Our Voice at the UN: Leadership Series
At the international offices of the United Nations all over the world, our representatives play a critical role in advancing the mission of Soroptimist International, ensuring that the voices, perspectives, and experiences of women and girls are heard and considered in all decision-making processes. As an international organisation advocating for the rights of women and girls, it’s difficult to understate the importance or the value of working in collaboration with these representatives, as we come together to advocate for policies and programs that promote gender equality and empower women and girls worldwide.
Importantly, SI’s unique position at the United Nations is something that we, as an organisation, can be proud of; the opportunity to embrace this and raise SI’s voice at this respected international platform, however, would not be possible if it were not for the commitment and contributions of our UN representatives.
Our UN representatives are all leaders in their own right, working tirelessly to promote gender equality and elevate the voices of women and girls in every corner of the world. From Africa to Asia to Europe and beyond, they are making a real difference to the lives of millions of people.
In this edition of Our Voice at the United Nations, we celebrate the leadership roles of our UN representatives across the world, highlighting the important work they do to advance gender equality and recognising the ‘global voice’ projected by them on the international stage. We’ll explore their roles and responsibilities, share some of the insights they’ve provided us with, and offer a deeper understanding of the critical role they play in creating a more just and equitable world for women and girls.
SI Leadership in New York
The United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ) in New York is the central hub for UN operations and decision-making; this UN centre serves as an important meeting place for diplomats, representatives, and leaders from around the world to discuss and debate global issues, as well as taking action on matters of international importance. Additionally, UNHQ houses a range of departments and agencies dedicated to advancing the organisations overall mission, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and UN Women, the latter of which serves as a notable champion for Gender Equality across the globe, whilst also being a particular focal point for the work of SI.
For SI’s representatives, these departments, agencies, events, and discussions hosted by UNHQ offer a critical opportunity to provide recommendations to world leaders and governments, ensuring that the voices and perspectives of women are heard and accounted for in all UN discussions and decision-making processes.
Currently, SI has five representatives operating at UNHQ in New York and serving as leaders in the fight for gender equality and the rights of women and girls. These representatives are: Bette Levy, who serves as our Main contact at the centre; Frances Zainoeddin; Jacqueline Shapiro; Maria Fornella-Oehninger; and Vanesa Treers. In this issue, we hear directly from Bette, Frances, and Maria about their leadership roles and activities in New York, as well as how these roles are managed alongside the mission and goals of SI.
Bette Levy
As our main representative to the UN in New York, Bette Levy has held a number of key leadership positions throughout her 19 years as an active and enthusiastic Soroptimist. Bette’s role has included coordinating efforts and influencing policy for the Women’s Major Group (WMG) at the global level at UNHQ, leading advocacy efforts throughout the year and leading up to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), as well as every four years at the SDG Summit.
Bette’s work within the WMG in particular serves to further SI’s mission of achieving gender equality for all women and girls, providing SI with visibility, credibility, and acceptance into spaces that might not otherwise be available to us.
Before operating as a UN Representative for SI, Bette has cultivated over four decades of experience as an accomplished mental health and developmental disabilities professional. Throughout her career, Bette has held management roles with the New York State Office of Mental Health, overseeing and developing programmes and regulations for children and families, before taking on the role of lead mental health emergency preparedness liaison between New York City, State, and national governments in the US, following the events of September 11, 2001. During her tenure, Bette was responsible for overseeing emergency mental health services for survivors and responders for three months, until a more permanent program was established. Bette’s expertise in disaster risk reduction planning and implementation over the 10 following years has consequently earned her a reputation as an invaluable resource among her state, city, and federal colleagues.
As of 2023, Bette has worked with five different SI Presidents. Having seen our organisation develop and grow over the last two decades since she became one of our UN representatives, Bette has worked hard alongside the New York team to break down the image of SI as “just women who lunch and write big cheques”, cultivating the global recognition of SI as activists and true partners in the UN. Ultimately, Bette’s efforts at the UN have helped us to take stronger and more defined positions on the issues affecting women and girls – thus enhancing our reputation and impact on a global scale.
Maria Fornella-Oehninger
Also representing SI throughout UN spheres in New York, Maria Fornella-Oehninger held the position of Co-Chair of the NGO Committee on Social Development from 2019 to 2021, contributing directly to the planning and delivery of activities for the annual Commission for Social Development (CSocD).
As one of the UN’s key bodies for reviewing global progress toward social development, CSocD plays a crucial role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting social inclusion. At the same time, and as Maria has explained to us, advocating for the SDGs necessitates collaboration with other NGOs within the committee, ensuring that our main advocacy points can be established on each year’s Priority Theme. Maria’s role as Co-Chair has therefore been instrumental in ensuring that SI’s mission of achieving gender equality for all women and girls has remained at the forefront of the committee’s agenda, whilst also helping to create and maintain multiple opportunities for collaboration with other NGOs who share in SI’s mission and goals.
This role has also not been without its challenges, owing to Maria becoming Co-Chair shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, which was accompanied by a varied upheaval of ordinary life. This exceptional change in global circumstances meant the leadership team of which Maria was a part of had to devise an entirely new virtual programme, using Zoom and other platforms, to conduct business – including UN Mission visits, monthly meetings, as well as networking orientation, and the Civil Society Forums taking place during CSocD itself!
Overall, Maria’s leadership role on the NGO Committee on Social Development has been pivotal in advancing SI’s mission at the UN, as well as finding and establishing new opportunities for collaboration with other NGOs. Her dedication to advocating for gender equality, eradicating gender-based violence, and promoting lifelong education for women and girls has made a significant impact on the committee’s work. Maria’s achievements and contributions serve as an inspiration and a reminder of the importance of women’s leadership in shaping global initiatives for social development.
Frances Zainoeddin
As a former Deputy Budget Director of the United Nations Programme Planning and Budget Division, Frances Zainoeddin has extensive knowledge of the United Nations system and policies. Upon retirement, she joined the NGO community to further promote the ideals of the United Nations, with a specific focus on gender and aging issues. Her leadership roles have been particularly useful to NGOs participating in intergovernmental meetings, where her knowledge and experience have helped to make the voices of women and girls heard and included.
Currently, Frances is Vice-Chair of the NGO Committee on Ageing and a member of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women. She played a key role in establishing the Stakeholder Group on Ageing in 2013, as part of the Major Groups and Other Stakeholders involved in sustainable development issues. She was actively engaged in the United Nations intergovernmental negotiations leading up to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ensuring the inclusion of the concerns of older persons. As the UN Focal Point in New York for the Stakeholder Group on Ageing, Frances continues to work towards promoting the rights of older persons.
Frances’ leadership roles have also extended to issues concerning the rights of older persons. She has been actively involved in efforts by the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing at the United Nations to elaborate a convention to protect and promote the rights of older persons. Her expertise and advocacy have been instrumental in ensuring that the concerns of older persons are taken into account in the development of policies and programs at the United Nations.
As a leader in the NGO community, Frances has demonstrated a deep commitment to promoting the rights of women, girls, and older persons in line with the mission and values of SI. Her expertise and leadership have been essential in ensuring that the voices of these groups are heard and considered in the global discourse on sustainable development. Through her work, Frances has made significant contributions advocating for gender equality, as well as toward the advancement of women’s rights and the empowerment of women and girls at the UN.
A Look Ahead to the Next Issue of Our Voice at the United Nations
We are pleased to have highlighted the exceptional leadership roles of our UN representatives in New York, who have played a critical role in advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls across the globe. The commitment and dedication demonstrated by our entire New York team and their respective positions on the international stage have been truly inspiring.
Our journey towards gender equality and women’s empowerment continues, and we are thrilled to announce that the next issue of Our Voice at the United Nations will focus on the leadership roles of our representatives at the UN in Geneva. We will explore their contributions to advancing our mission, share their stories of collaboration and advocacy, and highlight their impact on the lives of women and girls.
As we strive towards creating a more equitable and just world for women and girls, we invite you to stay tuned for more inspiring narratives of leadership and change-making.