Soroptimist International (SI) Overview

Soroptimist International (SI) is dedicated to educating, empowering, and enabling women and girls to realise their individual and collective potential. Since 1984, SI has held General Consultative Status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a prestigious designation held by only 138 out of 6,494 organisations, with SI being one of the 13 specifically focused on advancing women’s and girls’ human rights.

UN Representation and Advocacy

SI’s presence at the UN is crucial, particularly amid the global rollback of women’s and girls’ rights. By the end of 2023, SI’s team of volunteer UN Representatives had grown from 19 to 24, including two Youth Representatives in New York and Nairobi. These representatives work across seven UN duty stations (centres), focusing on achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Key Activities in 2023:

• New York Team: Led by Bette Levy, the team included María Fornella-Oehninger, Jackie Shapiro, Frances Zainoeddin, and Vanesa Treers. They actively participated in events like the UN Commission on Social Development and the Women’s Major Group (WMG), advocating for gender equality and against regressive language.
• Geneva Team: Berthe De Vos-Neven, Donatella Benjamin, and Stacy Ciulik engaged with UN human rights mechanisms. Berthe was Vice President of NGO CSW Geneva and made interventions at the CEDAW Committee.
• Vienna Team: Focused on crime prevention and criminal justice, with representatives holding leadership roles in various committees. Marion Prechtl highlighted issues affecting women and girls, including trafficking and violence.
• Nairobi Team: With a focus on environmental issues, the team, led by Mary Muia, advocated for women’s involvement in environmental policy.
• Paris Team: Represented at UNESCO, they participated in conferences on education, technology, and climate change.
• Rome and Bangkok Teams: Engaged with food security and climate action initiatives, addressing regional challenges.

 

Advocacy Advisors

In 2023, Maureen Maguire (SI President 2022-2023) appointed three Advocacy Advisors: Bev Bucur, Pat Black, and Linda Witong.

Bev Bucur represents Soroptimist International (SI) on the Women for Water Partnership, advocating for women’s involvement in water management. She helped plan the 2023 Water Forum and delivered a statement urging UN Member States to include women in water sector leadership. Bev also supports SI’s broader efforts through the SI Global Policy and Global Impact Committees, sharing her extensive knowledge.

Pat Black was re-appointed as a W7 Gender Equality Advisor for the G7 Japan Presidency in January 2023. Under her guidance, SI contributed to the W7 Communiqué with recommendations to prevent gender-based violence, presented to the Japanese President in May 2023. Pat also mentored Italian Soroptimists in preparation for leadership roles at the 2024 G7 Summit.

Linda Witong volunteers 6 to 8 hours daily for SI, preparing language and citations on various issues, focusing on poverty since March 2023 for CSW68 (2024). She conducts research, attends virtual meetings in Vienna, and represents SI on the Board of the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Linda also participates in the Working Group on Gender-Based Violence as Torture Inflicted by Non-State Actors, which issued a Working Paper in December 2023.

Key Partnerships and Initiatives

• Women’s 7 (W7) Summit: Pat Black, SI Advocacy Advisor, contributed to the W7 Communiqué, promoting gender equality recommendations to the G7.
• Every Woman Treaty and Global Coalition for Social Justice: Collaborated to advance women’s rights and social justice globally.

 

SI Youth Forum

The SI Youth Forum was established in 2023 under Maureen Maguire to connect young Soroptimists (aged 40 and under) internationally. It aims to facilitate the sharing of ideas, advocacy for women’s and girls’ rights, and contributions to SI’s global policy and advocacy work, ensuring a youth perspective.

Conclusion

SI’s global advocacy and representation at the UN continue to be vital in promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls worldwide. Through active participation in UN processes, SI ensures that women’s voices are heard and their rights are upheld.

Read the Global Policy segment of the Annual Report 2023 in full

Watch the presentation on Global Policy from the AGM held on 13 July 2024