOUR VOTE ----------------------------------------------------------------- CIPE is administering a survey to determine the most pressing needs of women's business organizations worldwide. This survey is a vital part of selecting topics for the forum, and planning CIPE's new initiatives in support of women entrepreneurs and their business organizations worldwide. Individual responses will be kept confidential but compiled with the other responses to develop strategies and programming. The results will be shared with all the organizations that participated in the survey. Finally, CIPE will identify potential conference participants among the survey respondents and issue special invitations to those selected.

Web address of survey: http://www.cipe.org.women/survey.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- CIPE'S MISSION ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), estab- lished in 1983, is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. CIPE was established to promote private enterprise and market- oriented reform worldwide. As a principal participant in the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), CIPE supports strategies and techniques that address market-based democratic development. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------------------------- Additional information on this program will be made available on this listserv in the coming months as well as on the CIPE Web site at: http://www.cipe.org/women/

You may also obtain further information by contacting CIPE di- rectly: Trisha Roys: mailto:troys@cipe.org Eva Shaw-Smith: mailto:eshaw@cipe.org ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE ENTERPRISE 1615 H Street NW Washington, DC 20062-2000 Tel: (202) 463-5901 Fax: (202) 887-3447 Web site: http://www.cipe.org ***************************************************************** To request the complete conference announcement by e-mail: 1. Address e-mail to: mailto:agora@info.lanic.utexas.edu 2. Leave SUBJECT blank 3. In MESSAGE: send http://www.cipe.org/women/ 4. Then SEND the message *****************************************************************