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Having consultative status does not permit ACWW to vote at conferences but it does al» low representation, at them as well as at coun- cil meetings, as observers, to present state- ments on matters of concern to ACWW or any of its numerous member societies, and in some cases to speak to an issue which touches‘on ACWW spheres of interest. Representatives from the UN, Committee regularly attend meetings of UNESCO in Paris, FAO in Rome, and ECOSOC and its Commissions in New York or Geneva. 1 was most fortunate in 1969 to represent ACWW at a meeting of UNESCO in Paris in three of the working parties set up by the NGO’s in consultative status with UNESCO â€"â€" working parties on peace and inâ€" ternational understanding, youth, and visual aids. Apart from a vivid picture of Paris and the modern UNESCO headquarters, I brought back a better understanding of the working of ACWW and UNESCO. The duties of having consultative status with UNESCO and FAQ involve ACWW in the compilation and presentation of information on such subjects as lie within its scope, i.c., lit- cracy among women, rural development, child care and nutrition. ACWW also disseminates to its member societies information about the work of the specialised agencies. In fact there is a continuous flow of information between all to their mutual benefit. There are also cer- tain privileges attendant on consultative status. ACWW has, in the past, received sums of money as grants toward the travel expenses of women going from the developing countries to the developed countries for periods of instruc- tion or observation. Under these travel grants women from Guyana, the Philippines, Le- sotho, and Ceylon have been able to visit Can- uda where the Canadian Women’s Institutes have given them hoSpitality and planned train- ing sessions. The hope is that when these wom- en have visited a c0untry and observed how the women there work and live, how they or- ganise themselves for the betterment of their families and the community, they will return home fired with a desire to do likewise. Both UNESCO and FAQ have recently, as in the past, given financial backing to seminars which member societies of ACWW have organ- ised. In 1968 backing was given for a seminar held in Karachi and organized by the All Paki- stan Women's Association. This seminar, on literacy, was attended by women from India, Ceylon, Iran, Nepal. East and West Pakistan and Australia. Here even Indian and Pakistan women met together to discuss mutual probâ€" lems. This year a seminar to be held in Jamai- ca and organised by one of ACWW’s members is being given UNESCO backing. These semi- nars provide an opportunity for women from 13 different countries to meet and work tor her in small groups to share experiences and mi knowledge in solving mutual problems. UNESCO and FAQ also have the Gill .n. pon Scheme by which organisations can 3“ to contribute money to specific projects ‘ .Lh hear numbers. The agencies undertake i .rt, ceive the money and channel it into the c- _. project. Mrs. Rand, Area Vice-Presideri u Canada at that time, mentioned in her . to the 12th Triennial Conference in La. September 1968. Gift Coupon 367 1hr which $20,000 was contributed for among the Indian and Eskimo Women of ada's Northland. Another. Gift Coupon has been supported generously by the A. can and Canadian organisations. to Pl along with FAO and UNICEF, a Child and Home Improvement Centre in Villa ia, Colombia, Seuth America. UNICEF with the long term problems of child car projects are carried through by means ol from voluntary organisations plus FAG UNESCO, with emphasis on the trainir. mothers as a direct help to children. The Freedom from Hunger Cami (FFHC) was organised by FAO and m. was raised for many projects throughout world. My own Women’s Institutes in En:- and Wales raised thousands of pounds (ll this campaign, some of which was used lk‘ two landrovers for use in Africa as a meat taking talks and demonstrations to wont: rural areas which were far apart and din of access. Yet another part of the money spent to build an agricultural training cent: Africa where men and women can com take short courses in farming methods to prove their standard of living. These practical examples of how indivt members of ACWW can work with the organisations, or how ACWW can do so. vide concrete proof of the benefit which accrue from the interrelationship of AC and the UN. Nor must we forget the two» traffic in information which is possible cause of this relationship. Each gives to other and receives something of value in turn. This must surely justify the existencc’ the UN agencies. In conclusion, here is a L: tation from a speech made by Mrs. Antler: when she addressed delegates attending seminar on ACWW and the UN at the L sing Conference. She said, “The image of UN. on television is so often the image of i ter debate and polemical conflict but the l“ " image of the United Nations, and the im_ . which is often the real one, is of men a" l women Working together for the good of live greater community of mankind." HOME AND COUNTRY