World YWCA Overview
The World Young Women's Christian Association (World YWCA) is a global network of women leading social and economic change in 125 countries worldwide. The World YWCA advocates for peace, justice, human rights and care for the environment and has been at the forefront of raising the status of women for more than a century.The World YWCA develops women’s leadership to find local solutions to the global inequalities women face. Each year, it reaches more than 25 million women and girls through work in over 22,000 communities. Through advocacy, training and development the World YWCA empowers women, including young women, to lead social change.
This grassroots development experience shapes the organisation’s global advocacy agenda. The World YWCA work is inspired by Christian principles and a commitment to women’s full and equal participation in society. It is a volunteer membership movement inclusive of women from many faiths, backgrounds, and cultures. The World YWCA affirms that women’s human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.
Goal 1: Advocacy and Services
The World YCWA promotes social, economic, cultural, religious and political rights of women and girls through advocacy and related programmes and services. The World YWCA has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and Education, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) and acts as a voice for women at the United Nations participating annually at the UN Commissions on the Status of Women, the Human Rights Council and other global policy forums.
Priority Advocacy areas:
- HIV and AIDS, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights
- Eliminate Violence Against Women, promote women in peace building
- Ensure economic justice
Goal 2: Leadership and Training
The World YWCA builds the leadership of women and girls to develop the most effective solutions to the issues affecting their lives and communities. With an established record as a training ground for leaders, the YWCA international and regional training institutes ensure women, including young women, have the opportunity to learn and grow.
Young women are a major focus of YWCA leadership activities. As young women play a central role in sustaining the work of the World YWCA, the movement has a constitutional mandate to allocate 25% of all decision-making positions to young women under 30 years old.
Goal 3: Good Governance and Accountability
The World YWCA has developed a practical guide to ensure a level of management and practise that is effective and efficient. By adopting The Standards of Good Management and Accountability for YWCAs, member associations are able to strength and scale up the impact and outreach of their programmes and services.
If you wish to get further information, please visit the World YWCA Website