Soroptimist International President Ann Garvie has called on Soroptimists to use all available communication channels to inspire change
for women and girls and challenge gender inequality. In a message for International Women’s Day, she writes:

“This is a global day of celebration and reflection of women’s
successes and achievements, economically, politically and socially.
Notwithstanding, we are acutely aware that there remain many unacceptable
barriers that limit women’s opportunities around the world.”

“Soroptimists must and will inspire
change for women and seek greater gender equality through education, learning
opportunities, access to economic empowerment and the elimination of violence
against women and girls. We must continue to strive tirelessly for equality and
human rights for all; this has to be Soroptimist International’s focus, in
particular for the Post-2015 Development Agenda after the Millennium Development
Goals.”

International Women’s Day is a key date for Soroptimists around the
world, celebrated with events at local, regional, national and international
level.  This year, Soroptimist
International has adopted the UN Women theme for the day Equality for Women is Progress for All, producing a series of resources
showing how gender equality benefits everyone.

Empowering women and tackling gender inequality is a vital to making the
world healthier, happier and more prosperous for all – this is a vital message as
the global community devises a Post-2015 development framework to succeed the Millennium
Development Goals, and one that SI will be making heard at the 58^th
Session of the UN’s Commission for the Status of Women (CSW58), the
principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion
of gender equality and the empowerment of women, which opens on 10^th
March.

“We must continue to strive
tirelessly for equality and human rights for all; this has to be Soroptimist
International’s focus, in particular for the Post-2015 Development Agenda after
the Millennium Development Goals”, writes President Ann, who will be part of
the SI delegation at CSW58.

President Ann’s full message

Soroptimist International –  International
Women’s Day

Soroptimist International – CSW58