NEW YORK, May 13 /PRNewswire/ --

- National Women's Day Celebration Bringing Women in South Africa Together

In celebration of National Women's Day in South Africa, Working Mother Media is hosting a conference focused on the advancement of women in South Africa. The conference will be held on Friday, August 8, 2008 at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg. Building on six years of highly successful conferences in the United States, Canada and Brazil, Working Mother Media will create a discourse in South Africa led by the nation's top female professionals.

The South African Advancement of Women Conference will gather together professional women who work for major global and South African based companies for an exploration of best practices, a dialogue on diversity, innovative strategies and concrete programs that make a difference in supporting women. The conference will ensure networking, learning and knowledge sharing in a safe environment. The IBM Corporation is the Visionary Host Sponsor.

"We are so excited to hear from the women of South Africa - and to share all that we have learned about how companies can support women in their efforts to advance. This is a day to explore issues and knock down roadblocks; a day to celebrate how far women have come and to make plans for further advancement. All around the globe, we find that women are willing to support each other to build a stronger future for all," says Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media.

The South African Advancement of Women Conference will include skill-building workshops on mentoring, work/life balance and critical communication skills. The conference will also feature an executive trailblazer panel sharing strategies for success, instant polling which takes the audience's "pulse" around key issues, inspiring keynote speakers and safe haven dialogues.

Topics to be addressed during the conference include: - How to build relationships to leverage your personal and professional network - The challenges and obstacles that female executives and managers face - How the best companies are developing internal policies for supporting professional women in the workplace - Learning how to overcome systemic barriers and discuss how to enhance partnership and understanding among women worldwide - How to avoid the backlash associated with flexible work arrangements

"Our sponsorship of a South Africa conference on the advancement of women is strategic for us," says Maria Ferris, Director, IBM Workforce Diversity Programs and the Conference Visionary Sponsor. "Talented women are integral to helping us run IBM operations all over the world. We are delighted to share with the women business leaders of South Africa the strategies that have made IBM women successful."

The South African Advancement of Women Conference will feature intriguing speakers from some of the most progressive companies and professionals in South Africa. A wide range of participants will attend from those who are just starting to climb the corporate ladder to the most experienced businesswomen.

For more information, please visit www.workingmothermediainc.com.

About Working Mother Media

Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers and working women. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media, which was founded in 2001. Dedicated to serving the personal, professional and family needs of all women, Working Mother Media encompasses Working Mother magazine, the National Association of Female Executives (NAFE) the Working Mother 100 Best Companies and the Working Mother Best Companies for Multicultural Women, along with our dynamic Conferences and Events Division. Working Mother Media's mission is to champion culture change.

Web site: http://www.workingmothermediainc.com

Luci Knight of Working Mother Media, +1-212-351-6409, Luci.Knight@workingmother.com