Start Date : 3 Mar 11   End Date : 8 Mar 11 Location: New York City, USA

The Global Summit on Grassroots Women’s Leadership and Governance will be held in two parts - the Grassroots Summit from March 3rd-5th, followed by the Partnership Summit, to be held from March 7th – 8th, 2011. The Global Summit will be an opportunity for grassroots women working to increase their leadership and participation in decision making processes and structures to join with other women leaders to share strategies, debate challenges and establish principles and proposals for collective action. The Summit will bring grassroots women leaders from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe together with partners and stakeholders from academia, government, multi-laterals and donors who are all working to advance women’s global leadership.

The Grassroots Summit will highlight strategies used to increase grassroots women’s participation and leadership in decision-making and common activities Huairou Commission network members are using at local, national and regional levels to advance them.  Discussions will be held on regional/political context and mechanisms that are essential to producing democratic, gender-just political decision-making and development outcomes. Participants will refine themes and partnership strategies of the Huairou Commission Governance Campaign, and establish key organizing benchmarks.

The Partnership Summit will facilitate a collegial, participatory atmosphere where grassroots leaders share initiatives that reduce local poverty and advance gender equality with policy-makers, development workers, researchers and others working to empower women as political leaders and decision-makers. The Partnership Summit will identify areas of collaboration between grassroots, professional partners and institutions, and develop a collaborative statement that outline common objectives and future commitments to empowering grassroots women to represent their priorities and take formal leadership in decision-making processes from local to global levels.

Event Organization
Name of organization: Huairou Commission
Venue Name: Jennings Hall and Church Center
Event focal point: Sarah Silliman
E-mail address: sarah.silliman@huairou.org
Website: www.huairou.org