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APWIP Regional Workshop

by Farah Kabir
THE Asia Pacific Women in Politics Network, an informal network that was launched in April this year, organised a regional workshop in Bangkok. Thailand. About fifty women representing over twenty countries including Bangladesh assembled together to develop strategies for strengthening existing efforts at national and local levels to put gender Issues on the policy agenda.
The workshop entitled "Putting Gender Issues on the Policy Agenda: Strategies and Action from Asia and Pacific-held September 25 to 29. succeeded to bring together women from different areas — representative from the UN. members of parliaments, high government women officials, educationists, professionals. NGOs and grassroot workers at the Women Education Training Centre. Gender Development Research Institute. Bangkok. The Asia Foundation (TAP) provided the financial support and the field offices of TAF In respective ebuntries facilitated the contact and coordlnatlori with different individuals who attended the workshop
The participants felt that social, economic and political structures and institutions require reorientation and restructuring to ensure gender equality in all dimensions.'
Globally women hold a secondary position and have been marginalised for far too long Therefore, equity could be achieved only through improving the status of women and providing them with better opportunities Enhancing the powers of women and Increasing their participation In deci sion making was considered the path to equity.
During the deliberations certain impediments were Identified, li was observed that they were rooted In the cultural. political, economic and social arenas and they were mutually constitutive, each creating itself and the others at the same time.
To help change the present situation targets dr actors crucial to the issues were short listed. These, were: political leadership, bureaucracy, legis lators. party workers, religious leaders electorates. Interest groups, minorities. individuals io the education systems, pressure groups, ctvic organ) sations. NpOs. business groups, and media. Both men and women belonging to these groups required to be cosnei-etised and sensitised in women and gender concerns.
The participants unanimously emphasised on research. analyses, accurate in terpretation of data and statistics, and dissemination of in-
formation to facilitate change and develop alternative models. choices and options leading to equity in society
It was also felt that education was essential to develop understanding of the structure. gender compositions, power relations and opportunities of equality available to a democratic polity.
Mobilisation of women in particular and the poor in general were also agreed upon. Such mobilisation would help the formation of support groups, such as coalition or caucus for social or financial support, ft would help tn articulating and making women's cause visible.
To support national efforts a common regional platform was what the workshop aimed at' The workshop agreed- upon certain actions that may be encapsulated into three broad categories, research, analysis and dissemination of information: enforcement of existing laws specially related to women: and advocacy and marketing of gender concerns.
The APWIP regional workshop hoped to foster solidarity among similar organisations, individuals and efforts and strengthen networking. The move for equity gathers strength through such a meet.