ASIAN UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN

Early day motion 781, tabled 31 January 2002 by Richard Younger-Ross (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 15 members.

That this House congratulates Lone Dybkjaer MEP and Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh on the signing at the European Parliament of a binding Memorandum of Understanding which is the culmination of the year-long global effort to establish an Asian University for Women in Bangladesh; notes that the university will have complete institutional autonomy and unrestricted academic freedom and that it will strive to identify unusual talent amongst young women from Asian countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Laos, as well as from stateless and refugee women and provide them with an extraordinary education which, combined with the students' own life experiences, will produce a powerful new generation of women leaders; recognises that more than 50 per cent. of the students will be on scholarships; and urges the Secretary of State for International Development to provide assistance and help to the campaign of the International Support Committee to acquire the necessary financial and other resources to build the university.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 9, Labour 5, Conservative 1.