Soroptimist International’s (SI) representatives to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland, engage at the heart of critical global discussions on human rights, health, and humanitarian issues. Geneva’s unique UN landscape includes major agencies like the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), making it a vital hub for SI’s advocacy. The team of representatives at the UN in Geneva have worked to amplify SI’s voice in these forums, aligning our mission with key international dialogues and decisions.
The UN in Geneva is host to a range of key sessions throughout the year. This includes the Human Rights Council (HRC), which holds sessions three times annually to address global human rights issues, while the World Health Assembly (WHA) works to shape international health policy. Additionally, SI representatives in Geneva are directly involved in the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, Geneva (NGO CSW Geneva), at an executive level; this committee acts as a strategic platform for ECOSOC accredited NGOs, facilitating their activities toward gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
Recently, NGO CSW Geneva hosted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action +30 Civil Society Review Forum for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region. The SI UN Team played a very active role in this Forum, the primary purpose of which was to conduct a thorough review of progress in the UNECE region concerning the goals set out in the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action.
For SI, Geneva is a vital platform for promoting gender equality and humanitarian action. Through this involvement, SI advances its goals to end poverty, empower women and girls, and champion global education and advocacy efforts. Geneva continues as a hub for SI’s engagement in human rights, health, and gender equity issues, as captured in this edition of Our Voice at the United Nations.
The Beijing +30 Civil Society Forum
The SI UN team in Geneva actively contributed to the UNECE Region Beijing+30 Civil Society Forum, held by NGO CSW Geneva, which united NGOs, Member States, and UN stakeholders from across the UNECE’s 56 member countries. This forum, which took place from October 19 to 20, 2024, provided a platform to evaluate progress on the Beijing Platform for Action’s 12 Critical Areas of Concern, established in 1995, through a series of working groups that developed detailed statements and action calls.
NGO CSW Geneva – Read the Blog by Berthe De Vos Neven
- As part of the Core UNECE Task Force of NGO CSW Geneva, SI Representative to the UN in Geneva, Berthe De Vos Neven, oversaw the organisation of workshops hosted during the Forum.
The two-day event featured interactive workshops, advocacy training, and strategy sessions, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the 275 participants, including 28 Soroptimists – many of whom played key roles in organising the Forum workshops.
Workshop on Health – Read the Blog by Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou
- This workshop was facilitated by Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou and Pascal Muylaert, SI Representatives to the UN in Geneva. The session explored women’s right to health, as well as gender inequalities in healthcare access and the digital gender gap.
Workshop on Environment – Read the Blog by Pascale Muylaert
- From SI, Pascale Muylaert and Janet Schempf facilitated this workshop, examined how women are among the most affected by climate change and are uniquely positioned to lead the way in protecting our planet.
Workshop on Artificial Intelligence – Read the Blog by Tania Gómez Herazo
- This workshop, facilitated by Tania Gómez Herazo, Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou, and Berthe De Vos Neven, explored the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for promoting gender equality and sustainable development.
Workshop on Women and the Economy – Read the Blog by Berthe De Vos Neven
- This workshop was facilitated by Jennie Ferm of SI Sweden, and Dagmar Lipper of SI Germany, covered the paid and unpaid contributions of women to global economies, and how women’s economic empowerment may best be achieved.
Workshop on the Education and Training of Women – Read the Blog by Berthe De Vos Neven
- The facilitators of this workshop included Berthe De Vos Neven, as well as Lora Nasika from SI Greece. This session covered the essential importance of education and training for women to enable full gender equality.
The outcomes from these sessions were also formally shared with Member States, forming a foundation for the UNECE Beijing+30 Review Committee meeting held in Geneva on October 21-22.
CEDAW Committee – General Recommendation 40
On October 25, 2024, the Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), led by Mrs. Nicole Ameline and with the support of Mr. Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, introduced General Recommendation 40. This landmark recommendation emphasises the necessity of women’s presence “where decisions are made,” pushing Member States to ensure gender parity in decision-making processes. With its focus on transformative, inclusive policies, General Recommendation 40 sets a crucial path toward an equitable future and reinforces the universality of rights for all women and girls.
In her blog, Equal and Inclusive Representation of Women in Decision-Making Systems, SI Representative Berthe De Vos Neven reports on the significance of this recommendation.
Read the Blog on this Session by Berthe De Vos Neven
Widows Seminar – Challenges, Gaps, and Best Practices
In the lead up to the Beijing+30 Civil Society Forum, from October 17-18, SI also co-organised a two-day seminar with Widow’s Rights International, focusing on the often-overlooked challenges faced by widows. Led by SI Representative Berthe De Vos Neven, the seminar gathered over fifty participants, including international experts, advocates, and policymakers, to address issues such as violence, inheritance rights, and harmful traditional practices affecting widows worldwide. SI’s continued advocacy, building on previous efforts at the Human Rights Council, underscores the urgent need for UN recognition of widows’ unique struggles and aims to inspire tangible legislative reforms to protect their rights.
Read the Blog on this Seminar by Berthe De Vos Neven
The UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development
Tania Gómez Herazo, from SI Belgium, recently attended the 2024-2025 Inter-sessional Panel of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UN-CSTD). The meeting focused on the Global Digital Compact (GDC), adopted in September 2024, emphasising inclusive and ethical digital cooperation. Key themes included leveraging digital technologies for economic diversification, ensuring universal connectivity, and prioritizing support for vulnerable groups. The CSTD also addressed AI governance and underscored the importance of international cooperation and multi-stakeholder engagement to shape a sustainable digital future. The establishment of a working group on data governance was highlighted as a major step forward.
Read the Blog on this Session by Tania Gómez Herazo
Bridging the Gaps: Inclusive Digital Health Meeting
Dr. Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou, SI Representative to the UN in Geneva, recently attended a stakeholder meeting coordinated by Warwick University as part of the Digital Health and Rights Project (DHRP). The event focused on bridging gaps in digital health governance and ensuring digital health tools are accessible and ethical, especially for marginalised groups. Discussions highlighted issues such as cybersecurity for women, the “Techquity” gap affecting undocumented and vulnerable populations, and the gender disparity in digital health access, particularly for women caregivers. Key recommendations included the need for coordinated efforts across stakeholders, enhanced ethics literacy, and human rights impact assessments for AI and digital health initiatives.
Read the Blog on this Session by Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou.
The 57th Session of the Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council (HRC), an intergovernmental body within the United Nations, is responsible for promoting and protecting human rights worldwide, addressing violations, and making recommendations to improve global human rights standards. On September 25, 2024, the 57th session convened in Geneva, with several SI Representatives actively participating. In their blogs, Stacy Ciulik and Olga Tzortzatou-Nanopoulou share key insights and outcomes from the session and its side events, highlighting the Council’s role in fostering global cooperation and accountability in human rights advocacy.
Strengthening Action to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls – Read the Blog by Stacy Ciulik
- This well-attended side event held during HRC57 examined the progress toward ending violence against women and girls since the Istanbul Convention was adopted 10 years ago.
The 30th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family – Read the Blog by Stacy Ciulik
- SI Representative Stacy Ciulik reports on this panel discussion focusing on Member States’ obligations regarding the role of the family in human rights.
Redefining Justice: The Story of the Sepur Zarco Grandmothers – Read the Blog by Stacy Ciulik
- This high-level side event held during HRC57 featured a panel discussion on the lasting impacts of transformative gender justice.
Concluding Thoughts
As Soroptimist International continues its dedicated advocacy at the UN in Geneva, our representatives remain pivotal in promoting gender equality and action on the global stage. From engaging in landmark sessions like the UNECE Beijing+30 Civil Society Forum to addressing critical challenges faced by widows, and advancing digital equity in health, our involvement underscores SI’s commitment to tangible change. This active participation not only strengthens our voice in international dialogues but also drives forward our mission to empower women and girls worldwide. We invite you to explore these efforts further in Our Voice at the United Nations – Geneva blogs.