International Women's Summit and World YWCA Council
Once every four years, some 1,000 members of the YWCA movement from some 125 countries convene at their World Council - the supreme authority and decision-making body of the YWCA – to set policies and priorities, elect its governing board, honour women, develop leadership and build capacity.
The World Council 2011 and the International Women’s Summit (IWS) celebrated the achievements, learning and progress of the movement, and examined persisting gaps and challenges to ensure the fulfillment of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) including HIV and AIDS, and the eradication of violence against women (VAW) at the community, national and global levels. The Council also provided practical training and education on the priority issues of the global movement. Participants to both World Council and IWS included: YWCA delegates, observers, international, national and community-based women’s rights activists, HIV positive women’s networks, ecumenical, youth organisations, media, researchers, advocates, governmental and inter-governmental representatives and other stakeholders. Representatives from each affiliated association came together to elect the members of the World YWCA Board, to set priorities for the coming years work and to determine policy through resolutions and recommendations as concluded in the Strategic Framework 2012-2015.
The YWCA believes that women are entitled to live safely and securely, regardless of their HIV status, age, creed, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability or ethnicity. Women may reach their full potential through participation and leadership in creating a safe world, and at the same time, security could be improved for all. Although laws and policies have been put in place in many countries to address these issues, without resources, strategies and education, they remain inadequate. As a result, community based organisations are actively involved in this challenge, despite a lack of matching resources. YWCAs and other women’s organisations around the world have for many years been initiating and supporting programmes to address this issue. In some 22,000 communities worldwide, YWCAs provide safe and empowering spaces, free of discrimination, stigma or prejudice, for women, young women and girls.
The theme of the World Council 2011 and the IWS "Women Creating a Safe World" embodies:
- personal, economic and political security
- enjoying universal human rights and being free from discrimination and stigma
- the right to live free from violence both in the private and public spheres, to make choices about where to live and work, to move freely, to participate in all facets of democracy
- having full access to sexual and reproductive health services, including universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support
- demanding a robust effort in prevention and in addressing issues of peace and security in a world of conflict, wars and violence.
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