Press Releases

French version of the Communiqué:

Spanish version of the Communiqué:

July 12-13, 2011 : Former President of Chile, Dr. Michelle Bachelet , who now heads UN Women, Ms. Ruth Dreifuss , former President of Switzerland and Ms Mary Robinson , Chair, Mary Robinson Foundation on Climate Justice and former President of Ireland, will participate in the 4th International Women's Summit (IWS) on the theme "Women Creating a Safe World".

World YWCA and YWCA of Great Britain Joint Statement

January 11, 2011:  The World YWCA is a global women’s movement founded on a Christian basis, whose mandate is to serve all communities irrespective of their faith. Our purpose is to develop the leadership and collective power of women and girls to achieve justice, peace, freedom, human dignity, health and care for the environment. We affirm this commitment with our presence in 125 countries, 22,000 communities and a reach to 25 million women and girls worldwide. It is a volunteer membership movement, inclusive of women from many faiths, backgrounds and cultures.

Geneva July 27, 2009: The world is confronted with staggering statistics related to women's health on a daily basis: an unacceptable number of girl-child marriages; women dying in childbirth; and young women exposed to sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

Geneva, June 18, 2009: The Human Rights Council adopted a ground-breaking resolution on maternal mortality and morbidity on June 17, 2009. As an organisation committed to promoting women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, the World YWCA welcomes the resolution and congratulates member states for their readiness to address maternal health as a human rights issue.

Geneva, February 25, 2009 : The Condom Advocacy Working Group has responded to a global statement issued by Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS by urging him to play a leadership role in promoting and advocating male and female condom programming as an essential component of all HIV and AIDS policy.

Geneva, January 20, 2009 - As Israel and Hamas announce unilateral ceasefires respectively, the World YWCA joins millions of people and organisation in condemning the force and impact of Israel's attack on Gaza. World YWCA calls for real peace and security in the region that can only be achieved through a resolution of the root causes of the conflict.

Geneva, January 7, 2009 : YWCAs around the world will hold candlelight vigils on January 8 in commemoration of hundreds of lives lost in the recent crisis in Gaza and to call for peace in the Middle East.

Geneva, August 4, 2008 : Media covering the XVII International AIDS Conference are invited to attend a press conference to launch a report from the Positive Women’s Forum—an unprecedented meeting that was held on July 4, 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya as part of the International Women’s Summit on HIV and AIDS.

Geneva, July 30, 2008 : A new report released by UNAIDS indicates that the HIV epidemic is slowing or stabilising in many regions. Yet women and young people remain at particular risk of HIV infection. The UNAIDS ‘2008 Report on the global AIDS Epidemic’ shows that although young people are waiting longer before becoming sexually active, many still do not have accurate information on HIV transmission and how to prevent infection.