YWCA News current

World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda was awarded the International Minerva Award on November 27, 2012 in the Hall of the Capitoline Hill in Roma, Italy. She received the award under the category “Women in the world”, in recognition of her more than 20 years of work and commitment for civil and human rights of women.

Over the next quadrennium (2011-2015) the theme for World AIDS Day is “Getting to Zero”, calling for zero discrimination, zero new infections, and zero deaths. Getting to Zero is the focus and aim for UNAIDS and the HIV community as they encourage member states to defend the progress made and to address the gaps in order to achieve the MDG 6 targets which include: to prevent people becoming infected with HIV; to expand availability of treatment; to provide the best care for people living with HIV and AIDS and their families; to expand access and uptake of HIV testing and counseling so that people can learn their HIV status; to strengthen health care systems so that they can deliver quality and sustainable HIV and AIDS programmes and services; and to improve HIV and AIDS information systems, including HIV surveillance, monitoring and evaluation and operational research.

The NGO Working Group on Peace, which includes the World YWCA, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the General Arab Women Federation, again this year joins women and men all over the world in observing the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. As organisations that have a long history of working on issues of peace with justice, we have witnessed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since 1948 and journeyed in solidarity with the people in this region. We stand in search of lasting and durable peace with justice for all people of the world, and especially in this region on this special day, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

From the 23-24 of November 2012 the YWCA of Great Britain held its ‘Y Campaign for Change’ conference which was themed violence against women (VAW). Supported by the World YWCA Power to Change Fund, the conference took place at Doncaster Platform 51 Women’s centre in Yorkshire, England and was attended with a total of 70 participants, 60% of whom were young women. Participants came together from across the UK to discuss VAW, share best practices, network, engage in learning and conduct the official business of the YWCA of Great Britain’s Annual General Meeting.

World YWCA Statement on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

On December 4, young people from every country in the world will participate in a first-of-its-kind global forum. The ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum aims to address youth issues with 43% of the world’s population under the age of 25 and represents the peak of efforts by UN agencies, young people and civil society to translate the participatory aspirations of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) into a sustainable youth advocacy network. Recommendations from the Global Youth Forum will be presented by the Secretary General of the United Nations to the General Assembly. Nine hundred delegates will attend in person in Bali, Indonesia. Thousands more will participate virtually. No matter where you live, this is your chance shape the global agenda. You do not need to be in Bali to participate, around the world youth leaders will connect locally and electronically to provide a shared response to the social, economic and human rights challenges and opportunities faced by their generation.

The World Council of Churches (WCC), the World YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association) and the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) have come together to promote a common 16-day global movement of reflection, prayer and action towards overcoming violence against women in church and society.

The World YWCA appeals for peace and the protection of women and girls in Gaza, and the Middle East region as we witness the unacceptable violence, airstrikes and the resulting loss of lives and catastrophic humanitarian consequences. The movement stands in solidarity with the YWCA of Palestine in its efforts to secure peace with justice.

As the World YWCA International Training Institute (ITI) came to a close in Seoul, Korea, 50 women representing YWCAs from 30 countries committed to provide stronger leadership to address violence against women (VAW) and peace building.  Participants, including 40% young women, contributed towards a strong vision for ending violence and securing peace by 2035 and identified innovative strategies for global campaigning.

Abigail Disney is best known as for producing the award-winning documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell", which documents the courage of Liberian women who campaigned for peace and who played a pivotal role in ending Liberia's civil war. Following the remarkable impact of this film, Abigail embarked on an ambitious journey of making a series of films detailing the untold stories of women in wartime around the world. The series, called "Women, War and Peace", has screened on PBS in the United States attracting 13 million viewers.