Woman of the evening, Nadia Shabana - Monday October 19

"My dream is to see many more women and youth being involved in the trade union movement."

Nadia Shabana comes from Palestine. 'In the Middle East, men rule," she says. "They take the decisions, they make the plans. They get to decde on everything."

"But," she says with determination, "It's time for things to change."

The young woman represents the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) and is also Vice-Chair of the ITUC Youth Committee. She is passionate about both women and young people in general being empowered to make positive contributions to the union movement.

"In European countries the youth, and women, are perhaps given a bit more space to operate in trade unions. Where I come from, and in developing countries in general, there is more of a hierarchy."

"But with all due respect, as young people we have much to offer. We have knowledge and skills, especially concerning technology and contemporary ways of communicating. We are able to connect!"

Shabana feels the 1st World Women's Conference gives women - both younger and older - the chance to share and discuss important issues that are common to all, regardless of the countries they come from.

"Discrimination, climate change, the global crisis - these are issues that affect all of us. What's great about this conference is that it has the possibility to empower and strengthen women. It makes us feel important - that people care, no matter where we come from," she explained.

She also thought it was necessary that people return to their home countries with information and action plans that they could feed back to their organisations and communities.

Shabana acknowledges the importance of getting younger women to join the union movement."We have to motivate them to join. And not only because of salary issues, and earning higher wages, which is often the reason given to women to join. They need to know that their voices and their opinions matter," she said.

Shabana herself is preparing for longterm investment in women's economic and union issues. After time spent working as a financial officer for a developmental agency, she is now doing her Masters Degree in Economics in London.