CLGF has recieved an award for its work in empowering women from the Commonwealth's Businesswomen's Network. Presented at a ceremony in London during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the award was decided by an advisory panel of accredited organisation representatives.

Picking up the award, CLGF Deputy Secretary-General Lucy Slack thanked the panel and said: "We are delighted that the work of CLGF members around the Commonwealth has been recognised. Ensuring that Commonwealth women are empowered to play a full and positive role in public life is extremely important to CLGF. We also recognise the great impact significance ortance that Local Economic Development can play in enabling women to be more independent and the need to support women both in their quest to run for office and once they have been elected."

Freda Miriklis, Chair, Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network, said: "The Commonwealth Local Government Forum has given women’s economic empowerment and gender equality a clear, coherent and compelling focus. Winning this award also recognises the importance of cities as engines of growth in Commonwealth economic development and how women can be an integral part of that process."

The Award recognises a Commonwealth Accredited Organisation that has made a significant contribution to supporting women’s economic empowerment and gender equality through its work, membership and governance. CLGF has set gender equality, women’s leadership and economic empowerment as a key priority, actively using its advocacy and programme work to demonstrate and reinforce strategies for gender equity across local government. It has opened up local consultations on identifying local economic priorities to women; provided training for women keen to develop small businesses; and promoted market access to women traders. It recently launched a Commonwealth network of women leaders to spearhead achievement of SDG5 across its work, to ensure that women’s voices are better heard in local government throughout the Commonwealth.

For the full citation go to the Website. 

This was the third Commonwealth's Businesswomen's Network awards which aim to celebrate the achievement of women in business across the Commonwealth. 

Pictured above with the award are CLGF Secretary-General Greg Munro and Programme Manager Claire Frost.

20 April 2018