Breakthrough, Melbourne, 2-3 December 2009

A powerful new initiative to benefit the world’s most vulnerable

Asia Pacific Breakthrough: The Women, Faith and Development Summit to End Global Poverty will take place in Melbourne at Federation Square on 2-3 December 2009. This ambitious global Summit is an initiative spearheaded in the Asia-Pacific region by International Women’s Development Agency, in collaboration with key faith, women’s and development organisations from both the government and non-government sectors.

The synergy that will be achieved by these three usually distinct sectors - faith-based, women’s and development organisations - is itself unprecedented. Yet the challenges facing women and girls globally remain extreme. More than one billion people worldwide are living on less than $1 a day, with a life expectancy half that of the average Australian. The majority are women and girls. New and ambitious initiatives for women and their communities are not just timely but urgently needed.

Asia Pacific Breakthrough: The Women, Faith and Development Summit to End Global Poverty will take place in Melbourne at Federation Square on 2-3 December 2009. This ambitious global Summit is an initiative spearheaded in the Asia-Pacific region by International Women’s Development Agency, in collaboration with key faith, women’s and development organisations from both the government and non-government sectors.

The synergy that will be achieved by these three usually distinct sectors - faith-based, women’s and development organisations - is itself unprecedented. Yet the challenges facing women and girls globally remain extreme. More than one billion people worldwide are living on less than $1 a day, with a life expectancy half that of the average Australian. The majority are women and girls. New and ambitious initiatives for women and their communities are not just timely but urgently needed.

The Melbourne event aims to highlight the most urgent areas of need and solicit increased and new commitments from member organisations, corporations and multi-national groups. Commitments made before, during and after the Summit will be featured on a Breakthrough website. The Summit will also offer key initiatives and evaluated programmes ready to be taken up by companies and foundations seeking to make specific commitments in support of women and girls for the first time.

The aims of this Summit are three-fold:

• To draw fresh attention to the specific needs of women and girls and the programmes that can most effectively support them and their communities
• To bring together for greater effectiveness and co-operation faith, women’s and development groups already working for women and girls
• To highlight programmes for groups, corporations, organisations and philanthropists not yet engaged with projects for women and girls and to facilitate their effective engagement.

The Breakthrough Summit is based on a brilliantly successful model. First organised this year by a newly formed Women, Faith and Development Alliance (WFDA), itself a collaboration of InterAction and the Centre for Global Justice and Reconciliation, its aim was to increase awareness, political will and actual investments in women and girls worldwide. The pioneering Summit was held in Washington National Cathedral 13-14 April 2008. More than US$1.4 billion was committed to specific projects. Breakthrough was led by Secretary Madeleine Albright, joined by world leaders, Mary Robinson and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and a prestigious leadership council. To view a listing of the commitments visit http://www.wfd-alliance.org/EVcommit.htm

The World Parliament of Religions opens in Melbourne on 3 December 2009 and it can confidently be predicted that many world and faith leaders will attend. Highlights of the event will include commitment announcements for delegates, an interfaith ceremonial celebration of women and girls, and the launch of an effective, ongoing Women, Faith and Development Alliance (WFDA) within the region. There will also be a meeting of Leadership Council members (heads of organisations, CEOs, government ministers and philanthropists), who will be led in a one-day session of facilitated dialogue, and lively information events for the general public.

This is a key initiative within and beyond the Asia Pacific region.

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