News Archive (2008 - 2005)

The European YWCAs Representative Meeting (ERM) began in Aarhus, Denmark this week with over 80 European YWCA delegates participating. The meeting began with a welcome from ERM hosts, YWCA-YMCA of Denmark (KFUM-KFUK). Kirsten Lund Larsen, General Secretary of the YWCA of Denmark greeted delegates with a warm welcome. "We are very pleased to host this ERM. We hope to have many fruitful days together and share what it is like to be part of a joint movement."

It is not all hard work and no play at the European Representatives Meeting (ERM) in Aarhus, Denmark. Hosts, the YWCA-YMCA of Denmark organized a special ‘Danish Day’ on October 17 to give delegates an opportunity to learn more about their country and the Aarhus community.

A new European YWCAs Committee was elected at the recent European Representatives Meeting (ERM) in Aarhus, Denmark.
Judith Vink from the YWCA of Belgium was elected as the new President. Vink brings a wealth of experience to her new position having served at the YWCA European level, World YWCA level and as a member of the World YWCA Board from 2003 - 2007.

The 42nd session of the Convention of the Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from October 20 – November 7.

Conclude the Talks - We are dying of hunger. These harrowing words have been issued in a statement from the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WcoZ) after riot police in Harare descended on hundreds of women peacefully protesting over the delayed conclusion of the power sharing negotiations between Zimbabwe’s political parties on October 27.

World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda has received the 2008 Soromundi Award from the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles (LA) for her work on women’s rights and peace with justice. The award was presented at the Grand Masquerade Benefactrix Ball, October 24 at the Beverly Hills Hotel with over 350 people present to celebrate women leading change in the Californian region.

The World YWCA is advertising two positions based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Cities must be made safer for women and girls, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, World YWCA General Secretary told participants to the Fourth World Urban Forum on Monday November 3, 2008. Over 1500 participants are gathered in Nanjing, China to attend the Forum under the theme ‘Harmonious Urbanisation’. The Forum seeks to examine rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies and policies.

A World YWCA delegation will join 2000 women's rights leaders and activists from around the world to discuss the power of movements at the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, November 14-17 2008.

Geneva, November 18, 2008 : Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as rebel and militia factions renew fighting in the area. A majority of the internally displace people are women and children, a United Nations report confirms.