The Third Two-Year Plan of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Standing Committee on Women (B.E. 2546 – 2548 / 2003 – 2004)

The WFB Standing Committee on Women met at the 22nd General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Selangor, Malaysia, 9 to 13 December 2002.

Pancha Sila was conducted by our group and led by Mrs Rajani de Zoysa.

Item One: Introduction

Chairperson, Mrs Kanchana Soonsawad thanked members for electing her as chairperson of the Standing Committee on Women and for their support in activities to be carried on according to the WFB framework in the next two years.

Item two: Committee Positions

Mrs Ranjani de Zoysa and Ms. Hung Yi-Shou were to be Vice-Chairpersons for the Standing Committee on Women.
Ms Vimolrat Sathaworawong was selected as Secretary.
Ms Pennie White was selected as Joint Secretary.
Ms Pranee Wattnapong was selected to be Treasurer.
Ms Julie O'Donnell was selected as Rapporteur.

Item Three: Introduction of the Committee Members

Reverend Bhikkhuni Thich Nu Tri Bao (Le Hong Hanh Thi), World Buddhist Linh Son
Bhiksuni Chueh Men, International Buddhist Progress Society
Ranjani de Zoysa, WFB Sri Lanka Regional Centre
Mala William, WFB Sri Lanka Regional Centre
Dr. Manel P. Lakdivas, German Dhamaduta Society
Mrs Rupavathy Peyadassa, WFB Selangor Regional Centre
Diki Wangchuk, Dharma Chakra Centre Sikkim
Kanchana Soonsawad, Buddhist Association of Thailand
Chamu Wangchuk, Dharma Chakra Centre Sikkim
Pranee Wattnapong, The Buddhist Association of Nakhopatham
Julie O'Donnell, Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., Australia.
Pennie White, Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
Prabhavati Sthapit, Buddhist Women's Association of Nepal
Meera Jyoti, Buddhist Women's Association of Nepal
Vimolrat Sathaworawong, Thai Chinese Buddhist Association of Thailand
Ms. Hung Yi-Shou, Buddhist Association of Great Compassion R.O.C.
Dato Chee Peck Kiat, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Susan Algama, Sri Lanka Regional Centre
Suwineetha Amarasinhe, Colombo Regional Centre
Kamala Perera, Colombo Regional Centre
Nanda K. Samarasinghe, Sri Lanka Regional Centre
Mrs Aloka Rani Barua, Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha

Item Four: Action Plan for 2002-2004

The Committee Members discussed the various projects they propose they caryy out in their own countries under WFB Standing committee on Women in the next 2 years.


Project 1: Help offered to Bhikkunis

a) Mrs Meera Jyoti of the buddhist Women's Association of Nepal will continue to provide assistance by way of food and medicine to older Bhikkunis who have served the lay people in the country and are now old and sick and have no money or support from anybody.

b) Dr. Mrs. Manel P. Lakdivdas of Sri Lanka will continue to provide medical education to Bhikkunis and lay persons in Sri Lanka. The training will provide knowledge of how to cure illness with alternative medicine and other methods rather than medicines that often cause side effects to the patients.

c) Bhiksuni Chueh Men, Executive General of Fo Guang Shan International Buddhist Progress Society will continue to provide information for women who wish to become A Bhikkuni and take higher ordination. The information will be provided for Bhikkunis in all countries.

Project 2: Assisting the underprivileged

Ms Hung Yi Shou, President of the Buddhists Association of Great Compassion, R.O.C. Will provide rehabilitation to people who suffer from drug addiction and people who are handicapped and marginalised.

Project 3: Nutritional and Medical Care

Mrs Kanchana Soonsawad from the Buddhist Association of Thailand has supported a project to privide nutrition and medicine for the children of parents who have HIV in Thailand.

Project 4: Assistance for children with learning difficulties

Mrs Kiki Wangchuk of Dharma Chakra Centre in Sikkim will undertake a program of learning to assist children who suffer the ailment of slow learning in Sikkim.

Project 5: Publication

The newsletter of the Standing Committee on Women will continue to be produced by the Secretariat from Thailand. The chairperson has requested Members to send progress reports on their activities to be published in the newsletter and articles to be published in a book on the role of women in Buddhism.

Project 6: Communication

Mrs Anita Hughes, Ms Pennie White and Ms Julie O'Donnell of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd will continue to operate the WFB Standing Committee on Womens' Web Site at www.bdcu.org.au/scw. The newsletter for the Standing Committee on Women will continue to be uploaded on the Web site free of charge. Photographs of the Committee will be published on this web site as well as reports on activities in all countries.

Project 7: Program of cultural exchange

Members proposed a visiting program among Committee Members whereby they can visit other countries and spend time with other committee Members for a short time.

Project 8: Educational Support

Ranjani de Zoysa from the WFB Regional Centre for Sri Lanka Regional Centre will organize to provide educational and financial support for academically promising students who have no parental or financial support so that they can continue higher education and to help the disadvantaged women in various fields.

Project 9: Fund Raising

Dato Chee Peck Kiat will advise the Standing Committee on Women of potential fund raising activities. The members will continue to fund raise for projects outlined in Item Four.

Donations contributed for the Standing Committee on Women:

Dato Chee Peck, Malaysia – US$ 500
Ms. Hung Yi-Shou, Chinese Taipeh – US$ 200
Susan Alama, Sri Lanka – US$ 50
Nanda K. Samarasekera, Sri Lanka – US$ 50
Kanchana Soonsawad, Thailand – US$ 50
Julie O'Donnell and Pennie White, Australia – US$ 20

Item Five: Report on the Financial State of the Committee

Mrs Kanchana Soonsawad presented the statement of the movement of funds for the period 1 December 2002 to 30 November 2002. The balance of funds at the end of the period is 290,620.47 Baht.

GENCO 22/2002

Standing Committee on Women
Statement of Movement of Fund
For the period from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2002

(In Baht)