IAW has representatives in the following United Nations entities:
Jill Follows holds a JD (law) and MSN (Master of Science in Nursing). She has worked as a civil trial attorney and represented clients with medical malpractice claims and vaccine injury claims. Her work as a public health nurse and nursing educator focused on women and children. She completed a health policy fellowship in Washington DC and testified before the US Food and Drug Commission Medical Devices Panel.
Jill served as an IAW alternate representative at UNHQ in 2024-2025. She was a member of the IAW Task Force for UN CSW69 and CSW70.
Jill served as an UN Observer for the League of Women Voters of the United States and as the co-chair of Action and Advocacy for the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area, Virginia. She convened and spearheaded the Fairfax Working Group for CEDAW, an initiative that led to the County’s adoption of a Resolution in Support of CEDAW. Jill is a founding director of the Human Rights Special Interest Group.
Soon-Young Yoon holds a PhD in anthropology. She has worked with UNICEF in Southeast Asia and the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia in Delhi. She is a board member of the Global Advisory Council at the Harvard AIDS Initiative and of the International Foundation for Ewha Woman’s University. She currently works as a consultant for the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative. She is ex-chair of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York
Dr. Uzma Gul is a human rights defender, global advocate for SDGs, poetess, story teller, an empath, speaker, young world leader and a healthcare professional – previously attached with World Economic Forum, WHO, ILO, The Commonwealth Youth Council and currently working with United Nations as a Youth Representative – is also a board member at International Alliance for Women.
Jessica Pierson (she/her) is an advocate and storyteller whose work bridges human rights, the arts, and education.
She served as IAW Regional Coordinator for North America from 2022-2025. Jessica is co-Director of
the Cities for CEDAW History and Futures Project with Dr. Soon-Young Yoon, an initiative to document the historic movement for CEDAW in the U.S.
Jessica holds an M.A. in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University.
Dr. Sibylle von Heydebrand is a Swiss lawyer with a PhD in Law (Dr. iur.) from the University of Basel. She is a proven expert on political rights and has a long experience as a lecturer. She was honored with the “Outstanding Leadership Icon Award”, in the House of Lords, London, November 2024.
In 2022, Sibylle was elected to the Board of IAW. Since 2024, she acts as the International Alliance of Women’s Executive Vice President.
Since 2021, she serves as the main representative of the IAW to the United Nations in Geneva. In addition, she represents the IAW at NGO CSW Geneva and acts as its financial auditor.
Further position: representative to UNESCO in Paris. Head of Delegation of the Commission on the Status of Women, UN New York 2023-2025.
Sibylle is committed to improving the position of women and girls in society and works to enhance the visibility of women’s societal involvement.
Derya Akinci Briand a Swiss, French and Turkish national. She is a lawyer, lecturer, legal administrator and a legal consultant. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Cyprus, A Master’s degree in Law (Mlaw) and an L.LM degree from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. She speaks fluently many languages as English, French, Turkish and has the basic knowledge of other languages.
Derya is the main representative of UNCTAD for IAW, a representative of IAW to United Nations, Head of the Constitution Committee of IAW, an ethics committee member of IAW and the assistant treasurer of IAW. She has working experience previously in the United Nations as UNEP and ILO, where she learned well the UN system. She believes women’s rights are very important, she thinks women face difficulties worldwide.
Dr. Laoura Alipranti-Maratou has a PhD in Sociology (University of Paris X -Nanterre). She is an Emeritus Research Director of the “National Centre for Social Research”/EKKE and is actually collaborating as an expert at EKKE’s “Gender Issues Research Laboratory”. She is a Visiting Professor at the Department of Psychology at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens teaching the lesson “Gender relations in contemporary society”. She has also been a Member of “EIGE-European Institute for Gender Equality” Expert Forum designated by the European Parliament (2012-2015). Laoura is Vice-President of the Board of “Greek League of Women’s Rights”.
After she moved from Lithuania to Switzerland, she completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in law at the University of Basel. There she also obtained the Diploma of Advanced Studies in European Integration. In Lithuania she completed a Bachelor’s degree in law. Agne is also a certified court interpreter. In her spare time, she is active in volunteer work.
Agne is convinced that women’s rights need more attention and wants to contribute to their implementation.
Rosy Weiss is a French interpreter by education and a retired official in Austria’s Ministries for Labour, Social Affairs, Consumer Protection as well as Environment, Youth and Family, where she was responsible for international affairs. Ms. Weiss served as IAW President from 2004 to 2010 and as chairperson of the Vienna NGO Committee on the Status of Women from 2006 to 2009. She was involved in the drafting of reports of Austrian NGOs to CEDAW and the Universal Periodic Review. During Austria’s EU Presidencies she served as liaison between governments and NGOs during the negotiations at the Commission on the Status of Women in 2006 and as chair of the Regional Preparatory Conference (The Hague Forum) for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+5). She is Member of the IAW Commission on Peace.
Dr. Sibylle von Heydebrand is a Swiss lawyer with a PhD in Law (Dr. iur.) from the University of Basel. She is a proven expert on political rights and has a long experience as a lecturer. She was honored with the “Outstanding Leadership Icon Award”, in the House of Lords, London, November 2024.
In 2022, Sibylle was elected to the Board of IAW. Since 2024, she acts as the International Alliance of Women’s Executive Vice President.
Since 2025, she serves as representative of the IAW to UNESCO Paris.
Further position: main representative of the IAW to the United Nations in Geneva. Head of Delegation of the Commission on the Status of Women, UN New York 2023-2025.
Sibylle is committed to improving the position of women and girls in society and works to enhance the visibility of women’s societal involvement.
Dr. Maria (Marilena) Longobardi is a physicist specializing in quantum science and technology. She currently serves as the Managing Director of the NCCR SPIN, Switzerland’s national center for quantum research, dedicated to advancing semiconductor spin-based quantum computing. An APS Fellow of the American Physical Society, she works closely with industry to bridge the gap between scientific advancements and practical technologies.
Passionate about fostering inclusivity in STEM, Marilena has initiated global educational programs to empower girls and young researchers, especially from developing countries, to engage with science and technology. Her work also bridges the intersections of quantum science and art, reflecting her multidisciplinary approach to making complex scientific concepts more accessible and engaging.
Valeria Mangani is a recipient of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
Valeria is accredited as Represantative of IAW to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), to the CSM-Civil Society Mechanism Forum, and the CFS-Committee on Food Security, and participates in meetings of international NGO groups.
Valeria is among the FAO WORLD FOOD HEROES 2023 for her commitment in fighting plastic pollution due to fast fashion’s microplastics dumping in oceans, hence attacking marine life and human food chain and health.
Professionally, Valeria has dedicated herself to sustainable fashion, founding and managing various companies with great success.
Valeria is President of Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society, the first Italian NGO dedicated to the eco-sustainable transition of the fashion and design sector, with more than 2,000 international companies registered. The Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society is a center for the production of knowledge on issues related to sustainability, proposing itself as a privileged interlocutor of the Public Administration, national and European institutions and the various actors operating on the reference market.
She was appointed “Expert” by the Italian Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy and sits in the “Table for Fashion” of the Ministry of Economic Development, representing the Italian sustainable fashion sector.
Valeria was Director of External Relations for the Mayor of Rome for several years.
Successful author in the field of ecology and nutrition, she has published ten bestsellers over the course of twenty years, launching the “Nature & Health” series.
Valeria was included in the list of the 50 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN 2023 by Fortune Italy magazine.
Delfina Panfili is a dynamic and results-oriented professional currently pursuing a BSc in Digital Culture at King’s College London. With a keen interest in the intersection of technology and society, Delfina has delved into modules covering digital economy, social media management, and marketing strategy.
Her educational journey includes a Certificate Course at the London School of Economics, focusing on corporate and financial sustainability, as well as exploring the intricate relationship between economic growth and sustainability.
Building on her passion for sustainability, Delfina has taken on the role of a Digital Marketing Specialist Intern at the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society. Here, she leads an international team of interns. As part of this role, she has played a pivotal role in developing marketing and communication projects aimed at empowering women.
Delfina is fluent in English, Italian and Spanish. With a blend of academic excellence, hands-on experience, and a passion for making a positive impact, Delfina Panfili is poised to contribute significantly to the evolving landscape of digital culture and sustainable practices.