Third Annual Conference of SWAN, sponsored by SAF

Dear Ambassador Madanjeet Singh,

I have just returned from Dhaka, where we successfully conducted the Third Annual Conference of SWAN (South Asia Women's Network) on the theme of Women of South Asia and the Green Economy.

The SWAN Conference had excellent participation, over 70 eminent individuals, with three Members of the National Assembly of Afghanistan, Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Deputy State Attorney of the Maldives, senior media representatives from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, leading women entrepreneurs from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, noted academicians, authors, theatre directors, cultural personalities and well-known educationists and successful NGO leaders from all the nine countries. Ms Vandana Shiva, renowned environmental activist, delivered the Key Note Address. She has a huge fan-following in Dhaka, and her address was warmly received. The Bangladesh State Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, was the Chief Guest at the Inaugural Plenary, and gave a wonderful speech.

The SWAN Conference was in every sense a very successful collaboration between Jamia Millia Islamia, the South Asia Foundation, and the Manusher Jonno Foundation, Dhaka. We gratefully acknowledged at every stage, in my speech in the Inaugural Plenary, in the Media Note and in all the publicity material, the invaluable support of the South Asia Foundation. Dr Kamal Hossain, Chairperson of SAF-Bangladesh, was with us for the Inaugural Plenary and the Panel Discussion which followed. He was most appreciative, and said he would like to actively involved in the follow-up. Professor Salima Hashmi, Chairperson of SAF-Pakistan, was with us as a delegate. She gave us a wonderful presentation on the SAF programme she is conducting for young women contemporary artists of South Asia. 

We had animated discussions on the theme of the Conference : Women of South Asia and the Green Economy. I am enclosing with this email the Dhaka Declaration issued on the last day of the Conference, and the Media Note that we have circulated. I hope you find these interesting.

I am also enclosing the Invitation card (being sent separately) and Programme of the Conference. The Daily Star, Bangladesh's leading English language newspaper published from Dhaka, carried an editorial on our SWAN Conference in their paper on 5th July. I am placing this below as well.

I look forward to receiving your initial responses about the outcome of the Conference. Please do tell me what you think about the SWAN logo we have created, with the words "Wisdom, Unity, Dignity" as our motto.

I once again thank you most sincerely for the enormous support and encouragement you have always given to the work of the South Asia Women's Network (SWAN). We have now reached the all-important take-off stage (if I may put it this way) in our endeavours, There was great enthusiasm and excitement among the delegates, and the strong will to work together for gender empowerment and equity in each sector of activity across South Asia. The idea that the voice of the women of South Asia should be heard at all important regional and multilateral forums has found tremendous response. We now need to plan on how to carry this forward.

With warm regards and best wishes,

Veena

Veena Sikri
Professor, Ford Foundation Chair
Bangladesh Studies Programme
& Convener, South Asia Women's Network (SWAN)
Academy of Third World Studies
Jamia Millia Islamia