 The Commonwealth of Learning commends OUCHI Polytechnic and in particular the Centre for Gender Studies and the Centre for Flexible Skills Development for the innovation in providing flexible opportunities for women and girls to continue their education and training. Research from several countries has provided evidence that women prefer more flexible learning opportunities, which enable them to balance their academic pursuits with their family and social responsibilities. I wish you a very fruitful conference as you bring together researchers and practitioners in gender studies to debate these important issues. I would like to share with you my thoughts on girls' education to coincide with International Women's Day on 8th March. Women in Commonwealth countries face three major challenges – poverty, disempowerment, and poor health. Two-thirds of women in the Commonwealth live under $2 a day. Their productive role is constrained by lack of access and control over resources such as land, labour, capital organisation, and knowledge. Poverty and disempowerment have a direct impact on women's health. The 9th Women's Affairs Minister's meeting in Barbados pointed out that 66 out of the 100 deaths due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth take place in Commonwealth countries, and women account for 60% of those affected by HIV AIDS in the Commonwealth. Violence against women remains a critical issue affecting women's empowerment and needs priority attention. Gender equality is one of the fundamental principles of the Commonwealth, and an increasing number of governments are realising the value of investing in gender equality and improving the status of women. Most of the female heads of government in the Commonwealth, who are themselves powerful role models, have spoken of education and learning as a means of empowering women and girls. The Commonwealth of Learning, or CALL, recognises that in order to give meaning to its agenda of learning for development, gender equality and women's empowerment have to be integral to its work around the globe. CALL believes that learning and knowledge are the key to individual freedom and to social and economic development. The link between women's empowerment and development effectiveness has been clearly established. As Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations said, and I quote, it is impossible to realise our goals while discriminating against half the human race. CALL is an intergovernmental agency created by Commonwealth heads of government to promote the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. CALL's purpose is to increase access to quality learning opportunities so that Commonwealth citizens, particularly women and girls, have the knowledge and skills to lead healthy and productive lives. The theme of International Women's Day this year is inspiring change. While we celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women, this is also an opportunity for us to inspire positive change. The Commonwealth of Learning is doing its part in contributing to gender equality through the use of distance education and appropriate technologies. Let me share some of the inspiring success stories from around the Commonwealth. Through CALL's support, Eunice, a young woman from Kenya, was able to fulfil her dream of becoming a construction worker like her father by attending a training program at the Coast Institute of Technology. This enabled her to increase her income substantially, which meant that she could contribute to her family income and support her own further training in this field. Many girls like Eunice are benefitting from flexible skills development training. Let me go to the second example, Periyar Jakamal, an illiterate woman from a poor household in India, learnt about the modern techniques of goat rearing through the lifelong learning for farmers initiative of CALL. Using mobile phones and blended learning methods, she, along with other members of a microfinance group, learnt about business and credit planning, approached a bank for a loan and started an enterprise. She is now an active member of a Women's Federation, has started a primary school in the village and is a committee member managing the school. Her personal income through goat rearing has increased considerably. She is not only able to learn daily through her mobile phone, TV and radio, but also shares her experiences with thousands of other women using these media. Now let's go to Malawi, where Hilda and many other women like her sit around a radio under a baobab tree. They are regular listeners of radio programs on maternal health from the community radio station facilitated by CALL. Two years ago, Hilda's sister died while giving birth because she had no professional support and did not make it to the hospital in time. Hilda got a group of women together who wanted to do something about the high level of maternal mortality in the area. With CALL support, they developed radio programs on issues related to pregnancy and delivery. Hilda smiles when songs on pregnancy and childbirth are aired. Hilda's group wrote and performed these songs. They listened to their own voices, their own stories and their own ideas, which can transform the lives of other women. These radio programs have had a major impact on the health seeking behaviors of the community. These then are the stories of some women who have changed their own lives and inspired others to do likewise. Let us continue to inspire change, not just by bringing about greater awareness of gender equality, but also by continuing to support positive action for girls and women's education and learning. Achieving gender equality is not just the responsibility of women alone. It must be the common concern of all humanity. Each one of us must contribute and, as Mahatma Gandhi said, let us be the change we want to see. Thank you very much.