Press Release

OPEC Fund observes International Women's Day

05/2006 February 22, 2006, Vienna, Austria
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Together with the international community, the OPEC Fund is today observing International Women’s Day, which marks the economic, social, cultural and political achievements of women across the globe.

The OPEC Fund has always recognized the important role played by women in the development process. As nurturers, they are involved in family health, schooling, food production and fetching water. In many cases, they are heads of households.

Since its inception, the OPEC Fund has focused on the ideals embraced by the Millennium Development Goals, which strive, among other things, to eradicate poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; improve maternal health; reduce child mortality and combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

For 30 years, the Fund has actively supported initiatives to help achieve these goals, and has co-financed myriad projects that aim at reducing maternal/infant mortality, promoting micro-credit schemes and small enterprises run by women as well as boosting literacy levels. Vocational training for women also receives unwavering support.