Speeches & Articles

Remarks by Consul General Beth A. Payne
at Impulse NGO Network
September 3, 2009, Shillong, Meghalaya

September 3, 2009

Good Morning!
Khublei! (God Bless, in Khasi)

I would like to thank the Impulse NGO Network for organizing this program to talk about women empowerment and gender equality.  I am very excited to be here in Meghalaya for the first time and I look forward to learning more about this wonderful state.  I am particularly interested in learning more about your traditional matrilineal society and how this contributes to gender equality and the empowerment of women in your society.  Societies cannot realize their full potential if half their population is not given the opportunity for education, health care, access to employment and credit.  Therefore, gender equality is an essential ingredient for the U.S., India’s, and Meghalaya’s economic growth.

Today the world is facing serious challenges -- a global economic crisis, pervasive poverty, the spread of terrorism, regional armed conflicts, and climate change and environmental degradation.  We cannot effectively address these challenges through half measures or with only half our populations.  A growing body of research tells us that supporting women is a high-yield investment, resulting in stronger economies, more vibrant civil societies, healthier communities, and greater peace and stability.

One very important component in ensuring gender equality is political empowerment, the equitable representation of women in decision-making structures, both formal and informal, so that women are involved in formulating policies affecting their societies.  I would like to commend the Impulse NGO Network for working to increase the number of women in leadership roles here in Meghalaya.  Promoting women to leadership roles, whether it's in political positions or in the private sector, is an important step towards bringing about gender equality.  This is building on India's rich history of exemplary women political leaders -- from the might of Rani Ahilyabai and Rani Laxmi Bai to the political acumen of Indira Gandhi.  These role models demonstrate the strength and wisdom women can bring to the political domain.

While Panchayats have given women in India more opportunities to enter into public dialogue and leadership roles at the local level, it is also important that women be included in the informal networking and leadership structures.  This is why I am pleased to see that male-only clubs -- where many political discussions take place -- are an historic footnote.

Another important means of empowering women is to remove the discrimination they experience in their everyday life.  Discrimination is like a bird in a cage.  Each wire in the cage represented an act of discrimination.  If the bird only had one wire to worry about, it would be free in no time and could fly wherever it wanted to.  But, a whole cage of discrimination wires stifles anyone trapped inside.

One of the worst forms of discrimination and oppression of women is human trafficking.  Trafficking is a global phenomenon where victims, mostly women and children, are sexually exploited, forced into labor and subjected to abuse.  Too many women throughout the world are enslaved by trafficking and, as a result, prevented from reaching their full potential.  Thousands of women throughout the world will not fly free until we effectively end human trafficking.

I am therefore very proud today to release material that will increase awareness about trafficking issues.  The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata have partnered with UNIFEM, Impulse NGO network, and others to put together trafficking awareness campaigns here in Shillong and we appreciate your support for making these campaigns a success.

I cannot close without also acknowledging the importance of men in empowering women.  My father encouraged me to do anything I wanted - he taught me to cook and clean and to do yard work.  He treated my mom as an equal and, therefore, I also expected to be treated as an equal in social as well as professional settings.  I have had several professional male mentors who gave me opportunities to excel.  These men recognized that by empowering the women in their lives, they improve their own lives and societies.  So, I would like to encourage the men here today to also join in our efforts to empower women and ensure gender equality.

Thank you