HANOI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The Global Summit of Women 2008 (GSW), or the "Davos for Women," concluded here Saturday.

    Delegates from more than 70 countries and regions hailed the summit, with participants from governments, business communities and non-governmental organizations, as an efficient platform for women to strive for greater rights in decision-making.

Global Summit of Women (GSW) President Irene Natividad speaks to journalists of Xinhua News Agency in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 4, 2008.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Meanwhile, they stressed that joint efforts by all governments and international organizations are needed to meet the challenges posed by globalization for women.

    PLATFORM FOR WOMEN TO GAIN GREATER SAY

    Women from different parts of the world, and different social strata and professions gathered at the summit to exchange ideas and to pursue greater say for women, noted many delegates.

    The summit president, Irene Natividad, said one of the most important missions of the summit was to discover a new generation of women leaders and encourage the formulation of more policies that guarantee the rights and interest of women via closer ties with governments and business communities.

    With the rapid growth of women entrepreneurs worldwide, global platforms such as the GSW are needed for them to exchange experiences and seek more business opportunities, said Feng Cui, deputy chairman of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of China.     

    GENDER EQUALITY A UPHILL LONG JOURNEY

    "Gender Equality," a mere slogan some half a century ago, has gradually turned into reality in many fields and at various levels since the women's movement started.

    A report by the world economic forum showed that remarkable progress in women's education and medical care has been made worldwide, as some 90 percent of the disparities between different genders have been bridged in these two fields.

    Since the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in China's Beijing in 1995, about 70 percent of the 187 UN members have worked out plans on enhancing women's rights and interests.

    Nevertheless, women's development is facing increasingly tougher challenges. Many outstanding issues that have hindered the progress of women remain unchanged. Income disparity between genders, women's dilemma of having to take good care of both work and family, the "glass ceiling" in women's promotion and deep-seated discrimination against women are still widespread worldwide, they said.

    A research report released by the summit showed that although Asia-Pacific has seen a steadily-narrowed gender gap in employment and education in the past four years, fewer women have been promoted to the management, and women's satisfaction with their pay has plummeted.

    Discriminations against women are still serious in both developed and developing countries, and the only differences is that such phenomena take a better disguised form in the developed countries.

    In Britain, for instance, the average pay for women in the financial sector is 41 percent lower than their male counterparts, and the income disparity between male and female in manufacturing and processing industries stands as 19 percent, according to a research commissioned by the British government.

    If women want to be successful, they have to endure greater pressure and try twice as hard as men, commented Luisa Dias Diogo, Mozambique's prime minister who was awarded Global Women's Leadership Awards at this summit. 　

    LIFTING WOMEN FROM DILEMMA TO SUCCESS

    Breaking the barrier to women's career development has been the common concern of the delegates at the summit. Many told reporters that women, long disadvantaged, are bound to face twists and turns and experience hardship in their endeavor for emancipation.

    The joint efforts from all social sectors and above all, the initiative of women themselves are needed to ensure women's career success.

    The delegates suggested that governments, enterprises and civil societies join hand to support women in their career development.

    They noted that it is important for women to eliminate inferiority sense, defy discrimination and struggle for their own rights and interests.

    The delegates said the women should capitalize on globalizations some new trends in the social-economic development worldwide are conducive to enhancing women's status.

    For example, the ageing of population would provide more job opportunities for women, making it possible for women to take greater social and economic responsibilities and play a greater role, they said.

    The summit has established practical guidelines, is exploring feasible schemes and striving to enhance women leaders' influence to comprehensively raise women's status, said summit President Irene Natividad.