Ambassador’s remarks at Small Grants Initiative Signing Ceremony with Women’s Business Group (WBG)

August 19, 2010

President of the Women's Business Group, Mrs. Lillian Wiebers

Project Officer, Mrs. Cornelly Olivieira

Members of the media

Colleagues and friends

I am very pleased to announce today that we will sign a commitment of $92,250 for the Women's Business Group to work on the critical issue of promoting women's political, economic and social advancement in Suriname. 

Around the world people see that women's empowerment is central component to solving our most pressing global challenges.

It is simply fact - no country, no country can get ahead if it leaves half of its people behind.

Secretary of State Clinton has described the stakes: "Until women around the world are accorded their rights and afforded opportunities to participate fully in the lives of their societies, global progress and prosperity will have its own glass ceiling."

I completely agree.  As a husband and the father of two daughters, I know how important it is to be committed to women's rights, women's education, women's full participation in society. 

The status of women is a cornerstone of United States foreign policy, because we recognize that the major security, economic, environmental, and governance challenges we face as a nation, and as a community of nations - from climate change to the conflicts around the world - cannot be effectively addressed without the participation of women at all levels.

I am very pleased to announce that the Women's Business Group submitted an excellent proposal. 

Their proposal will foster the creation and stimulation of Business Opportunities for women in Eco-Tourism in Suriname - a project that recognizes that expanded economic opportunities for women is a good development practice.  And one that will yield economic gains for women, households, and the economy as a whole.

It is vital that women have a full role in the economy, including in the less populated districts and interior of Suriname. 

Also, as you know, I also believe that Suriname's environmental heritage needs to be protected for future generations, and that eco-tourism is one way to help do that.

It is a promising alternative to environmentally-damaging activities, such as unregulated small-scale gold-mining;

In winning this funding, the Women's Business Group competed with over 300 proposals from around the world as part of the Small Grants Initiative of our Office of Global Women's Issues. 

Of those 300, just 57 proposals from 38 countries were selected, collectively representing a $5 million U.S. dollar commitment. 

I am very proud that the Suriname proposal from the Women's Business Group was one of these selected proposals. 

Mrs. Wiebers, for this, I congratulate you and your colleagues on a job well started.  And I say "started," because winning the grant is only the first step.  Of course the important thing is how you use it for the benefit of women here.

As Mrs. Wiebers has described, this project will provide young women from the rural areas and interior of Suriname training that will help them identify economic opportunities and set up home-based enterprises that cater to tourists.

These business opportunities will be in existing markets, such as manufacturing herbal spa products to providing professional grooming services (hair and nail) to tourists in the interior. 

Comprehensive training programs will be provided to project participants (women from 16-30 thirty years of age) in seven of the 10 districts: Saramacca, Coronie, Nickerie, Commewijne, Marowijne, Para, and Sipaliwini.  This program is based on four pillars: (1) provide training on social skills; (2) provide credit to launch businesses; (3) collaborate with partner organizations/ businesses in creating jobs; and (4) provide on-the-job-coaching. 

I will be visiting the interior and look forward to seeing first-hand the hard work of this project as well as Suriname's beautiful biodiversity and eco-tourism opportunities.

And now I would like to invite Ms. Oliveira to join me in signing the grants paperwork to formally and officially launch this important endeavor.