Blog - Soroptimist International

The Sixty-forth Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

In April 2021, during the 64th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs Vienna, scholars shared their considerable research with their audience during a presentation entitled “Shifting the Needle: The Impact of Global Policy on Women.” The research, which is now part of a book, was just one example of

Generation Equality Forum: Feminism in the Context of the Environmental Crisis and the Climate Emergency

Blog by Linda Witong, SI Special Advisor to Advocacy. We have all witnessed the acceleration of environmental degradation and the increasing frequency, duration and intensity of extreme weather and climate events. We have been told that excessive or insufficient precipitation, rising sea levels, extreme temperature changes, and other climate hazards

Generation Equality Forum: Imagining 2026

Blog by SI Advocacy Advisor, Pat Black. Young people, especially young women have been the focus of UN Women’s work for some time now. A Youth Panel session took place in the appropriately named Malala Yousafzai Auditorium at the Mexico Generation Equality Forum and was moderated by Executive Director UN

What happened at the Generation Equality Forum?

Blog by Francesca Fletcher Williams, SI Global Policy Coordinator. Right after the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65), the Generation Equality Forum was held virtually from Mexico, 29-31 March, with the aim of promoting bold action to promote gender equality. With a disappointing outcome for

Negotiating at CSW65: Struggling to Stop the Rollback of Women’s Rights

Blog by Francesca Fletcher Williams, SI Global Policy Coordinator. It’s commonly said at the United Nations that ‘you know a negotiation went well when everyone is equally unhappy’. The idea is that every country, every group should have to compromise an equal amount to reach a ‘balanced’ agreed outcome. This

Opening of Generation Equality Forum, Mexico

Blog by Linda Witong, SI Special Advisor to Advocacy. The opening of the Generation Equality Forum, on 29 March in Mexico City, gave us a preview of a new approach to the future on the part of the United Nations (UN). It began with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Prior to

Girl taking notes as she reads from mobile phone

Solidarity of NGOs facing the pandemic: Education

SI UN Representative, Evelyne Para, brings us the next instalment in her series of blogs about how NGOs are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog focuses on education and distance learning. The great solidarity of civil society and UNESCO's partner NGOs are helping populations in the field, especially the

Artificial Intelligence: A Regression for Gender Equality?

Blog by Marie-Christine Gries, SI UN Representative in Paris. On 8 March, International Women's Day, UNESCO and the World Economic Forum organised a webinar focused on women in digital technologies, called "Girl Trouble: Breaking through the bias in AI". Gabriella Ramos, Sustainable Development Goals sector for Human Social Sciences at

Amplifying The Voices On Ending Female Genital Mutilation

Blog by Dawn Marie Lemonds, SI Newport Harbor Area. Dr. Nina Smart 'smartly' moderated a fascinating panel at the NGO CSW Forum, Co-sponsored by Soroptimist International and the North American and Europe CSW Caucus. Speakers included survivors, researchers, advocates and educators, all aimed at revealing the centuries old cultural practice

Liechtenstein to Ratify the Istanbul Convention – President of General Assembly’s Special Event at CSW65

Blog by Francesca Fletcher Williams, SI Global Policy Coordinator. The Special Event of the President of the General Assembly’s event, a CSW65 Side Event, “Political Leadership and Violence Against Women and Girls: Prevention First” was held on 23 March 2021. A highlight of the meeting was that the Representative from