In This Issue

Speech Excerpts from the Microcredit Summit +5

Plenary Session: Ensuring Impact

International Year of Microcredit

Archived Issues

Vol 1 Iss 4 Sept. '03
Vol 1 Iss 3 July '03
Vol 1 Iss 2 May '03
Vol 1 Iss 1 March '03

» Current Issue

E-News Information

Reprinting Permissions

Sponsors for the Microcredit Summit +5

Subscribe to Microcredit Summit E-News

Señora Marta Sahagún de Fox, Spouse of the President of Mexico

....The 21st century is the century for women….the right to work for women is slowly becoming a reality. This Microcredit Summit represents an important step in favor of women’s rights and of marginal communities. I therefore express my recognition to the organizers of this forum and my wishes for successful deliberations and goals.

The 21st century is witnessing changes in politics and in the social and the economic sectors. There is a new international stage being built and many member countries in the world are seriously bringing efforts forward so we can bring a human face to the world economy. Things are changing and there is hope in our future. The world is changing because we have unacceptable poverty. We must change the undignified…consequences of poverty on the most vulnerable groups. This is a must and a responsibility and an obligation. We are talking about respect for human rights for every person and I underline every person that lives on this planet. No one must be excluded. No one must be marginalized. We must also not just rest easy because we have given them some sporadic support. They urgently need more and better opportunity. Productive work is forceful liberation. It also helps decrease the gap of inequality between men and women.

We want justice in our world, and if we do we must go forward with the process of empowering women. ....The fight of women for gender equality is one of our social objectives. It is a peaceful but positive movement. Our battle is not against men, because with equality everyone wins...

Friends, microcredit is a valuable option within the strategies that our governments are applying to stop poverty and marginalization. ....[The Government of Mexico has] a national microcredit program and continued strategies that bring to life new social policies in favor of the most vulnerable groups. Supporting poor and marginalized women is a priority…particularly because today, Mexican women are head of the household in one out of four homes. As President Fox has said, only if we support women with microcredit and grants, with healthcare and other resources will they be able to come out of marginalization...

Read remarks by Anwarul Karim Chowdhury