Networking for women's leadership: bringing women together to share skills, contacts and positive attitudes could help us all to navigate through these uncertain economic times.

• Author: Engvig, Kristin

The past months have been a turbulent time. Markets have collapsed around the world and we are left with huge economic uncertainties. Whether in our offices or our homes, it has had an effect on all of us. By gathering women to share inspiration and knowledge, meet potential clients and find solutions to big and small challenges, Women's International Networking (WIN) is developing ways to navigate through these uncertain times.

Over the past ten years, almost 6,000 women from 70 nations have gathered at WIN's global leadership forum to discuss leadership of the future and how to make a positive contribution to the global economy. By exchanging business cards, ideas, ways of operating and actual contracts, the participants are developing strategies for incorporating humanity into business operations and policy decisions.

How women contribute in the economic sphere can make a difference. The organization was founded in Milan (Italy) in 1997, with a vision to facilitate the situation of women working internationally. Over the years it has become known as a forum for change, inspiring women worldwide to develop, empower and connect with a more feminine, authentic and global leadership.

"The conference really inspired me to work harder for a positive leadership in Cameroon: for women's empowerment, women's rights and leadership," says Yotchou Tzudjom Anne Pelagi, programme officer and director of New Human Rights in Cameroon.

The organization has continued to gather women working internationally, propelled by the diversity of the women and the challenges they meet.

Gabrielle Kluck, a field administrative officer for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency fro Palestine Refugees in the Near East in the Syrian Arab Republic, has attended several WIN forums as a participant, speaker and workshop leader. "It empowers women to open their eyes, to be inspired and to take action," she says. "Everyyear I hear new things that I am able to bring to my work, and create awareness of what is going around globally in equality, diversity and focus of businesses and entrepreneurs to make the world a better place by including women."

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