Lee Hockstader writing in the Pew Trusts Magazine says:  Between George Washington’s admonition to avoid alliances with other countries and John F. Kennedy’s pledge to support any friend and oppose any foe in liberty’s defense, Americans have been torn over their role and obligations in the world, practically from our nation’s birth. The isolationist impulse, never long dormant, has coexisted uneasily, and sometimes unhappily, with the muscular ambitions and restless idealism of a continental power whose interests and reach are formidable.

After a decade of foreign wars that has sapped the nation’s prestige and confidence, Americans are now in many ways more ambivalent than ever. Even as they want the nation to remain strong, well-armed, and engaged in trade and economic relations overseas, their appetite for an assertive geopolitical role is drastically diminished. Likewise, their faith in the country’s ability to project power has plummeted. Even as Americans worry about the threat posed by terrorist attacks, islamic extremists, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and cyberwarfare, an unprecedented proportion of the public wants the United States to turn its gaze to domestic problems—quite literally, to mind its own business.

An America of two minds: That is the portrait painted by “America’s place in the World 2013,” the sixth edition of the Pew Research Center’s quadrennial survey of public attitudes on foreign affairs.    Is America Leaving the World Behind

Right Honprable Jo Goodhew, Minister of Women’s Affairs in New Zealand, comments:  The 120th anniversary of women’s suffrage last year reminded us that New Zealand led the world in recognising that women should have an equal rights to men.

One of our goals is to achieve more gender balance in leaders
hip across New Zealand. This brings benefits not only to boards and their organisations, but also to the economy.  Leadership talent is always in demand, in New Zealand and globally.

Since 1994 women have been graduating with tertiary qualifications at higher rates than men. They now comprise 65 percent of university graduates. Yet at every successive management level more talented women drop out, or their career stalls, compared to men.

I want to see a greater number of women in leadership and governance roles in New Zealand. There is compelling evidence that gender balance leads to better decisions and organisational performance, providing economic and productivity gains.  Women represent increasing market power. Research evidence tells us they make most of the retail decisions, worldwide.

Gender balance in leadership can also promote increased innovation and effective problem solving, and more effective risk management.  We must create more opportunities for women in governance positions, especially in the private sector. We must achieve a step change in the percentage of women that currently sit on boards, head organisations, and contribute as Members of Parliament or other democratically elected roles.

Organisations need to look at the issues and challenges they face in attracting, developing and retaining women at all levels in the leadership pipeline. Research shows that addressing cultural and structural issues, such as unconscious bias and flexible work practices, removes barriers for women.

Senior leaders, particularly chief executives, need to set long-term goals for women in leadership in their organisations and regularly measure results towards that goal.

In the state sector, I encourage women seeking governance roles to contact the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. The Ministry manages a database with over 800 women who are actively growing their careers in governance.  New Zealand’s Diiversity Rule requires companies listed on the stock exchange to report on gender balance on their boards and in their senior management teams each year.  Women comprise 12 percent of directors on the 109 New Zealand companies.  covered by this Rule.   By increasing women’s participation and having more diversity on boards, we can further grow our productive economy. To do this and achieve the progress required, each of us must take action today.

LAHORE: Women are sometimes intimidated by the idea of accounting as a career.  Yet the field has a bright future and a huge scope for those who want to take part and lead the corporate sector of Pakistan. The perception of how difficult accounting is for women needs to change now.

This was the crux of a round table discussion of senior female finance experts who looked at ways to enable more women enter the world of finance with the event being organised by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).  While a great many women have entered the finance profession, they account for only 20% of the most senior posts held in the sector.
“There are proven economic benefits of female participation in the work force, which in turn have a direct impact on gross domestic product (GDP) and other economic indicators. Our research shows that the benefits of having women on board include the belief that women protect business interests, and that they ensure the boards make more balanced decisions,” said Jenny Gu, ACCA Council Member. “Despite these perceptions, there is still much more that needs to be done to ensure boards are more diverse, and discussions such as these will help raise these issues up the agenda.”
Women in Finance Have a Bright Future

About Equal Rights For Saudi Women

Edward Luce lunches with Prince Turki al-Faisal, the man who headed Saudi Arabia’s intelligence service for 24 years.  The Prince talks about equal rights for Saudi women.

Who is the most prized woman in Saudi Arabia today?  A woman with a job.

“When I was growing up, the head of a family considered it shameful to ask his wife or daughter to get a job. He thought he should take care of his womenfolk. Because of education, the woman with a job became something of a prize and she brings in more income to her parents, she’s looked up to by her siblings, and she’s sought after by suitors. But what I hear from people in my entourage, the women in my family, is that driving is not that important. What is important to them is equal legal rights, whether it is inheritance, divorce, childcare, things that affect women’s livelihood. They say let us concentrate on improving these things first and not expend our energy on driving, because that will come by itself.”

The Prince Talks about Saudi Women and Spying