Women Ambassadors Help Group Pushing for Global Change by Serena Lei The American Association of University Women (AAUW) will be hosting their second international symposium from Nov. 15 to 17. Sponsored by the AAUW Educational Foundation and the Educational Testing Service, ìInternational Perspectives: Global Voices for Gender Equityî will explore how women have used their education to create change. The symposium focuses on four key issues: literacy improvement, peace education and conflict resolution, governance, and education for people with disabilities. Ambassador of Bulgaria Elena Poptodorova, Ambassador of South Africa Makate Sheila Sisulu and Ambassador of Uganda Edith Grace Ssempala will be participating on a panel to discuss each of these themes. An additional network of presenters will introduce a wide range of global views. The keynote speaker will be Mamphela Ramphele, managing director of health, education, social protection and information technology at the World Bank, and formerly vice chancellor at the University of Cape Town. ìThe goals for the symposium are to create an environment where professionals who are emerging scholars, established scholars, policymakers and practitioners can actually cross-converse with each other Ö across profe ssional boundaries,î said Dawn Kepets, senior program officer at the AAUW. ìWe are hoping that there will be new ideas; new research will result because of these conversations.î Kepets is responsible for coordinating the symposium and keeping it on track conceptually. ìMy goal is to focus on this international perspectives part of the program. I think the American perspective is one of those perspectives but should not be the dominant one.î To assist in that endeavor, the AAUW invited women ambassadors to participate on the panel this year. ìI decided to participate because Iím a great believer in the promotion of womenÖ. I feel that we who have had opportunities have an obligation to speak out and also be role models, advocates, supporters,î said Ssempala. ìIt is not enough for me to be successful if I have not done anything to advance the cause of women,î she added. Although the numbers are still small, the increase of women ambassadors, particularly from developing nations, is an indication of change. ìOn the whole, Iím afraid we still live in a rather macho world Ö public life has traditionally been manís terrain, and therefore we have to compete in order to win over some terrain of our own,î Poptodorova noted. ìWomen have to be given ample, equal opportunities with men because thatís what makes every profession, especially diplomacy, a healthier one.î The panel of ambassadors will be speaking about the four key global issues, which grew out of the AAUWís first symposium in 2000, titled ìInternational Perspectives: The Political, Social, and Economic Impact of Education for Women and Girls.î Poptodorova said that the education of women was of particular concern to her as an ambassador and as a woman. She will also focus on political awareness and conflict resolution, citing her experience with the Balkan Wars. ìIf women were more involved in looking for solutions, who knows, we might have been saved the tragic experiences of war and genocide and tension,î she said. Ssempala stressed the importance of education and governance. ìEducation is key. It leads to mental empowerment and material empowermentÖ. I find that one of the reasons why women are submissive is because they have no means of their own, so they are dependent,î Ssempala said. ìGovernance is very critical because Ö women must be part and parcel of the democratization of governance. They must be at the table to discuss issues that affect them and their countries. Even the best well-intentioned males donít understand womenís issues,î she added. But as much as opportunities must be made available to women, women themselves need to have the confidence and training to take on challenges. ìPolitics is very vicious,î Ssempala said. ìMany women donít want to fight Ö we must mentally prepare them for that. We must give them the tools to enable them to be good politicians, and we must demand that there be room for women.î As women who have achieved high positions in government, the ambassadors on the panel hold a unique perspective. Poptodorova said she felt welcomed and respected in her position, but acknowledged that this is not always the case. ìWomen may still face a disadvantage, for example, in security matters Ö I have served on the National Security Committee in our Parliament, and I remember it was not easy to win over the recognition and respect of military men,î she said. Ssempala said that overall, she has had a positive experience, explaining that she had a great deal of support from her family and mentors, as well as a president who is sensitive to gender issues. ìThe challenge is Ö to be accepted you have to work triple to become successful as a woman,î she noted, adding that as role models, she feels there is extra pressure to succeed and prove yourself on behalf of all women. One of the goals of cross-cultural dialogue is to share the experience of women in other countries. ìUganda has tremendous progress Ö but some of our rules are still biased against women,î Ssempala said. For instance, she explained that in divorce cases, men are required to prove unfaithfulness, while women are required to prove unfaithfulness and cruelty. Abuse, however, is still a taboo topic. The current vice president of Uganda, Specioza Kazibwe, recently spoke out about being abused by her own husband. Although her revelation opened the door for other women to speak out against abuse, the move was still criticized by both men and women. ìI would like to say that the struggle for womenís empowerment is far from being realized,î Ssempala said. ìIt is important to network, understand each other and each otherís cultures.î This symposium is indeed an opportunity for women to network and share experiences and advice. ìWe must be active in shaping the discussion of gender issues Ö and understand that gender equity is adding value to humanity,î Ssempala continued. ìIt is in our interest, all of us, that when women are empowered, society and families are empowered, and eventually, the world is empowered.î The topics that will be discussed under the current schedule include womenís roles in the resolution of war, effecting change to educate individuals with disabilities, the role of the Internet in fostering a global feminist epistemic network, and learning from neighbors through the narratives of teachers educating girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. The four key issuesóliteracy, governance, peace education and education for people with disabilitiesówill be discussed in terms of individual cultures and emerging technologies and research, as well as exploring how a womanís role affects each particular area. ìWomen tend to bring a very different perspective and that is something I believe will come out of this symposium,î The AAUWís Kepets noted. The goal, Kepets explained, was to determine the best way for each country to reach gender equity, to have cross-cultural, cross-professional dialogue, and follow up on the issues that emerge. For registration or more information, please call the American Association of University Women at (202) 728-7631 or visit www.aauw.org. Onsite registration is also available. Serena Lei is a contributing writer to The Washington Diplomat.