Blog - Soroptimist International

Sustainable Development and Gender Equality

SI's Global Policy Advisor, Francesca Fletcher Williams blogs about the current progress made towards Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5) on Gender Equality. "It is now the second time the UN’s High-Level Political Forum has reviewed progress towards achieving SDG5 on gender equality. Under the broad banner “achieve gender equality and

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Blog by SI Director of Advocacy, Leigh Ellwood Brown. “Last week, Commonwealth leaders travelled to Kigali, Rwanda to reaffirm their common values and agree on actions and policies to improve the lives of their citizens. The Commonwealth is home to 2.5 billion people - or one third of the world’s

Reflections on Stockholm+50

Blog by Eva Skårner, Advocacy Coordinator for Soroptimist International Sweden Union, and SI delegate at Stockholm+50. “This meeting hit my mind like a wall, both in a good and happy, but also sad and bad way. It was great to see that a meeting could gather so many experts and

Stockholm+50 the overview

SI UN Representative, Beatrice Oluoch reports from Stockholm +50: A Healthy Planet for the Prosperity of All – Our Responsibility, Our Opportunity (2-3 June 2022). "In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly, through resolution 75/280, resolved to convene an international meeting in Stockholm to commemorate 50 years since the landmark

End Sexual Violence in Conflict

Blog by Donatella Benjamin, SI UN Representative in Geneva. “The Global Survivors Fund (“GSF”), for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, was officially inaugurated on 9th March 2022 in Geneva, in the presence of its founders Dr. Denis Mukwege and Ms. Nadia Murad, co-laureates of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Why

World Refugee Day – Soroptimists in Action

In celebration of World Refugee Day, Nina Smart updates us on the impact of SI's Migration Project. "Soroptimists across the world have long shown solidarity in assisting women migrants and refugees who need to feel safe, to feel heard and seen, by investing in their future through education. As we

Living in Harmony with Nature

Blog by Mary Muia, SI UN Rep Nairobi Centre. "Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on 5 June since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world. Also called “The

Every State Needs a Femicide Watch

Donatella Benjamin, SI UN Representative, reports from the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE, held on 6-7 April 2022 in Geneva. "The Government of Spain and UN Women organised the side event “One femicide watch in every country to end the shadow pandemic”. Governments, women's rights advocates, feminists, academia

Reshaping Higher Education

Blog of Evelyne Para, UN SI Representative at UNESCO, Paris. "Reshaping ideas and practices in the education of the future graduates to ensure a sustainable future for our planet and humanity, such was the objective of two conferences organised by UNESCO in which I took part in May 2022. With

The Impact of War on Global Food Security

The Ukraine conflict is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that is subsequently increasing food insecurity across the globe. This threat follows the rise in hunger, food insecurity, and worsening nutrition caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Humanitarian and social protection responses will be needed to cushion the negative impact of these developments