GMA discusses women empowerment in New York

MANILA, Philippines - As heads of state, including President Aquino, arrived in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was just around the block discussing issues on women empowerment, maternal health, and other key concerns with some world leaders, business groups and non-government organizations, her spokeswoman said yesterday.

Mrs. Arroyo attended the 5th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Conference at the Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday and the 5th Important Dinner for Women the night before at the Mandarin Hotel, both in New York, upon the invitation of former US President Bill Clinton.

Queen Rania of Jordan was the principal host of the 5th Important Dinner for Women.

Mrs. Arroyo’s spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn said both events focused on addressing women issues related to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

She said Mrs. Arroyo also held meetings with various philanthropists and international NGOs “to discuss possible projects on women concerns, OFW support, infrastructure development and relief and reconstruction projects.”

In the session “Preparing Girls for the World” at the CGI meeting, Mrs. Arroyo was the principal presenter of the “commitment on enhanced education for one million girls.” This was a shared commitment of Barclays, Goldman Sachs and Room to Read NGO, she said.

In the 5th Important Dinner for Women, she was one of those who discussed the lagging targets on women empowerment and maternal deaths in the MDGs.

Netherlands Prime Minister Emily De Jongh-Elhage and Ida Odinga, wife of Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, among others, participated in the discussions.

The Pampanga lawmaker shared “the accomplishments and inroads that the Philippines has achieved during her administration,” Bautista-Horn said.

Mrs. Arroyo said her administration has also put in place a landmark legislation, the Magna Carta for Women, which is a comprehensive women’s rights law that seeks to eliminate discrimination against women especially those in the marginalized sectors.

She said the Philippines is the only country that automatically appropriates five percent of annual budgets of government agencies for the empowerment of Filipino women.

But like many other countries, the Philippines faces a difficult challenge of reducing maternal mortality from 160 in 100,000 in 2009 to 55 in 100,000 in 2015.