Philippines: Most Outstanding Women

From the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation:

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday led the awarding of this year’s Most Outstanding Women, including the country’s first woman general, a diplomat and businesswomen.

In a simple ceremony, Mrs. Arroyo awarded the “Most Outstanding Woman in Entrepreneurship” to Lydia Secosana who has made Secosana bags the pioneer and leader in the bag industry.

Doris Ho-Magsaysay, president and chief executive officer of the Magsaysay Group of Companies involved in shipping, human resources and business process outsourcing, was named as the “Most Outstanding Woman in Entrepreneurship.”

Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert, the first woman who served as Foreign Affairs Secretary, is also among the awardees for her contribution to global diplomacy.

Chief Superintendent Yolanda Tanigue got a special citation for setting a record as the country’s first woman general. She is the chief of Women and Protection Center of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Mrs. Arroyo also led the awarding of the “Most Outstanding Filipino-Chinese Federation of Business and Professional Women of the Philippines (Fil-Chi) Member” to Rosalind Wee, who was the recipient of the 2009 Pearl S. Buck International Woman of the Year.

Myrna T. Yao, chairwoman of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), received the Lifetime Achievement Award for being a successful businesswoman and women leader.

She pioneered the toy distribution in the Philippines in 1982 with the introduction of worldwide known Barbie dolls.

Celebrating the Cougar

From the Kathy Lette @ the Telegraph:

There's a new creature stalking the urban jungle – the cougar. She's a woman in her forties or fifties, on the hunt for younger men. A spate of American sit coms and movies are about to prowl onto our screens, documenting the mating habits of this predatory species. The tube announcement, "Mind the Gap", is about to take on a whole new meaning.

But before becoming too judgmental, let's look at the biological facts. The male of the species hits his sexual prime in his late teens, a woman in her late forties. You don't have to be Einstein to do the maths. I mean, 19 goes into 50 a hell of a lot more than 50 goes into nineteen. A toy boy's vocabulary may be small, but who cares, when he ends every sentence with a proposition?

By contrast, younger women are so insecure. They worry about breast size, body shape, cellulite, weight – they order one crouton for lunch and then share it. (Where do size zero bimbos keep their internal organs? In their handbags?) An older woman, on the other hand, is so much more relaxed in her skin. Once a woman hits fifty, a liberating "now or never" mentality takes over. Forget breast implants and botox and get a dimmer switch – the greatest sex and beauty aid known to womankind.

The statistical evidence of older man running off with younger women has been static for about thirty years. But the statistical evidence of older women running off with younger men is on a sky-rocket trajectory.

In truth, age doesn't matter – not unless you're a building or a Stilton or a grapevine. So, cougars, happy hunting. And just remember that age really is a case of mind over matter – if you don't mind, it don't matter.

Gloria Steinem

Interview by Lori Sturdevant of the Star Tribune:

At 75, Gloria Steinem acknowledges her age, but yields little to it. The clarion voice of the 1970s women's movement demonstrated on Monday -- as the featured speaker at the annual Womenwinning fundraiser in Minneapolis -- that she has lost none of her passion nor her vision for a more gender-equal society. In a conversation with the Star Tribune's Lori Sturdevant, Steinem spoke about new wrinkles (pun intended) in the modern-day American feminist movement.

Nigeria: Empowering Women

From allAfrica:

The wife of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hajiya Zainab Adamu Aliero has advocated for the empowerment of women because of the crucial role they play in family settings.

Mrs. Aliero stated this on Monday at Kuje Area Council, in continuation of her visit to the six area councils of the FCT in order to flag off the skills acquisition training programme for the less privileged.

She said the training programme will provide a platform to help address the thorny issue of poverty, especially at the grass root level, adding that it will also help the rural dwellers develop skills that will help them become self employed.

Ghana: Promoting Women in Leadership

From Modern Ghana:

The media have been urged to give greater publicity and support to women in diverse leadership positions in the country, to help push the national development agenda forward.

The capabilities of women who form half of the population when made public would encourage more women to seek political and other key positions to enable them to also contribute their quota to national development.

Madam Anima Wilson, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, made these remarks during a two day media sensitisation workshop on: “Promoting Greater Visibility for Women in Leadership,” in Kumasi.

It was organised by Women, Media and Change (WOMEC), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), which seeks to promote effective use of the media for the advancement of women, and was supported by Abantu for Development, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Women's Manifesto Coalition.

“The media wield influence in every society; the change can be realised when we partner and find innovative ways of promoting the cause of women in leadership”, she stressed.

Indian Women Empowered

From Gulf News:

The inspiration that Indian democracy exudes was on full view as Meira Kumar became the first woman to become Speaker of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

With Kumar's appointment, the power and influence of women in India was underlined.

The top three posts in the country's constitutional and political sphere are now held by women - Pratibha Patil is the president of India; Sonia Gandhi is the president of India's ruling party and now Kumar, a Dalit (lower caste Hindu), earns recognition.

Kumar's background has never been an impediment to her ability. She has served her country both as a bureaucrat and as a politician with success.

Her appointment on Wednesday coincided with the fact that 59 women parliamentarians, a record number, will be doing business with her in the House.

Bangladesh: Empowering Women

From Modern Ghana:

In view of eliminating gender discrimination, Bangladesh also has many initiatives in rural and urban areas both. Considering all those social phenomena, present government included Women development in priorities and it was also one of the election commitments that given to the people by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

It is a cruel reality; women are deprived in family and society, in decision making process, in administrative process of governance and most importantly in economic activities. Even the women contribute in the process of social development, which has also financial value, are being ignored by the society.

To ensure the participation of women in the said process they need to be empowered mentally, economically and politically. That is why modern social science termed women development as the Empowerment of Women. Empowerment of women is linked to the total human emancipation.


Moreover substantial number of women was nominated in last parliamentary election from Awami league led coalition, which obtained mandate form the people. One thing must be mentioned that number of women parliamentarian is the record in 9th parliament that indicates the political development among women.

Social empowerment of women is deep rooted in the mind set of a society, which contents in women and men both. Some time both of the section of society contents similar idea on an issue that could be against women empowerment.

Hajiya Salamatu Suleiman

From allAfrica.com:
"The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Salamatu Suleiman, has charged the management and staff of the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) to be proactive and more efficient in their programmes and projects so as to fast-track the gender imperatives of the present administration.

Hajiya Suleiman, who gave the charge during her familiarisation tour of the centre in Abuja yesterday noted that the centre had a lot of potentials yet to be explored towards meeting government's target on gender mainstreaming in the country.

Hajiya Suleiman therefore advocated Public-Private Partnership in the activities and management of the centre, saying that it was one way of making the place self-sustaining and reduces the financial burden on government."

Empowering Nigerian Women

From allAfrica.com:
"While many of the women in positions of power and those in the rural areas continue to hail the various empowerment initiatives of past first ladies, the initiative of the Wife of the incumbent Governor, Mrs.Alayingi Sylva has expanded the scope as she effectively engage in open advocacy and awareness campaign on health related issues, politics and participation of women in ensuring the peace process initiated by President, Alhaji Musa Yar'dua.

At the last count, in accordance with the record provided by the state ministry of health, the advocacy campaign on health and Cancer related issues have led to the treatment of over 5,000 women in various rural communities of the state.

Mrs. Alayingi however has never hidden her desire to use the stay of her husband in position as Governor for the benefit of women, youths and men equally. She told a group of women known as the Ogbia Women Forum last year that she has a burning desire to move women in the state to a greater height."