NGO Archives - International Alliance of Women

Persistent Challenges in Gender Equality

IAW Communications Unit — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:06:35 +0000

IAW at the UN Geneva Luncheon: Advocating for Women’s Rights

Every year, as the UN Geneva Team of IAW, we are invited to the festive luncheon in December with the NGO CSW Geneva team. This year it was organized on the 10th of December. After a very nice lunch by discussing with all members, we proceeded to the workshop.

The topic of the workshop was the “Advocacy” of women rights. Many sub-topics were available such as: Education, peace, empowerment, gender inequality. Many different groups worked together and we chose “gender inequality”. We brainstormed together with 2 other ladies from the group and divided gender inequality into many branches.

The branches were as following:

Stereotypes: ending discriminations
Economic empowerment: Access to resources (land, property,etc)
Value unpaid care work and promote shared responsibility
Ending violence : Forced marriage, harmful traditional practices
Decision making: political, economic participation and leadership
Guaranteeing sexual/reproductive rights.

I was asked to present the flip chart to the audience.

We had a good discussion about the subject and we decided that the main issue with the gender inequality was ” to value unpaid care work”

Derya Akinci Briand

Representative of IAW to UN Geneva

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Important Updates on the Preparations for the CSW69

IAW Communications Unit — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 02:11:50 +0000

Important Information

We are happy to provide you with important information on CSW69.

The Political Declaration Zero Draft is finalized and available for download. Important read.

IAW, Affiliates, Assosiates and Friends invite you to their Parallel Events. Find them listed.

For more information on CSW69 go to our page CSW69 – 2025.

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Written Statement for CSW69 is online

IAW Communications Unit — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 21:09:43 +0000

Important Paperwork for CSW69

IAW has published a written statement for the CSW69.

It was carefully drafted with the participants who will be attending CSW69 in person or online, based on the specified theme of CSW69.

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The History of NGO CSW NY

IAW Communications Unit — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:40:58 +0000

Illustrated Review of the Work of the NGO CSW NY since its founding in 1972

Commons Photo Source: NGO CSW NY Website

International Alliance of Women is proud to present to its membership an excellent and thorough history of NGO CSW NY with detailed discussion of the times when IAW members Kay Fraleigh and then Soon-Young Yoon guided the organisation to ever greater influence and strength as active, creative and competent chairs.
In it you will discover that our Honorary President Rosy Weiss was also Chair of the NGO CSW Vienna.
With more digging in the links one finds that before 2015 IAW representatives Irmgard Rimondini and Erika Bopp were Vice-President and Treasurer of NGO CSW Geneva respectively.

Enjoy browsing through this worthwhile read, perhaps in preparation for CSW68?

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Celebration in Geneva

IAW Communications Unit — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:49:55 +0000

50th Anniversary NGO CSW Geneva

On September 21, 2023, the International Day of Peace, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women celebrated its 50^th Anniversary. Representatives of the member organizations and distinguished guests gathered in Palais Anna and Jean-Gabriel Eynard, Geneva.

The International Alliance of Women, a member organization of NGO CSW Geneva, was represented by Derya Akinci Briand, Sanja Jeraj, Simge Simsek, Dr. Esther Suter, Seema Uplekar and Dr. Sibylle von Heydebrand, who had the lead in the anniversary celebrations.

Over these five decades, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women Geneva has been a beacon of hope, a powerhouse of advocacy, and a catalyst for change.

Welcome

Julia Handschin performed Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” and set the audience in the mood for the 50^th anniversary of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women Geneva’s Celebration Day.

Dr. Sibylle von Heydebrand (International Alliance of Women), Chair of the Anniversary Task Force, and Carolyn Handschin (Women’s Federation for World Peace), president of NGO CSW Geneva, welcomed the guests and emphasized that for 50 years the Committee is advocating for women’s and girl’s rights, convinced that gender equality is a basic precondition for peace and fairness in the world.

Congratulatory Messages

The Mayor of Geneva, Mr. Alfonso Gomez, and the former Director of the International Labor Organization’s Gender Equality Bureau, Ms. Jane Hodges, expressed their appreciation for the commitment of the committee.

Written congratulations were submitted by Tatiana Valovaya, Director of the United Nations Office Geneva, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union ITU, Tatiana Molcean, UNECE Executive Secretary, as well as by Dr. Maria Niera WHO Director of Department on Environment, Climate and Health.

Thanks to the Member Organizations

The NGO Committee on the Status of Women could not fulfill its commitment to the United Nations to raise awareness on issues related to the status of women and gender equality without the strong commitment of its member organizations, all accredited to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The representatives of the 28 member organizations were welcomed and thanked for their tireless cooperation and valuable support.

Past, Present and Future of the Committee

The main program focused on the past, present and future of the committee:

Interviews with eyewitnesses of the early years provided an insight into the history. The following pioneers shared their involvement in the past: Afton Beutler-Reed (Mother’s Legacy Project), Berhane Ras-Work (United for Equity and Ending Racism), Brigitte Polonovski (International Council of Women), Edith Ballantyne (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom) and Paula Daeppen (FAWCO and Biovision).

A panel discussion explored the Committee’s advocacy work, its presence today, and the collaboration of civil society and governments within the United Nations. With contributions from: Ms. Adriana Quinones, Head of Human Rights and Development of UN Women Geneva, Ms. Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, member of CEDAW, Prof. Manjit Dosanjh (International Cancer Expert Corps), Zarin Hainsworth (Widows Rights International) and Srruthi Lekha (Women’s Federation for World Peace).

Video statements provided information about the plans of NGO CSW Geneva’s member organization for the advancement of human rights and the empowerment of women and girls. Alison Brown (President IAW) highlighted IAW’s Grassroots Project, Water and Pads for School Girls.

The event was followed by an official reception generously supported by the City and the Canton of Geneva, represented by Mayor Alfonso Gomez and Beatrice Ferrari, Director of International Affairs of the Canton of Geneva.

Arlesheim (Switzerland), September 26, 2023

Dr. Sibylle von Heydebrand (International Alliance of Women)
Chair of the 50^th Anniversary Task Force

All Photos Michel Matthey de l’Etang, Muttenz (Switzerland)

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Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of CoNGO, UNOG

IAW Communications Unit — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:30:35 +0000

Rosy Weiss refers to a special contribution on the occasion of the celebration

Keynote Speech : Manfred Nowak

The Multilateral Human Rights Regime:
Civil Society and NGOs in the Development of Human Rights

Apart from the excellence of this paper, that speaks for itself, IAW proudly recalls its many contributions to the Human Rights agenda through its able Geneva representatives, completed by so many IAW experts from around the world and gathered around Irmgard Rimondini.

Nowak’s conclusion about the alarming current state of Human Rights in the world and its appeal for a fundamental change by strengthening the UN definitely correponds to IAW policy and programming.

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News from IAW North America

IAW Communications Unit — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 17:05:43 +0000

Denisonians for Planned Parenthood

Reproductive rights are under attack in Ohio and the United States as a whole. Last summer, in a devastating Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade was overturned, and the right to an abortion was compromised all over the U.S. Fifteen states have banned abortion in the U.S., and only a handful of these have exceptions in place for cases of rape or incest. There is a petition in Ohio right now to add an amendment to the state constitution on the November ballot. If passed, this amendment would guarantee individuals the right to make and carry out their own reproductive decisions, and we are pleased to announce that the petition has gathered enough signatures in order for the proposed amendment to make it onto the ballot. This is a significant step in a state where reproductive rights are hotly contested in our government.

I am a student at Denison University in Granville, OH. On campus, I am an executive board member of Denisonians for Planned Parenthood, our campus reproductive rights organization. As a sophomore, I was the club co-secretary, and as a junior, I am the current treasurer. Our club is one of the largest on campus, and we organize many events throughout the year to engage our club members in reproductive rights advocacy and education through an intersectional lens.

Our club aims to combat these attacks against reproductive rights through education and activism. For example, we attended a protest at the Ohio Statehouse. We also hosted several speakers virtually for panels. One panel was titled “Abortion in America: During, Before, and After Roe,” and it was hosted in conjunction with our college’s Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement. Our panelists included Dr. Christine Henneberg (a practicing abortion provider and writer), Professor Mary Ziegler (a legal scholar and past professor at UC Davis and Harvard Law School), and Professor Jennifer Holland (a historian and associate professor of history at the University of Oklahoma). Another panel we hosted was called “Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice in Post-Dobbs Ohio.” During this panel, we interviewed Jessie Hill (Dean of Research and professor of law at Case Western University), Alana Jochum (executive director of Equality Ohio), and Michele E. Storms (executive director of ACLU Washington). Finally, we hosted a panel on the intersections of race and reproductive justice with Dr. Khiara Bridges, professor of law at UC Berkeley. Other events that we host include Reproductive Health and Justice Trivia, movie screenings, Cookies and Consent (an educational event during which we teach students about consent using cookies), and sex education information sessions.

I have loved sharing my passion for reproductive justice as a part of this club, and it has inspired me to continue to fight for women’s rights. With our work, we hope to engage our community in the conversation about reproductive rights. We hope to create a more informed campus regarding health and advocacy. Finally, we hope to support the Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio branch in their fight for justice. I hope that students at other universities in the United States will establish reproductive rights organizations on their campuses. We are the change we need in the world, and it is our job to create the future we deserve. I also hope that students at other colleges will attend protests and sign petitions supporting intersectional reproductive justice in their communities.

Abby Hasselbrink
IAW Representative at UN Headquarters
Intern on the Cities for CEDAW History and Futures Project

Editor's note:
Abby will be giving us some information about cities for CEDAW soon. So please stay tuned!

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Water and Pads – 1. Report in 2023

IAW Communications Unit — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 15:12:54 +0000

Planning - learning - trying - networking

Even with a lot of planning things very often turn out differently than expected. The IAW colleagues involved in the WP project know this particularly well!

For them, it is always a matter of looking for new ways to achieve their goals when facing completely unexpected obstacles.

So due to a brutal military attack Anuarite Siirewabo from SOFEDEC in DR Congo was unable to hold her planned WP event at the Mapendo School in the city of Goma, last November.

Instead, A. Siirewabo right away got involved in emergency relief for the displaced women and children in the affected neighbourhood. The booklets about menstruation were distributed among the girls living in emergency shelters. These unprotected young women can gain some self-confidence thanks to some basic knowledge about the biological cycle.

A.Siirewabo during emergency relief actions

Joyful play with traumatized children

Now, only three months later, SOFEDEC is again planning their regular WP activities in another school at Goma.

Trying new ways and networking – this is especially true for our WP colleagues in Cameroon.

Since the start of the WP project in 2017 Rebecca Juga, the coordinator of the IAW organisation BAWUFAG situated in the Bali area of Northern Cameroon wanted to participate. But due to the permanent cruel attacks of military gangs the schools got closed in 2018. Consequently, many inhabitants of this dangerous region had to flee, and by now quite a large Bali-community has settled around Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. Now at the new place Rebecca Juga and her colleagues of BAWUFAG definitely wanted to start some WP activities,. Rebecca could soon establish good contacts with Akam bilingual academy, a primary and secondary school in a low-income area of Yaoundé.

Rebecca Juga

Meeting the director of Akam bilingual academy

Fortunately Rebecca could also soon get in touch with two IAW organisations based at Yaoundé.
Catherine Aba Fouda, Coordinator of RENATA welcomed Rebecca at her office and gave her a lot of helpful WP information. Also, Anne Yotchou of CEFAP was very happy to have another IAW colleague close by – an excellent networking.

With this new situation at Yaoundé we felt that we could try to get our educational booklets printed on site.

In fact this is an important point for the sponsors of the WP project, because the production on site can promote some local value creation. We already had a successful pilot-project last year. In fact the costs for the printing at Harare in Zimbabwe had been very reasonable thanks to the clever negotiations of Rita Marque Mbata, Coordinator of WCCF.

So our small working group “WP booklet” with Heidi Bodmer, Pascale Vallée, Anne Yotchou and me met in January 2023 by Zoom. It was so lucky having Anne with us, because she right away tackled the issue with much zeal. She coordinated everything with her colleagues: the amount of booklets each one needed, getting a favourable price and finally organizing the distribution. It all worked out perfectly.

Rebecca could collect her share just in time before the start of her WP-activities. In Cameroon the schools like to have special events at this season, because of their national youth-day on 11 February. We are congratulating Rebecca for the huge success she had at “her” school.

«ABCs of being a Girl”, the booklets are ready at the printer’s shop

Anne Yotchou (left) and Catherine Aba Fouda with booklets intended for RENATA

Later on Catherine met Anne and got the booklets intended for RENATA.

This is an excellent incentive for us to promote local printing everywhere else in future!

The WP project is also developing well in other places. Despite of all the difficulties, Goma Bastola, Coordinator of RUWON Nepal has managed to hold her event planned for 2022 right at the beginning of January 2023. The WP project was welcomed with a high interest by the teaching staff at Bal Uddhar Secondary School, a high school at Katmandu. The lecture had been prepared together with the teachers. It was decided to also involve the boys in some ways. This turned out to be very successful, because now there is more mutual respect. At the same time, a sample kit of reusable sanitary pads was distributed to the girls. This is to make it easier for the students to be clean.
Unfortunately, there are many other problems in Nepal. Because of the massive poverty, the parents as well as the school can hardly afford clean drinking water, so the school children are often thirsty.

Bal Uddhar Secondary School at Katmandu, Nepal

Teacher showing a pad.

Should the boys also be present at the WP events?
Completely independent of the success in Zimbabwe and now Nepal, Thérèse Akakpo, Coordinator of LA COLOMBE, has also had positive experiences at the Complexe scolaire Le Guide at Vogan. A health expert was participating at the WP event. Questions about sexually transmitted diseases were also discussed here. Everyone realised how important it is to act responsibly –
and here, too, the schoolgirls have gained a lot of self-confidence!

WP Activities at Complexe scolaire Le Guide, Vauban, Togo

09.03.2023 Ursula Nakamura, Co-Coordinator IAW Water and pads project

Editor's note:
This beautiful report can also be downloaded here so that it can be shown on occasion. The occasion would be, for example, when requesting a donation for the project. The donor can immediately see how wisely and usefully the money is invested.

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Dr. Ernestine Ngo Melha on disabilities and digitals

IAW Communications Unit — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 02:45:20 +0000

About Inclusion in Digital Life

Dr Ernesstine Ngo Melha (IAW Executive Vice-President) is the founder of the NGO AAEEH (IAW Associate).

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, she talks about disabilities and digital opportunities on her association’s YouTube channel.

Dr. Ernestine Ngo Melha’s demand to give girls with disabilities unhindered access to digital opportunities can be found on the website of AAEEH (please choose the language).

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