SIHQ, Author at Soroptimist International

Gender-based violence & COVID-19

In 2020, the international community’s plan was to embark on its decade of action for the Sustainable Development Goals, honour major declarations such as Beijing and determine how to accelerate sustainable solutions to the world’s biggest challenges including gender related goals. But things did not go as planned. Instead, today’s

Migration & COVID-19

Denied space. Denied access to health-care. Denied adequate protection. Denied security. Denied inclusiveness. Denied information. And above all, denied DIGNITY. In radical contrast to many of our own lives, scenes in the Cox’s Bazaar Camp in Bangladesh (with a population density of 40,000/km sq), the Moria Camp in Greece (203,800/km

Child Marriage the current situation

The world is home to more than 1.1 billion girls under the age of 18 who are poised to become the largest generation of female leaders, entrepreneurs and change-makers the world has ever seen. Yet, discrimination, harmful gender norms and practices, existing laws, insecurity and poverty still support child marriage

Presidents Message

Soroptimists, Photo: Sharon Fisher "As we all continue to adjust to a new way of being, the true scale and far-reaching consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to take shape. With a third of the world population currently on some form of a lockdown, a recent statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director

Multilateralism in the time of COVID-19

April 24 was the International Day of Multilateralism and as part of the UN75 Initiative, the United Nations Office of Geneva (UNOG) hosted a virtual conversation about ‘Multilateralism in the time of COVID-19’. The conversation featured remarks from high-level speakers from varying backgrounds of expertise. Hannah Agius, SI Advocacy Coordinator,

Our Voice at the UN

This edition follows the activities of SI's United Nations Representatives in Vienna. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the UN Industrial Development Office (UNIDO) and the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) are all based in Vienna.

Soroptimists in Action

As much of the world is forced to press pause, as the COVID-19 pandemic surges through our health, social and economic worlds, Soroptimists are continuing to do what they do best - 'Stepping Up', and advocating and taking action to support women and girls at grassroots level. Here is the

Soroptimist International welcomes Maureen Maguire as President Elect

Soroptimist International (SI) President Sharon Fisher is delighted to announce Maureen Maguire as SI President Elect 2020-21. Due to commence her duties from 01 July this year, Maureen began her journey as a Soroptimist in 1989 and is a member of SI Portadown in Northern Ireland. Serving at Club, Regional,

COVID-19 and the Rise in Domestic Violence

SI UN Representative in Paris, Marie-Christine Gries, blogs about the rise of Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. "On 5 April 2020, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General, made a global appeal to UN Member States to recognise that "violence is not confined to battlefields", as he called for the protection

A poignant message of domestic violence

by Sarah Gallardo, Sarah Speaks Up My mind is wandering, feeling concern for those people who will be holed up with their abuser, forced to stay home by this global pandemic. COVID-19 is causing physical isolation from most of the world as we try to control its spread. During this

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