Members of the Soroptimist International Programme Team gathered from nine countries for a rare face-to-face meeting last week to share experiences, discuss issues and plan future work to educate, empower and enable women and girls.

The lead UN Representatives from Geneva, Vienna, New York, Paris and Nairobi all attended the meeting from 10-12 May, along with Programme Directors for the four SI Federations, SI President Alice Wells, President-Elect Ann Garvie, International Programme Director and Assistant Programme Director and Programme staff  from the SIHQ office.

The Programme team manages the development of Soroptimist International policy, co-ordinates advocacy at the UN and elsewhere, and helps to ensure that international good practice and learning is shared around the Soroptimist movement.

“It was hugely rewarding for the Programme Team to gather from the five continents and meet in London”, says Soroptimist International Programme Director Hilary Ratcliffe.

“One of our strengths is the fact that we’re a global Movement, with approximately 3000 clubs in 126 countries and territories and representatives at the 6 UN Centres. But this also brings huge challenges. How do we communicate and work together across continents and time zones? Technology makes it easier– we’d be lost without email, virtual meetings and online tools – but sometimes you can’t beat a face-to-face meeting!"

“I think we all left inspired and encouraged (if exhausted). We will continue to work together on these vital issues affecting women and girls at our monthly online meetings, but now with greater understanding after our time together!”

Key issues for discussion included improving communication between UN Representatives and Soroptimist clubs, regionalisation at the UN and priorities for the Post-2015 development agenda. 

Unfortunately, the UN Representative from Rome was unable to attend due to illness.

Soroptimist International programme activity aims to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls worldwide in the following areas:

• Increasing access to formal and non-formal learning opportunities.
• Improve women’s access to economic empowerment and sustainable opportunities for employment.
• Eliminate violence against women and girls and ensure women’s participation in conflict resolution.
• Ensure women and girls have food security and access to the highest attainable standard of health care.
• Address the specific needs of women and girls by improving environmental sustainability, and mitigating effects of climate change and disasters.

Images (Top to bottom, left to right):

• Dora (UN Rep Vienna), Sue (FPD, SIGBI), President Alice, Anusha (Int’l Asst Programme Director).
• Ulrike (FPD, SIE), Lois (UN Rep, NY), Wilfrida (UN Rep, Geneva), Rosi (Comms Manager)
• Alice (UN Rep Nairobi), Marie Christine (UN Rep, Paris), Robyn (FPD, SISWP), Reilly (Programme Director) 
• Sharon (FPD, SIA), Roswitha (UN Rep, Vienna), Sue (FPD, SIGBI), Anusha (Int’l Asst Programme Director)