The 5th Annual BPW Leadership Summit will focus on strengthening the Commonwealth Business Women (CBW) initiative. CBW works with 54 countries and aims to build businesses and advance women through potential, progression, platforms, procurement, and policy. The summit will discuss establishing CBW national and regional leadership groups in Canada, the Caribbean, and Uganda/Africa. Next steps include engaging Women Affairs Ministers and inviting participants to upcoming CBW sessions in Uganda, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

1. 5th Annual BPW Leadership Summit
New York, 01-02 March 2013
CBW
Commonwealth
Businesswomen
Arif Zaman, Commonwealth Business Council
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

2. agenda
• Commonwealth - key points and context
• CBC, partners and engagement
• objectives and priorities – 5 Ps and 3 focal areas
• structure, support and CBW National/Regional Leadership
Groups – (a) Canada (b) Caribbean and (c) Uganda and
Africa
• 10th Commonwealth Women Affairs Ministerial Meeting,
Dhaka, Bangladesh, 17-19 June (theme: ‘Women’s
Leadership for Enterprise’)
• next steps
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

3. Commonwealth - key points and context
• 54 countries, 6 continents and a third of the world’s population - 2 billion
people – and at least a billion women, many under 35
• half of the Commonwealth’s citizens are under 30 years of age
• 20% of world trade
• the largest economies/populations: Australia, Pakistan, Canada, Kenya,
India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Singapore, South Africa, UK
• includes eight French-speaking countries - Cameroon, Canada,
Dominica, Mauritius, Rwanda, St Lucia, Seychelles, Vanuatu and
Portuguese-speaking Mozambique
• advantages of commonalities in language, education, professional
training and legal and financial institutions still remain and estimated to
add up to a 15% cost advantage over business with countries outside the
Commonwealth
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

4. Commonwealth - key points and context
• 32 members of the Commonwealth are small states and 25 are
small island states
• for countries overly reliant on a traditional and narrow group
of countries for trade and investment, the Commonwealth
provides an opportunity to diversify and/or tap a number of
key emerging markets in Asia, Africa and elsewhere; NB
third market opportunities
• Commonwealth Business Council: 100 companies across 30
countries (including eg. from the US and France), established as
an outcome of CHOGM (1997)
• Commonwealth Secretariat: intergovernmental organisation
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

5. CBC, partners and engagement
• Post Finland Congress discussions at suggestion of
Pakistan BPW
• CBC
• BPWI
• British Association of Women Entrepreneurs (BAWE)
• engagement: 30 countries in 20 months
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

6. objectives – the 5 Ps
• Potential
• Progression
• Platform
• Procurement
• Policy
Strengthening the Commonwealth.
Building Businesses. Advancing Women.
54 Countries. One Platform.
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

7. CBW - a holistic, coherent and mutually supportive approach

8. structure
in positive discussions with private sector, foundations
and governments regarding support for implementation
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

9. Esther Eghobamien
Director, Social Transformation Programmes
Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
10th Women Affairs Ministerial Meeting, Dhaka,
Bangladesh, 17-19 June
(theme: ‘Women’s Leadership for Enterprise’)
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

10. Next steps
1. Commonwealth: engage Women Affairs
Ministers now-June: what? who? how?
2. Commonwealth: Canada, Caribbean and
Uganda / Africa CBW Leadership Groups
3. All: invitations to CBW sessions in key meetings
involving senior policy-makers and companies
in next 9 months
– Uganda (11-12 April)
– Dhaka, Bangladesh (17-19 June)
– Colombo, Sri Lanka (12-15 November)
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.

11. Arif Zaman
Adviser, South Asia and Corporate Governance and
Chair of Commonwealth Business Women
Commonwealth Business Council
18 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5LU, UK
T: + 44 (0)7956 456335
E: arif.zaman@cbcglobal.org
Commonwealth Business Women (CBW)
Strengthening the Commonwealth. Building Businesses. Advancing Women. 54 Countries. One Platform.