Opinions Archives - International Alliance of Women

Support for the petition against sexual violence in sub-Saharan Africa

IAW Communications Unit — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:00:15 +0000

To the International Alliance of Women team,

Dear Madam, Sir,

I am sending you this message as an engaged citizen and as a voice for local coalitions working for social justice and the protection of human rights in Francophone Africa.

I want to express my strong support for your petition against sexual violence, which resonates deeply in our national contexts in transition. In sub-Saharan Africa, according to UNICEF data, more than 79 million women and girls have been victims of rape or sexual assault. One in five women is sexually abused before the age of 18. These alarming figures reflect a silent crisis, compounded by stigma, impunity and a lack of protection mechanisms.

In our States undergoing reconstruction, inaction in the face of this violence leads to:

A massive dropout of young girls;
Generational trauma that hinders social development;
A loss of confidence in judicial and health institutions;
A weakening of social cohesion, particularly in post-conflict areas.

Supporting your petition means affirming that the dignity of African women can no longer wait. It also means recognizing that justice for survivors is a critical pillar of sustainable peace and institutional legitimacy.

I am available to relay this initiative to local actors, parliamentarians and citizen organizations, in order to strengthen its impact in our political and community spaces.

With my respectful and supportive greetings,

Ilyassou Diallo
President of RAFEP Guinea, AIF focal point and mobilized for social justice and women’s rights, Conakry Guinea

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Beijing +30:

Jill Follows — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 02:02:11 +0000

A CAUSE TO CELEBRATE AND
A CALL TO ACTION

On September 22, 2025, Annalena Baerbock, the fifth woman to hold the position of president of the UN General Assembly, delivered the keynote address at the UN’s celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the Beijing Conference, formally known as the Fourth World Conference on Women.

President Baerbock praised the courage of those who fought tirelessly, before and during the Beijing Conference, for every phrase and every word in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which was the pivotal international framework document that resulted from women’s efforts, and advocated for gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.

There is much to celebrate. The opening paragraphs of the Beijing Declaration state that the governments participating in the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing are determined to advance the goals of equality, development and peace for all women everywhere in the interest of all humanity.

The Beijing Declaration was not the first time women wordsmiths resolved to secure non-discriminatory gendered language in UN documents. The Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), adopted at the United Nations on December 10,1948, is one example of women’s resolve. The final text states that the peoples of the United Nations are determined to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women. Behind the scenes Delegate Hansa Mehta (India), and Bodil Begtrup (Denmark), Chairman of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, fought for language in the final document that replaced the draft’s wording that all MEN must be free and equal in dignity and rights. Ms. Mehta and Ms. Begtrup challenged Eleanor Roosevelt, in her role as Chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights, to remove the discriminatory language from the draft, stand up for language that reflected the title of the document – the Universal Declaration of HUMAN rights, and forever squelch the undercurrent of debate by many delegates that women were simply fretting over language for which they ought not to have concern. (Is it ironic or an oversight that these powerful women held the title of ChairMAN of their respective Commissions?)

Bodil Begtrup (Danmark)

Hansa Jivraj Mehta (India)

The Commission Chairman, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt (right) with Mrs. Hansa Mehta of India.

Eleanor Roosevelt holding the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Photo taken by Sanja Jeraj during CSW68 at the UNHQ in New York

Front page of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights

Mrs. Roosevelt received a standing ovation in the UN when the Member States adopted the UDHR. Her remarks remind us that vigilance must not cease in the pursuit of fair, unbiased and inclusive language in all documents and statements by those people who hold positions of great authority and respect. I believe Mrs. Roosevelt’s remarks should have been challenged as an inaccurate account of the body of work by the Human Rights Commission. She stated: We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind. This declaration may well become the international Magna Carta for all men everywhere.

The UN calls on all, including civil society, to ACT to resolve infractions to fundamental human rights. We can do more than praise our predecessors for their courage. We can follow their example. It is time for NGOs to have a seat at the drafting table where legislation is being written, to chip away at the existing rules and regulations that overlook human rights in favor of masculine pronouns, and take the lead in writing opinion pieces in news outlets and online that raise awareness of the ubiquitous use of terms such as mankind and the brotherhood of man.

In his heyday, Elvis Presley sang that this is the time for a little less conversation, a little more action, please. We can start by taking inspiration from the work of a Virginia (USA) based campaign called the Virginia Law Audit Project.

Even though I have taken this song lyric out of context, I am mindful that those of you engaging in wordsmithing at the local level have already taken actions and have lots to share with our membership.

Please reply to this article and share your knowledge.

Jill Follows
IAW Representative at UNHQ New York

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Acknowledging Challenges, Embracing Hope on International Women’s Day

Charmaine Hidayatullah — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:57:20 +0000

Inspired by the Newsletter

On this International Women’s Day, as we reflect on the numerous challenges women continue to face globally, it is clear that the path to gender equality is still long. From war and violence to the catastrophic impacts of climate crises, women remain disproportionately affected. Yet, despite these obstacles—be it in the realms of career advancement, equal pay, bodily autonomy, healthcare, or education—we stand united in our unwavering commitment to change.

The future may seem uncertain, but our resolve is not. The decision to place hope in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations is not one of naïveté, but of purposeful optimism. Optimism is, after all, an essential fuel for the tireless work we continue to do to break down barriers for women worldwide.

We also recognize the incredible work being done by the International Alliance of Women (IAW) at the 69th CSW. The 27 delegates, including 20 appointed and 7 independent, have worked diligently on the critical issues facing women today. The written statement submitted last fall emphasizes the urgent need to address discrimination in areas of employment, healthcare, and education, among others.

The approved political statement on the first day will be a step forward, setting a precedent for future sessions of the CSW. Additionally, we continue to be inspired by the important side events and parallel events happening alongside the main conference.

Furthermore, IAW’s endorsement of the Statement on Women and Artificial Intelligence for International Women’s Day 2025 highlights the crucial need for women’s voices in shaping the future of technology. AI has the power to transform industries and societies, and it’s vital that we advocate for women’s representation and rights within this field.

As we see to the future, we hold fast to the belief that giving up is simply not an option. The journey is long, but with each step we take, we bring ourselves closer to the gender equality we envision. Together, we continue to fight for a more just and equitable world for all women.

In solidarity,
Ms. Charmaine Hidayatullah
President – APWA, National Headquarters

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In Remembrance of the Honorable Jimmy Carter

IAW Communications Unit — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 23:32:08 +0000

US IAW members pay tribute to late President Jimmy Carter

USA President Jimmy Carter gave American women a foothold and hope for human rights. His leadership, faith, and political will led him to sign the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

We express our gratitude for his visionary feminism with a grateful nation and world.

IAW Members

Jill Follows, Kathleen Montgomery, Savanna Jackson Mapelli

in January 2025

Editor's note

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Leap Year Tradition

Anjana Basu — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 12:24:22 +0000

Is there a tradition 100 years later?
Anjana Basu gives us feminist insights on this quadrennial event.

February 29 falls once every four years, offering a unique phenomenon on the calendar. During the early 20th century, Leap Year held significance beyond the addition of an extra day, providing an opportunity for women to propose marriage to men throughout the entire year, not just on Feb. 29.

The origins of this tradition remain uncertain, with historian Katherine Parkin from Monmouth University suggesting it may have its roots in Irish or Scottish folklore. In 1908, Leap Year postcards emerged depicting women seeking husbands in a threatening, masculine and violent light, while portraying men as scared, small and emasculated.

Three Illinois municipalities marked leap day by appointing women to their city councils. From 1932 to 1980, Aurora, along with the neighbouring towns of Joliet and Morris, opted for an all-female line-up in their city council, police force, and firefighting teams on February 29. However, the primary goal of these women was lighthearted – they aimed to humorously apprehend, imprison and fine unmarried men, all in good fun as part of the leap day festivities. The agenda behind it was of course marriage and it was founded entirely on a sexist stereotype — that the only possible use a woman could have for political power would be to flirt with unmarried men.

Despite Leap Year’s potential to challenge traditional gender roles, it ended up reinforcing them. Women proposing marriage were scorned and ridiculed for challenging male privilege. This, along with other instances of women challenging societal norms, taught them that seeking rights threatened those in power. Ultimately, the Leap Year custom contributed to maintaining male dominance in matters of matrimony.

A century later, one can see little change. Women proposing marriage to men are still regarded with suspicion, though invitations to dates are allowed, and there is a trend for marriage proposals becoming more traditional over time.

In another manifestation of traditionalism, the practice of grooms seeking permission from their in-laws before proposing has seen an increase in recent years. The aversion to women-initiated proposals may be linked to broader societal discomfort with changing gender dynamics, as proposals traditionally imply the provider role, reinforcing outdated notions.

Even as 38 per cent of heterosexual marriages see women earning more than men, societal norms surrounding economic dynamics may be hindering the evolution of romantic proposals, keeping them rooted in the past.

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I am the voice of 1,66 million households living in poverty

IAW Communications Unit — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 17:50:27 +0000

Suggestions for CSW68 deliberations

I am the voice of 1,66 million households living in poverty, 3/5^th of those (~ 1 million) are single parent households with mostly a woman as the head of that household.

17 January 2024 I asked them:

What do you need? What keeps you poor?

I present to you here what the poor, most of them women, told me they needed most when I asked them via X. Their answers, showing great insight into their plight, poured in over mere hours.

It showed me, again, that the poor do not lack brains, they lack money and opportunity.

If they are coloured, sick, low education, single parent, then their problems compound.

collected and commented on by Artemis Westernberg, President of Vrouwenbelangen

What they want is:

Equal treatment as meant by Article 1 of the Constitution of the Netherlands; which means EVERY municipality executes the laws governing poverty in the SAME HUMANE WAY.

Trust, respect, dignity, agency. The failure to attain those ‘freedoms’ and self-respect stems from a government that right now sets the tone to deny them those. However, the execution of the present Dutch laws should be aimed to enforce a treatment with respect.

Equality also means the right to receive a birthday gift; the right to eat at a friend’s house, or even to eat regularly with another poor citizen to combat loneliness and be more frugal with your budget. All rights that the non-poor have, on any given day.

Allow people to be assisted by others, as a caring society should not exist only if you are wealthy enough. Again, rights that anyone else, non-poor, not living on some kind of social security, does have.

Allow people to have savings of at least 1500 euro extra in their bank account to be self-reliant

Most of the financial problems would melt away with a guaranteed basic income, eliminating the stifling, nay killing, control by civil servants.

The Debt-industry needs to be tightly regulated, in order for the poor to have the hope to ever leave their poverty behind. This regulation needs to include the government agencies who too quickly increase the debt with fines.

Access is a problem:

Housing that is affordable and liveable including heating and cooling costs.

Equality and equity can only be attained in a society that does not allow age-discrimination

Politicians and civil servants have little to no knowledge, and understanding, what too little income does to the citizens they are purported to serve – they must be educated by the poor

Several areas where the cost of the service for the poor (or perhaps for all citizens) should be zero:

Public transport that is truly affordable for the poor, or free, as loneliness is felt as a punishment for being poor, besides loneliness is bad for your health, physically and mentally. Free public transport would ensure the opportunity to see friends and family.

Healthcare that is affordable, which definitely means no co-pays for medicine, no co-pays for health care as healthcare should not be dependent on money, but on health concerns.

Healthcare that includes dental care to keep their heart health and their smiles possible.

Free child care to ensure access to education and work for the poor, and for everyone else a cap of 150 euros per month.

No Value Added Tax on feminine hygiene products – and a cap on the prices of said products.

NO VAT on fruit and vegetables, including frozen vegetables and fruit.

The right to pay in cash, as research has proven time and again that it is easier to keep within your budget by paying with cash.

All in all, two reasons for poverty stood out which can be summed up by the way we view our society and citizens:

Our Capitalist system based on an inordinate belief in market forces fixing anything and everything & Our Calvinistic prejudice as a society seeing ‘personal guilt’ as the basis for poverty. Everything is always your own fault.

Lastly: Remember being poor is not a lack of character but a lack of cash!

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The International Alliance of Women’s Continued Response to the Israel-Hamas Conflict

IAW Communications Unit — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 21:58:06 +0000

GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

Since its inception, IAW has been working tirelessly to end gender-based violence in all its forms at national, regional, and international levels. Our Commission on Violence against Women is leading these efforts through advocacy campaigns, policy actions and programs to support vulnerable women and girls, especially in the context of national disasters or armed conflicts.

Over the years, we supported the struggles of the North American Indigenous women to fight the violence affecting them in their own communities and families. We promoted the WHO’s campaigns toward ending the barbaric practices of Female Genital Mutilation affecting hundreds of thousands of women and girls in Africa. We applauded the actions and public statements of our sisters from Cameroon aimed at eradicating gender-based violence in their community. We stood with the Iranian women and girls peacefully uprising against the violently imposed mandatory hijab and the killing of their sisters for incompliance with this draconian rule. We condemned the brutal sexual violence against Ukrainian women and girls by Putin’s military forces and stood with the victims and their families in demanding justice and the support of the international community.

Today, and every day since October 7^th, we have unequivocally stood with the women and girls of Israel victimized by the horrific atrocities and gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas. We stand with them in expressing our outrage about Hamas’ barbaric rapes and other crimes of gender-violence committed against innocent Israeli women and girls at their peaceful homes, at a community event celebrating peace or while captive as hostages. We condemn these grave crimes against humanity and call for an international outrage against the perpetrators as well as collaborative efforts to bring them to justice. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the entire Israeli community for the horrific trauma and loss of lives. In light of the recently commemorated International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we call on all feminist organizations and international bodies to join the condemnation of the gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas and demand for justice to be given to the victims.

PEACE

IAW and its Commission on Peace actively support the world-wide implementation of UN Security Resolution 1325, the subsequent United Nations Security resolutions for women, peace and security, and the United Nations efforts toward the implementation of the universal declaration recognizing the human right to peace. This implementation would further the strong commitment to build a culture of preventing war in the name of sustaining peace. It would help to protect the human rights defined in so many international treaties, but so often violated or completely lost in conflict.

With these principles in mind, we stand with all the civilized world in expressing shock and condemnation of Hamas’s violent assault on peace by the October 7 terrorist attack on the sovereign territory of Israel, murdering, mutilating, torturing, raping, and kidnapping Jewish, Muslim, and Christian men, women, and children, both Israeli and foreign nationals and taking 238 hostages in Gaza. We are terrified by the stories of horror and abuse shared by the released hostages and stand with the international community in demanding the immediate release of all those who are still in captivity. We urge the Red Cross and World Health Organization to visit them and ensure vital medical attention. We also call for provision of medical aid to the civilians injured in Gaza and return of the hospitals in Gaza to full functionality by restoration of power and water.

We urge the international bodies and national governments in the region to sustain the diplomatic efforts to restore peace. While we condemn Hamas’ use of civilians as a human shield and support the right of the Israeli state to defend itself and its citizens, we strongly oppose the Israeli government’s military response that puts in grave danger civilian lives, leads to the killing of thousands of innocent civilians, women, children, and men, and threatens to spread the war over the entire Middle East. We appeal for a diplomatic solution that will bring peace to the region and make the long-sought two state solution possible. Our thoughts remain with the affected families, yearning for security and peace. Every person has the right to safety and freedom as expressed in seminal United Nations documents.

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International Day of Care and Support

Alison Brown — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 00:29:44 +0000

To be commemorated annually on 29 October

For decades now, International Alliance of Women, along with other women’s organisations, has been talking about the inequalities in the field of care work, how it was paid, if at all, at a rate much less than that of other work. This was a particular area of concern for our Hon. President Joanna Manganara who focused on it repeatedly during her presidency. I am sure it gives her, as it does all of us, a certain satisfaction to see that the United Nations General Assembly has designated one day in its calendar to focus on this issue, which is closely allied with the Sustainable Development Goal No. 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Henceforth October 29^th shall be observed as the International Day of Care and Support.

The statistics in this area are well known to feminist activists, how almost twice as many women as men work in care jobs and how three times as many women as men do this work without remuneration. The International Labor Organisation has recently issued a report on the topic Care work and care jobs for the future of decent work which gives a more detailed overview of the subject. It can be read in English, French and Spanish:

https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_633135/lang–en/index.htm

I would like to share some thoughts that come to mind regarding this type of life-giving, life-enabling, and life-saving work and the outrageously poor pay.

Women are assumed to have a “natural” inclination to care, and the conclusion is that she does not need to get much in return for things she would “naturally” do anyway. If this natural drive or innate obligation to care is coupled with a love for this activity, just carrying out the care work can be reward enough. One would think.

One could expect that everyone loves their work, or at least enjoys doing it. On this basis, one could require everyone to waive financial remuneration.

Imagine the reaction of football stars if they were told that taking part in this game is part of their “natural instinct to play” and that because they like to do it – and would certainly like to do it even without being paid – they should go onto the field for minimum wage run. Instead of receiving salaries in the millions, they should give up most of their pay to the nurses who care for the seriously ill patients in the intensive care unit, or to the teachers who dedicate their lives to educating future generations, and accompany children into adulthood on a sustainable path in order to keep our society worth living in.

One might also question why repairing and maintaining vehicles is more profitable than applying bandages or performing manual therapy on people.

It is almost unbearable that the manufacturers of weapons systems can amass far more wealth than the nursing staff in a hospital who care for people injured by war or shooting until they hopefully recover or sometimes unfortunately even when they die.

We can think of many more examples that illustrate how little financial recognition people, especially women, who provide care receive. Pats on the back won’t pay the heating bill.

This newly declared Day of Care and Support should give us pause and an opportunity to think about what is really important in our lives and how society should reward the contributions made by caregivers of all kinds. Society usually does this through money, and it is high time that the money flowing into the caring economy should reflect that importance.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/care-and-support-day

Commons Photo Credit (Banner): Source

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Celebrating “International Girls in ICT” Day

IAW Communications Unit — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 23:00:20 +0000

From a Girl to a Doctor - a Real Career in ICT

On April 27, “Girls in ICT Day,” the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and partners will highlight the need to promote technology career opportunities for girls to become both Information, Communications and Technologies (ICT) users and creators in the digital world. This year’s theme is “Digital Skills for Life.” It continues the UN International Women’s Day theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” and the Global Digital Compact’s focus on open, free, and secure digital spaces for women and girls.

Encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM education.

Reflecting as a technologist and developer of STEM programming for girls, the decision to pursue an ICT career provided me an opportunity to develop solutions in diverse fields from environmental remote sensing to biomedicine.

In developing STEM education programming, a combination of foundational skills helps girls succeed in digital spaces. Presenting them with diverse career options, and integrating life skills, empowerment, and competence-based training work together to ensure they have the tools to solve serious problems confronting their communities while moving closer to achieving sustainable development goals.

One memorable example is from my engagement with African women role models at a Rwanda eskills4gilrls meetup. These role models in ICT shared the power of learning to code as an entry into IT entrepreneurship. Once they learned to code, they could envision new ideas, design their websites, and compete with men to market their capabilities. Role model Carolyn Ekyarisiima stated, “Coding is a superpower. Once that girl has that superpower she is like a mighty sword for her family.” Role model Grace Ouendo stated, “I think coding is good for her because it is all about bringing solutions to where there are no solutions in the technology world.” Role model Ernestina Appiah stated, “Even if you don’t choose it as a career, you will need the skills that come with coding like critical thinking and the ability to collaborate.”

Inspire girls and young women to work in STEM careers.

In my career, I did not have the benefit of regular one-on-one sessions with a mentor or role model who was an expert in my field. I often struggled with isolation being the only woman of color on a team of white males. This is an even more critical situation for girls in developing countries who experience limited access to affordable internet, mentoring, and role models.

As a role model and board member for Career Girls, I understand that it’s fundamental for girls to see role models to “close the imagination gap.” As the largest online database of role models, Career Girls brings together over 800+ accomplished women working in cities across the United States and countries around the world, including Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Japan. Through a series of videos, each role model shares the story of her career journey in their own words and through an easily accessible format. What skills from her childhood does she still rely on today? What is a typical day like in her career? What obstacles has she overcome? Our role models answer these questions and many others to provide an engaging and comprehensive look at wide-ranging careers. We choose women at the top of their field, providing real-world experience and helping girls envision different possibilities for a career they often associate with males while reinforcing messages of positive self-esteem and self-worth.

Engage the community and promote collaborations through partnerships.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the link between the digital divide and academic achievement gaps for girls by forcing many school districts to move from in-person to remote schooling. Virtual education grew in popularity. In particular, STEM camps for girls, where tech companies partnered with NGOs, provided live, hands-on online instruction experiences and access to role models.

Career Girls virtual camps are a shining example of a successful collaboration opportunity between NGOs and the private sector. For three years in a row, the Career Girls Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Robotics camp has been sponsored by Toyota Research Institute (TRI), which granted girls free registration, access to world-class women researchers in these fields, and their very own robot to engage with and learn from. The girls could program their robot to walk, use its arms, and even avoid obstacles intelligently through coding.

The outcome? A staggering 92.5% of the girls shared a likelihood of pursuing a career in STEM. In addition, campers reported an increase in their understanding of the steps they will need to take to achieve their career goals, the education and skills needed for their favorite career, and how doing well in school now will help them achieve their dreams.

We must equip girls with the knowledge and tools to make advances in ICT technology so that the outcomes of applying these solutions have a positive impact on their future. That means not just having access to digital skills but also having a seat at the table to decide critical policy issues on the use of these powerful technologies.

Dr. Beverly Thompson
Senior Scientist in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Accelerator
Member of Commission on Digital Divide

The picture on top of the page shows Dr. Beverly Thompson giving a presentation to Dr. Lee Schwartz, Geographer of the Department of State and the Director of Office of the Geographer and Global Issues. The topic was using satellite imagery to help reach nomadic settlements in the Lake Chad Basin to support vaccination campaigns.

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