18–21 October 2016 Multi-Function Hall 3, ADB Headquarters Manila, Philippines SPEAKERS’ PROFILES 1 RESOURCE SPEAKERS DEBORAH STOKES Vice-President for Administration and Corporate Management Asian Development Bank Ms. Deborah Stokes is the Vice-President for Administration and Corporate Management of ADB. She assumed the position in January 2016. She is responsible for the overall management of the operations of the Budget, Personnel, and Management Systems Department; Office of Administrative Services; Office of the General Counsel; Office of Information Systems and Technology; Office of the Secretary; and Operations Services and Financial Management Department. Prior to this, Ms. Stokes was a senior official in Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australian Agency for International Development. She was most recently High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, and has served as Australia’s Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, and Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo. She also held positions at the Australian Embassy in Yangon and the United Nations Development Programme in New York. Ms. Stokes holds a Master of Philosophy in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Adelaide in Australia. EMMELINE VERZOSA Executive Director Philippine Commission on Women Ms. Emmeline Verzosa has over 35 years of experience in gender and development, women’s empowerment, health and nutrition, first as an NGO worker, a nutrition professor, an independent consultant, and currently as Executive Director of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) since 2002. As head of the Secretariat of this policy-making and oversight body for gender equality and women’s empowerment, Ms. Verzosa manages the overall gender mainstreaming efforts in government, ensuring that policies, programs and services work for the promotion, protection, and fulfillment of women’s human rights at the socio-cultural, economic, and political spheres. She works in partnership with key stakeholders, especially women from civil society, the private sector and academe at the international, regional and local levels. Ms. Verzosa also has extensive experience in legislative advocacy leading to the passage of landmark laws such as the Magna Carta of Women, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law, the Domestic Workers Act, the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, the Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Act, and the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, among others. Early in Ms Verzosa’s career, she worked as a community organizer in rural areas in the Philippines mobilizing people’s participation in health, agriculture and other community programs. Ms. Verzosa earned her Master of Science in Social Policy and Planning in Developing Countries specializing in Gender, Social Planning and Development and Health Planning and Financing from the London School of Economics and Political Science; and her Master of Science in Nutrition and BS in Community Nutrition degrees from the College of Home Economics, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. In 2012, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) conferred to her the Distinguished Alumni Award in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment. 2 WENNY KUSUMA Country Representative UN Women, Nepal Ms. Wenny Kusuma assumed the position of Country Representative of UN Women in Nepal in September 2016. Prior to her current position, Ms. Kusuma served as the UN Women Country Representative in Cambodia (2010-2016), UNIFEM Country Director in Afghanistan (2008-2010) and UNIFEM Programme Manager for South East Europe based in Macedonia (2006-2008). She has more than thirty years of experience in the field of women's human rights and gender equality with a focus on women, peace and security in conflict and post-conflict settings, including in the Western Balkans and the Horn of Africa, and on sexual assault and domestic violence as Executive Director of La Casa de las Madres in San Francisco, California. She holds an Masters in Social Work from San Francisco State University, USA. MOHNA ANSARI Member, Nepal Human Rights Commission Former Member, National Women’s Commission Nepal Ms. Mohna Ansari serves as a member and spokesperson of the Nepal Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the constitutional body tasked with safeguarding human rights. Prior to her current position, between 2010-2014, she served as member on the National Women Commission contributing to national policy development for ensuring economic, social, cultural and human rights of Nepalese women. In 2012, she was honored by the President with the Suprabal Jana Sewa Shree award, a presidential medal for public service. That same year, she received the Nava Devi Award which recognizes Nepal’s female role models and achievers. As a lawyer and women’s rights activist, Ms. Ansari has participated in several international conferences representing Nepali women in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and USA. In 2008, she was among the 10 Asian women selected for the “Portraits of Leadership” by The Asia Foundation. Ms. Ansari has been committed to advocating for the rights of women in underprivileged communities. Her work in Muslim communities in Nepal has been recognized, published and featured by “Nepal Weekly”, the Kathmandu Post, and the Nepalese TV. Ms. Mohna Ansari holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Mahendra Multiple College, Nepalgunj. As the first woman law graduate from the underprivileged Muslim community which is under 5% of Nepal’s population, she has become a role model and a source of pride for many in her country. 3 ROSHANEH ZAFAR Founder and Managing Director, Kashf Foundation Founder, Kashf Microfinance Bank Limited Pakistan Ms. Roshaneh Zafar founded Kashf Foundation, Pakistan’s first specialized microfinance institution, in 1996 inspired by Muhammad Yunus, leader of Grameen Bank/Bangladesh and she later founded the Kashf Microfinance Bank in 2008. Ms Zafar continues to represent Kashf and Pakistan on many international conferences including the World Economic Forum. She has been the recipient of many national and international awards, including Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian awards in 2005for her work in development and women’s empowerment and the Vital Voices Economic Empowerment Award in 2010. Ms. Zafar is the founding member of the Pakistan Microfinance Network; Board Member of Women’s World Banking, and Kaarvan Crafts; and Member, UN Advisory Group on Inclusive Financial Services, Vital Voices La Pietra Council and World Economic Forum: Gender Gap Council and Financial Empowerment Council. Ms. Zafar is a graduate of the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Finance and Economics and holds a Masters in International and Development Economics from Yale University. OYUN SANJAASUREN Founder, Zorig Foundation Former Minister of Environment and Green Development Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Mongolia Dr. Oyun Sanjaasuren has a wealth of international and domestic experience in green development and political consensus-building. She currently serves as Chair of the Global Water Partnership (GWP). Prior to GWP, Dr. Sanjaasuren was elected as the first president of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) of UNEP for a two-year term (2014-2016). She is a founder and Head of Zorig Foundation created in 1998 to advance democracy and the rule of law, and to promote good governance in Mongolia. Dr. Oyun served as a Member of Parliament of Mongolia from 1998 to 2016, representing Mongolia as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Environment and Green Development. Under her leadership, Mongolia's Parliament approved the country's National Green Development Policy (2014). She also led good governance initiatives in the Parliament including the anti-corruption, freedom of information and conflict of interests legislations as well as advanced issues for children with disabilities. Being one of the leading female politicians, Oyun actively worked to address critical issues facing Mongolia including health, education, environmental policies and women’s political participation. Dr. Oyun Sanjaasuren holds a degree in geochemistry from the Charles University in Prague and a PhD in Earth Sciences from Cambridge University, UK. 4 ERNA WITOELAR Founder, KEHATI (Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation) Former Minister of Human Settlements and Regional Development Former UN Special Ambassador for MDGs in Asia Pacific Indonesia Ms. Erna Witoelar is the former UN Special Ambassador for MDGs in Asia Pacific (2003–2007) and former Indonesian Minister of Human Settlements and Regional Development. She was commissioner of the Global Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, the Earth Charter Commission, and the Commission on Global Security, Justice and Governance. Besides serving on national and global platforms for sustainable development, Ms. Witoelar has been a leader of many civil society organizations (CSOs) including the Indonesian Environmental Forum; the Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia; the Asia Pacific Water Forum; Consumers International; the Indonesian Consumer Foundation. She was also the board member of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Canada. Ms. Erna Witoelar is currently on the Governing Boards of Indonesian Biodiversity