Category: Soroptimist International

The sixty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 20 March 2020. Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from all regions of the world will join together with 100 delegates of Soroptimist International (SI).

SI Director of Advocacy Bev Bucur, says: “I am excited to be coordinating the activities for CSW64. SI President, Sharon Fisher will be leading a delegation of almost 100 Soroptimists from around the world at this important meeting focusing on the anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The theme of this year’s CSW64 ‘Realizing Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Women and Girls’ focuses on the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly and current challenges in meeting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.

Soroptimist International will have many activities, including several Parallel Events and Side Events, planned in partnership with the Federations, and other partners. You can participate even if you cannot personally come to New York. Official sessions will be broadcast on UNWebTV. Be sure to visit the Soroptimist International website, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news”.

SI President Sharon Fisher says:  “Having attended the United Nations CSW numerous times, I have gained a broad understanding of the role of Soroptimist International and the dedication consistently shown by our delegates each year. This particular year is particularly significant, due to it being the anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. With 100 Soroptimists joining together in New York, together with member states, civil society and other members of our global community, I look forward to working to accelerate the realisation of gender equality, and sharing the experience with Soroptimists from all over the world”.

This year the global community will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) in numerous ways. A five-year milestone will be reached towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Useful Information

View and download the Soroptimist International Advocacy Pack HERE

The Soroptimist International CSW64 Written Statement HERE

Find out more about the civil society-led Gender Equality Forum HERE

Read a wonderful story from Soroptimist International Director Dawn Marie Lemonds HERE

“My name is Gift Abu and I am a trained nurse and midwife in Nigeria, and also an Anti-FGM Media activist since 2013.

“My name is Gift Abu and I am a trained nurse and midwife in Nigeria, and also an Anti-FGM Media activist since 2013.

I grew up in Cross River State, Nigeria. As a nurse, I worked in a Family Planning and Cervical Counselling Unit, and I came across many women suffering complications, many of which were the result of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Breast Ironing and other harmful practices. which are based on the cultural and traditional belief systems in my country. This experience led me to begin my activism work, within the ward where I was working, and later in the nearby community, close to where I was spent my time when off-duty from work.

My character was key to the Nigerian FGM Documentary Film, which was sponsored by the Guardian Global Media Campaign. The documentary opened many doors for Nigerians to become involved with the EndFGM Campaign.

Watch the documentary on the campaign to end female genital mutilation

Through my activism I have been able to bring survivors of FGM face-to-face with the global community, where they had the opportunity to break the silence, sharing their experiences and raising their voices, and for the first time they had the opportunity to speak out about how FGM, performed on them at the age of 18 years, 20 and 22 years, had impacted their lives. I have been able to organize End FGM Journalist Training in the South and South East Region of Nigeria so that the people can gain a good understanding of the realities and dangers of FGM, and how they might use their own platforms to join the movement to end FGM. I have established End FGM School Clubs in different communities in Nigeria so that girls can have a safe space to express themselves, to talk about FGM, and discuss positive ways forward. Within my activist work, I have given support to the church, and attended religious gatherings, promoting an understanding of the significant role held by religious leaders and the opportunity they have in joining hands with the whole world to end FGM. Many have invited me to speak at different times and this gives me hope and helps me believe that the people really want change, and we have to continue pushing forward until there is an end to FGM.

As a nurse, I have always found myself helping patients get better, whilst making sure they understand that all hope is not lost, no matter what their ailment is. When I first started in activism I did this every day after work and when not on duty. However, I felt that I didn’t have enough time to make a real difference. After witnessing a pregnant woman die before me following neglect because she refused to be mutilated, I realized the best decision was for me to go into full-time activism. This incident prompted me to leave the Government work I was doing and spend more time within the community talking to women another; and their families, and going to different religious gatherings and schools, spreading awareness on the dangers associated with FGM.

I am passionate about ending FGM. That is the main reason why, with or without funding, I try to see that a soul is saved by utilising the media and continuing community awareness campaigns.

Like I will always tell my colleague.  If you don’t have the Passion for this course, you can’t survive in it.”

Gift is President of the Center for Social Value and Early Childhood Development (CESVED)

A blog by Frances Zainoeddin, SI Representative to the United Nations, New York

‘The Journey to Age Equality’ was the theme for the 2019 celebration of International Day of Older Persons (1 October), held at the United Nations in New York, organised by the NGO Committee on Ageing, and aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 10.

“The traditional notion of a three-stage approach to our working lives – education, followed by work and then retirement – needs to be reconsidered, given the current changing demographics, which show that people are living longer lives.  “Longevity is the issue, not ageing”.  So says Professor Andrew Scott, co-author of ‘The 100-year Life’, a keynote speaker at the celebration held to recognise the International Day of Older Persons.  Mr. Scott called on us to pay attention to the difference between ageing – increased number of older people, and a changing demographic structure, with average age increasing, and longevity – how we are ageing is changing; staying younger for longer.

Mr. Scott pointed out that chronological measures of age are very limiting as they assume uniformity in how people age and that there is a need to recognise diversity amongst older individuals, in much the same as the diversity amongst young people.  He stressed the need for a whole life course approach.  “It is necessary”, he said, “to rethink our education, working lives, finances, and relationships in order to anticipate a 100-year life”.

Mr. Paul Ladd, Director of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, also called for a life-course approach. “Consign age discrimination to history!” he said, noting that women outlive men and therefore careful attention must be given to ensure that they are able to live longer lives with dignity; many having suffered a lifetime of discrimination, lacking education, autonomy or independence.

The keynote speakers were followed by a panel discussion on ‘Pathways of coping with existing and preventing future old age inequalities’.

Professor Andrew Scott Presentation HERE

Statement by Mr. Paul Ladd HERE

7 Key Messages HERE

The celebration may be viewed on UNWebTV HERE

Soroptimists are encouraged to include International Day of Older Persons (officially 1 October), in their list of annual celebrations – older women need to be celebrated too!”

By SI UN Representative, New York, Vanesa Treers

“To be a refugee girl means that we are always constantly on the edge of eviction because we cannot afford to pay the rent on our house. I am afraid of the moment that we become homeless……. then I might well accept to marriage my ex…”  

This and many other messages were delivered by inspiring, and remarkable girls, who spoke up at the United Nations, New York, on the International Day of The Girl 2019. The world’s leaders got to know a little of what it means to be a girl in their part of the world.  The theme ‘Girl Force: Unscripted and Unstoppable’ called for the world to listen to needs, and challenges faced by girls’ everywhere.

Since 2012, the UN has marked 11 October as the International Day of the Girl. The ‘Girls Speak Out’ 2019 meeting was organised by the Working Group on Girls, in partnership with the Governments of Canada, Peru, and Turkey, and delivered an opportunity for girls’ activists from around the world to call on world leaders to take action to fulfil their human rights, and promote the empowerment of girls.

The Beijing platform from Action, is one of the most progressive policies to advance the human rights for women and for girls,adopted 25 years ago in Beijing, China, at the World Conference of Women.

The Platform for Action specifically calls on the global community to:

1. Eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls;
2. Eliminate negative cultural attitudes and practices against girls;
3. Promote and protect the rights of girls and increase awareness of their needs and potential;
4. Eliminate discrimination against girls in education, skills development and training;
5. Eliminate discrimination against girls in health and nutrition;
6. Eliminate the economic exploitation of child labour and protect young girls at work;
7. Eradicate violence against girls;
8. Promote girls’ awareness of and participation in social, economic and political life;
9. Strengthen the role of the family in improving the status of girls.

Not long ago the world watched a young activist in action, Greta Thunberg at the United Nations Summit, her speech, based on science showed passion, enthusiasm, and anger, leaving many impressed, and others shocked. Committed to a radical cut in carbon emissions to shift away from a catastrophic climate breakdown, something that will affect Greta’s peers and those who come next the most.

Girls have strength, intelligence, and big dreams, however, they are also the victims of early marriage, female genital mutilation, trafficking and discrimination.  Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohamed, proudly recognised and celebrated the “sassy and smart” girls around the world, initiating global movements towards equality.

The message seems crystal clear; girls demand rights to education, health, housing, safety, and an end to discrimination, early marriage, female genital mutilation, and trafficking. They demand respect for “the human rights of the girl child in all areas and stages of life”(Working Group on Girls), and they must be empowered to develop their full potential as women.”

#IDG2019 #11DaysofAction #GirlsSpkOut #WithGirlsForGirls

The meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development in 2019, convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, will be held from Tuesday, 9 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019; including the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from Tuesday, 16 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019.

The theme this year is “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality” and the meeting will review the following set of goals in depth:

• Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all;

• Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all;

• Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries;

• Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts;

• Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels;

• Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

In 2019, 47 countries (7 for the second time) have volunteered to present their national voluntary reviews to the HLPF. For more details, please click here.

HLPF Report 2019

The Soroptimist International (SI) High Level Political Forum (HLPF) Report 2019, showcases the work of our organisation paying particular attention to our work in those countries that will be submitting Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) this year.

The report looks at SI sustainable development programmes that address the humanitarian-development nexus, with a focus on Sustainable Development Goal 4  – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all which sits at the very heart of the SI mission – and showcases how SI responds to the educational needs of some of the most marginalised women and girls in societies. The report presents SI’s contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through the empowerment of local communities to create their own transformative change.