Blog - Soroptimist International

International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour

Blog by Berthe De Vos-Neven, SI United Nations (UN) Representative Geneva On 21 January 2021, at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) launch event for the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder stated: “There is no place for child labour in society. It robs children

Eating Better: For Us and the Planet!

SI UN Representative, Mary Muia, explains why food will be a hot topic at this year's United Nations Environment Assembly. "Food production, consumption, and waste, and how they impact the environment, will be a key topic of discussion at this year's United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-5), taking place online on

CSocD59: The First Virtual Civil Society Forum (CSF)

Blog by Allie Liu, SI Communications & Advocacy Assistant. As the 59th Session of the Commission of Social Development (CSocD59) commenced at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Committee on CSocD held the first virtual Civil Society Forum (CSF). Along with opening and closing

Human Rights During a Pandemic: Another Casuality

Special Advisor to Advocacy Linda Witong reports. "A new report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [1] reveals how the current multifaceted COVID-19 crisis has both exposed and amplified the strong human rights inequalities that have existed between women or girls and race, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status,

How Digital Finance Can Help achieve SDGs Around the World

As the fifty-ninth session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD59) commences, SI New York UN Representative, Maria Fornella, offers her thoughts on how the phenomenon of digital finance can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the 2030 Agenda. "During COVID-19, governments have developed an enormous

2020 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons

Blog by Linda Witong, SI Advocacy Advisor. According to the recently released Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, female victims continue to be particularly affected by trafficking in persons. In 2018 for every 10 victims detected globally, about five were adult women and two were girls. About one third of the

UNESCO’s Regional Expert Consultations Against Gender Stereotypes

Blog by Marie-Christine Griers, SI UN Representative, Paris On 11 January, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) held the first edition in its webinar series, 'Regional Expert Consultations against Gender Stereotypes'. Targeted at decision-makers, academic and scientific communities, NGOs and civil society, the discussion in this first

‘We the Peoples’ in Conversation with UN Secretary-General

10 January marked the 75 anniversary of the first United Nations (UN) General Assembly. To celebrate this momentous event, the UN hosted 'We the Peoples’, a virtual conversation with the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres. The event kicked off with the UN Secretary-General’s first major speech of the year, in which

Women and Health

In a continuation of the SI series of blogs on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action we discuss the gains and losses seen in women’s health. “The right to the highest attainable standard of health is broadly recognised as a fundamental human right. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for

Report of Universal Periodic Review Nov 2020

A blog by Stacy Ciulik, SI UN Representative, Geneva The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system. Its mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world and to address human rights violations as well as make recommendations on them.