President’s Report to the 26th World YWCA Council 2007
Nairobi, Kenya
Wednesday July 4, 2007
Mónica Zetzsche, World YWCA President

Creed of Women

We believe in the kindness and value
Of women,
Our strength and health,
Our right to cry,
Our skills to overcome
The needs of life.

It is with great pleasure that I open the 26th World YWCA Council here in Nairobi, Kenya under the theme, Changing Lives, Changing Communities; a challenge we have faced, as women, over the last 152 years since the first YWCA began in London in 1855.

For several years, our themes have related to change - “Power to Change”, “Leading Change” - we work for change and we prove that change is possible. We talk about change that is not fixed, that is not a unique road, nor one that we need to stay on forever. Change is an act of faith. It is born from the struggle between the old and the new. Every change responds to a higher power. There is no reason to regret or fear transformation.

And we need to be prepared for changes, even the hardest ones. Few things in life are permanent. We need to abandon the path we are used to; frequently the habit makes us forget the joy of the journey and we could miss the opportunity to walk along a better path.

Two years ago, we proudly celebrate the 150th anniversary. This was a celebration of the YWCA’s enormous growth into communities, where women and girls need the services and support that comes from being part of this great movement, which now includes 107 affiliated national associations and 18 other groups in formation. On behalf of the World Executive Committee, I welcome our sisters from the seven newly affiliated associations into the YWCA global sisterhood. We are so glad to have your participation in this World Council.

Today, we are writing a big page in the history of our own change. Today we have decided to taste the joy of the journey. This is a chance to celebrate and build upon the collective efforts of YWCAs around the world, to change the lives of women and girls for the better. Women and girls who are among the most vulnerable to poverty, violence and HIV and AIDS; women and girls who can rise to their true potential, if supported to develop the appropriate skills and knowledge.

This Council is special because we have achieved something close to a miracle – reaching consensus among hundreds of women from diverse backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. Let’s congratulate ourselves! The revised Constitution will serve to guide the work of YWCAs into the future, as we continue to change lives and communities around us. We have reached agreement on what it means to be a member of the World YWCA and now we must uphold these core values represented by the affiliation criteria. It will be the task of the next Board that you elect over the coming week to determine ways of supporting member associations to comply with these new criteria of what it means to be a YWCA in the 21st century. So as you elect Board members and Officers, think carefully and identify candidates with the skills and knowledge to provide this leadership.

Ways of Working

I want to share with you how the current leadership, the World Executive Committee, has governed the organisation over the past four years and responded to the directions set at the last Council.

As board members, we have worked to uphold the standards of good management and accountability that were adopted by the last World Council in 2003. At our first Executive Committee meeting in Geneva, board members were oriented into our roles and responsibilities, and adopted a four-year plan of work to progress the strategic directions approved by Council. Each year, we have received and approved the annual staff report, the work plan, budget and financial audit of the World YWCA. We have annually reviewed the personnel policies and appraised the performance of the General Secretary, as well as planning for her succession.

We have modelled shared leadership; Vice Presidents and the Treasurer have supported me in chairing meetings and our responsibilities have been evenly distributed across the working committees of the Executive, which deal with human resources, finance, program, financial development, and constitution and affiliation issues. Committee members have contributed a good deal of time and expertise across these functions, recommending policies and directions to the broader Executive for approval. These decisions have then served to guide the work of staff in between meetings.

Executive Committee members have also recognized our responsibility to ensure the World YWCA has the financial resources it needs to implement the strategic directions approved by Council. An important starting point for this has been to give of our own resources towards the World YWCA’s success, as well as identify other donors who can support the organization’s work. I am proud to report that 100% of Executive members financially contributed to the YWCA Global Campaign for leadership development of women and girls; we take seriously our responsibility to ensure the long term viability of YWCA programs with women and girls.

The YWCA Global Campaign, Power to Change, which was borne out of the Cairo Council in 1999 has been such an important effort by this movement, to expand the resources and opportunities for women’s leadership. This Executive Committee has continued to prioritize work on the Campaign and the associated effort to build a fund for YWCA programs with women and girls. It has been an important opportunity to ensure the ongoing availability of resources for the movement’s work with women and girls, as well as identify new donors to support and expand YWCA programs. The Global Campaign has also been a wonderful chance to work together as a movement towards a common goal; to show that it is possible to look beyond our own borders towards the greater good of the movement. It has also been a way for us as leaders to leave a legacy that will benefit future generations to come. On Monday, we will launch the Power to Change Fund and I would like to take this occasion to thank each and every one of you who has made this dream a reality.

This Executive Committee made YWCA history with 50% of its elected membership made up of young women 30 years and under. This has been a great opportunity for the Executive to model intergenerational leadership and what it means to fully integrate young women into decision making. Young women were represented in all committees ensuring their involvement and input across all areas, and worked effectively alongside other members to fulfill the Executive’s mandate. Young women have brought new ideas, skills and energy, while learning from the experience of other women on the Committee.

It is my hope that this Executive may serve as a model for the future World Boards/Executive Committees and the boards of member associations. YWCAs must always maintain our commitment to giving space and skills for young women to develop and practice their leadership. This is the only way that we will ensure the continuity of our 152 year old movement, and future leaders capable of sustaining work towards our long term vision and mission. I urge you to give serious consideration to the many talented young women candidates as well as continuity, as you vote on a new World Board/Executive Committee over the coming week.

Rewriting the Constitution

The Executive Committee started the quadrennium by establishing a taskforce to examine the shared values, identity and structure of the movement, in accordance with the resolution set by the last World Council. Identifying the complexity and diversity of the task at hand, we sought out co-chairs – one under 30 and one over 30 - and a strong group of leaders that included women of all ages and experiences to steer this work. They led the broader taskforce that met in Nairobi in 2004 to identify key issues to be addressed, and they managed the movement-wide consultation process that led to the revised Constitution that was voted upon at the Extraordinary World Council.

It has been important for us to work towards a Revised Constitution to ensure continued relevance to YWCAs around the world and to the challenges faced by women and girls of today. In a global culture that continually shifts its priorities; the YWCA can only remain current by adjusting its focus and revising its working methodologies. Our goal over the quadrennium has been to arrive at a more inclusive document that reflects the spirit of a growing movement that is strong, dynamic and responsive.

YWCAs all over the world have participated in the process of revising the constitution and I want to thank all of you who contributed to the consultation process, giving thoughtful input and responses. I want to thank especially the members of the Steering Committee and Taskforce, those incredible women led by Anita Anderson and Juwita Suwito, who have kindly given their time, experience and commitment to help the process to move forward. Thanks to Susan Brennan and Mary Pat Moore who contributed their professional skills to the rewriting of the Constitution, and to all the staff for their support of the process; to Mwajuma Alice Abok, the Chair of the Constitution and Affiliation Sub-committee, for accepting to take on such a large challenge and a special mention to Elaine Carlson, for coordinating the taskforce’s work.

It will be the task of the next Board to bring this revised Constitution to life; to help member associations understand the requirements of affiliation and to establish mechanisms for supporting and monitoring compliance with criteria. It is important to unify rather than fragment, to build capacity rather than penalise, and to uphold the values of what it means to be a YWCA. Now that we agree on some basic conditions that all YWCAs should meet, these should serve to strengthen the common identity of YWCAs around the world.

An important challenge for the future will be to build greater public awareness of the YWCA brand, so that these four letters become synonymous with the values for which we stand and the actions we take on behalf of women and girls. I know that this will be a particular challenge for our joint YWCA-YMCA associations, but I hope that you will find ways to ensure that in both, name and activities, women and girls are a central focus of your activities.

Strengthening Movement Communication

Communication with the movement has been another important priority of this Executive Committee. The World Executive and Staff have tried to visit as many associations as possible over the four years to improve our understanding of the work YWCAs are doing on the ground and the diverse local contexts in which our members operate. I myself have had the chance to visit a number of associations and I wish to thank the YWCAs who have shown me enormous hospitality during my visits – Belarus, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, El Salvador, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, New Zealand, Palestine, Singapore, Sweden, South Africa, USA and Uruguay as well as the local YWCAs in Paris, London and Rome, and my own YWCA in Argentina where I am a permanent visitor.

The visit to the YWCA of China was of particular importance to the Executive Committee. As some of you may know China has been unable to participate in the movement for some time due to political reasons. However it was with much happiness that I was able to visit the association in January 2005 with the World General Secretary, Dr Musimbi Kanyoro and Vice President, Dr Eun Kyung Park. We visited four of the ten local YWCAs in the country and saw that despite their absence from the movement, important work continues towards the YWCA vision and mission. Since this time, representatives from other YWCAs have had the opportunity to participate in a Solidarity Visit to China to strengthen bilateral relationships.

In April 2004, I also had an opportunity to lead a Witness Visit to Israel, Jordan and Palestine, which was one of the ways that the Executive Committee chose to progress the World Council Resolution on Freedom and Dignity in the Middle East. This visit enabled members of the Executive Committee, staff and national associations to visit the region and deepen our understanding of the conflict, particularly from the perspective of women and NGOs working on the issue. I wish to thank Reem Najjar, one of the World YWCA Vice Presidents for enabling this visit. It has been important to educate ourselves about the history and current situation in the Middle East to be able to make informed policy decisions on the issue. While we continue to have YWCAs working amidst this conflict, we must continue our efforts to build peace in the Middle East and stand in solidarity with our sisters. We should also recognise the important role that women can play in conflict resolution, and focus our efforts towards this end.

Reaching out Regionally

During this quadrennium, the World YWCA facilitated Regional Training Institutes across most regions as an opportunity to strengthen regional networks and advocacy among YWCAs. I had the chance to participate in regional meetings and trainings in Europe, Latin America, the Pacific and Asia. These were incredible learning opportunities and also gave space to reflect on the core of our existence, basis, identity, name and history as a movement. They were also a chance to witness the incredible diversity in which YWCAs operate in terms of culture, economy, health and the needs which shape their programmes and plans. These meetings focused on identifying common issues and using our differences as strengths in moving forward. They also developed skills and strategies for collective advocacy on priority issues such as HIV and AIDS and human rights.

These Regional Training Institutes, and feedback from regional programme staff at the World Office, have provided a clear indication to the Executive that we must continue to strengthen work at regional levels. There is much to be gained by YWCAs sharing programmes, strategies and resources within the regions. While there is enormous diversity even at this level, many of the issues are the same, and if we can work together we can make a greater impact. The issue of globalisation that was discussed at the Asia Regional Training Institute is one example – YWCAs from less developed countries reported on the negative impact that globalisation is having on the lives of women and girls in their communities, yet it will require changes in the policies of more developed countries to address the situation. If we were able to mobilise stronger advocacy across borders, YWCAs in affected countries could be working alongside YWCAs in countries where policy change is required, to advocate for change.

There are also many YWCAs that require intensive capacity building and support – whether it is to strengthen their programmes, governance or management. The World YWCA is limited in what it can do by human and financial resources, but if we were able to forge stronger partnerships within regions, this could help meet the capacity building needs of the movement. We have a strong history of associations who are rich in resources and expertise supporting sister associations in times of need. We have seen many examples of where resources raised by the World Service Council members of the YWCA of the USA have gone along way to support new associations in formation. Whether you have bilateral relationship with sister associations or work through the World YWCA, please know that your efforts are appreciated.

I am convinced that exploring regional ways of work is the way forward for our movement. This Executive would like to recommend the next World Board look at ways of strengthening work at regional level among YWCAs. It holds enormous possibilities for advocacy, fund raising and even marketing, as well as for enriching the support and communication networks in our movement.

Changing Lives & Communities

The theme of this World Council is, as I mentioned, Changing Lives, Changing Communities. We want to use this opportunity to learn and share the rich experience we have in the movement and outside to strengthen our impact. The International Women’s Summit, which starts tomorrow, will provide a tremendous opportunity for YWCAs to work with partners and to develop strategies that will make an impact on HIV and AIDS. It is also a good chance for us to show leadership on the issue, our expertise with women and girls in communities, and our commitment to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for women living with HIV.

When the World Council Membership Meeting reconvenes on Monday, the new strategic framework will focus on how we can maximise the collective power of the movement to change lives and communities. And with the launch of the Power to Change fund, we will begin to expand opportunities for the leadership development of women and girls.

Over the coming week, let’s challenge ourselves to think about how we, as YWCAs, can be more effective in our efforts to change lives and communities, listening to and learning from others. Let’s think about how we can make a greater impact on HIV and AIDS and learn from the experiences of our African sisters who have been fighting the pandemic for nearly two decades. Let’s think about how we can work together as a movement to live out our collective vision ‘to create a full inclusive world where justice, peace, health, freedom, dignity and care for the environment are promoted and sustained through the leadership of women’.

Acknowledgements

I want to finish this address, by thanking all of the members of the Executive Committee for the commitment and strength they have shown over the four years; to the Officers for supporting me in so many ways and for being active and ready whenever I called upon them. I feel really honored to have had the opportunity of working with such a wonderful team. I hope that some of you will continue to serve on the Board/Executive Committee, providing the continuity and history needed to face the future.

Thank you also to all of the volunteers that in different ways are helping us to move forward. There are just too many to list you all, but please know how much you are appreciated.

I want to thank God for my family, for their patience and constant support, encouraging me, smiling even in the hardest times, to make me feel happy and comfortable; and understanding that all the sacrifices have been worth it.

It has also been a pleasure to work with the incredible staff team; without their support, professionalism and service excellence I would have never been able to succeed in the roles and responsibilities required of a World President.

And in this goodbye, I have a separate mention for the General Secretary, Dr, Musimbi Kanyoro. Being the President with you has been an incredible joy and I thank you for all that you have given to the YWCA movement for the past decade. You have enriched us in many ways and your leadership has left an incredible legacy and challenge to this movement. Personally I feel honored and blessed to have had the opportunity of sharing this time of my life with you; your advice, openness and generosity are incredible to me. Even under stress, we have been able to share and support each other. Thank you, Musimbi. The World YWCA and I will dearly miss you. Thank you Musimbi, for sharing Ana with me, her spirit, smile, support and professionalism have been really special and valuable to me.

I want to thank God for the life and leadership of the incredible woman, who started this period by my side, four years ago; who was always smiling down from heaven and challenging me to raise my commitment; and who kept walking with me throughout the journey. Thank you, Grandma.

We believe that our future
Depends on us,
But if all the angels of
Love, peace, dignity and justice,
Work with us to
Achieve our VISION,
This future will be here soon

AMEN.