The meeting with Dr. Migiro explored future partnerships with World YWCA in implementing programmes to empower women to respond effectively to women’s rights, security and HIV and AIDS. The World YWCA and Dr. Migiro spoke on concerns over violence against women and adequate resource allocation for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, on women, peace and security. Dr Migiro stressed the importance of coherence and partnerships with other NGOs in women’s work around violence against women.

The delegation also met with Thoraya Obaid and UNFPA staff. UNFPA complimented the World YWCA work on violence against women and collaboration with youth. “Young people are self-empowered”, she said, and encouraged continued engagement of young people. UNFPA shared their work on the Female Condom Programmes and their training manuals currently distributed to various NGOs and country offices.

YWCAs and UNFPA have collaborated in various countries over the years, and partnerships at the national level have included Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Belize.

At the global level, the World YWCA and UNFPA have partnered in the pursuit of a shared agenda on reproductive health, human rights, sustainable development and gender equality, and through key events such as the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The World YWCA was involved in ICPD and worked closely with UNFPA at the ICPD+5 in 1999, where the organisation led the violence stream of the youth pre-event. In 2004, the World YWCA also contributed to the establishment of a youth advisory mechanism to UNFPA on sexual and reproductive health issues.

The World YWCA partnered with UNFPA in 2006/07 to produce the manual, 'Empowering Young Women to Lead Change'. The manual was co-launched with UNFPA at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada in August 2006, and was designed to support the development of young women’s skills and to enable them to provide leadership on issues of concern. Developed and pre tested in six countries by young women, it was produced in three languages. UNFPA has reported its extensive uptake and has reprinted the manual twice. It has also been incorporated into a CD collection of resource materials for empowering girls and young women during the CSW in 2007.

Most recently, UNFPA and the World YWCA have been working together on HIV prevention particularly around comprehensive condoms.

The World YWCA and UNFPA will continue to explore opportunities for collaboration in regards to HIV and AIDS work in Eastern and Central Europe around trafficking of women, migration and challenges of engaging new democracies.

The World YWCA delegation involved in the meetings included World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzah Gumbonzvanda, Deputy General Secretary Natalie Fisher-Spalton, Programme Director for Europe Natallia Alexsandrovich and Intern Noha El-Shareif. The World Board was also represented by Jessica Notwell.

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

The World YWCA is a global network of women leading social and economic change in 125 countries worldwide. It advocates for peace, justice, human rights and the environment, and has been at the forefront of raising the status of women since it was founded in 1855.The World YWCA develops women’s leadership to find local solutions to the global inequalities faced by women. Each year, it reaches more than 25 million women and girls through work in 22,000 communities. This grassroots development experience shapes the organisation’s global advocacy agenda. 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.

Related Links

• Read presentation:Financing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Fragile States (PDF78.60 kB)
• Gear up for a United Nations that works for women
• United Nations commits to end violence against women at CSW
• World YWCA calls for increased resources for women’s rights, security and empowerment in the context of HIV and AIDS
• World YWCA at 52nd session of CSW
• CSW Official website