Themes of SAARC Summit 2011 to be held in Maldives
SAARC Summits are the highest level of authority in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). SAARC summits are usually held annually and are attended by the heads of Governments/States of the member countries. Country playing host to the Summit holds the Chair of the Association. First SAARC Summit was held in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, in 1985.
The 17th SAARC Summit will be held in Maldives' capital Male this year (2011), as announcement made by the Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley on the concluding day of the two- day 16th Summit of the eight-nation bloc, comprising India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Maldivesannounced held in April 2010 at Thimpu, Bhutan.
H. E. Uz. Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed, Secretary-General of SAARC, proposed the following subjects as possible themes for the Seventeenth SAARC Summit for consideration of the Maldivian Government:
- Women as Catalysts for Change;
- Women as Agents of Development; and
- Women as Partners for Development.
The Secretary-General also identified five sub-themes (Maternal Health; Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence; Economic and Political Empowerment; HIV/AIDS; & HPV, other STDs and Cervical Cancer) for consideration of the esteemed Government. She also drew attention of the Government to issues occurring within these contexts. The Secretary-General stated that in having appointed its first woman Secretary General, it is an opportune moment for SAARC to bring intensified focus at the Summit level on the many issues impacting on women. The Secretary-General further said that while the selection of such a theme will afford the opportunity to intensify focus on issues that have traditionally been voiced out, it will also be a starting point for generating debate and discussion on issues that have not yet received due attention such as HPV and other STDs and their bearing on cervical cancer. She also emphasised that she has taken this initiative in submitting the said themes for the esteemed Government’s consideration as she feels that there is a moral imperative on everyone, especially women, in places of authority to bring to bear all the influences they can to work for the betterment of women in South Asia. (for more click.............)
