Holidays greetings from Soroptimist International

Soroptimist International Board Selects Model for new Long Term Project

Soroptimists for Education and Leadership

Introducing Soroptimists for Education and Leadership (working title), the new long term project formally approved by the SI Board! Officially launching at the SI Convention in Montréal in July 2011, the model selected by the Board focuses on celebrating club work, together with an advocacy and awareness raising campaign.

This long term project model is based on the theme of education and leadership, as voted by the membership of SI. Clubs all over the world are already engaged in highly successful projects which benefit vulnerable women and girls in their own communities. This project will work to explore in great detail what Soroptimists are doing on the ground, gather information, and celebrate SI’s global impact.

In the past year alone, clubs have reported nearly 2,300 on the ground projects working to improve access to education and leadership skills for women and girls in need. 284,112 women and girls have directly benefited from these projects, and over $3,000,000 USD have been raised.

Soroptimists for Education and Leadership is all about clubs and the work that they do – and gaining a worldwide perspective to see SI’s collaborative global impact. With this overview, SI can then identify projects of excellence, trends, and gaps to make recommendations which will maximise our outcomes and results – ultimately improving the lives and status of many women and girls around the world.

At the same time, SI will design and launch a corresponding Advocacy and Awareness Raising Campaign, featuring opportunities for Soroptimists to initiate and/or participate in activities to become advocates and ambassadors for education and leadership for women and girls.

This model creates an important link to our international policy work at the UN. SI’s ‘on-the-ground’ experience will provide a strong evidence base for our advocacy work at the UN. SI will also have the opportunity to learn about emerging issues and innovative solutions in increasing women and girls’ access to education and leadership and can share this information with Clubs/Regions/Unions/Federations to positively impact our work, thus completing the loop between global and local SI work.

This new long term project is, at its core, all about clubs – showcasing the work that they do to improve access to education and leadership skills for women and girls and providing inspiration and guidance to increase SI’s positive impact around the world. The SI Board also recognises that the Long Term Project will change and evolve over time, providing new and exciting opportunities for Soroptimists to make a difference!

BRINGING PERPERTRATORS TO JUSTICE AND JUSTICE TO VICTIMS

One year after her appointment, Special Representative to the Secretary General on Sexual Violence, Ms. Margot Walstrom, gave her report to the Security Council and SG Ban Ki-Moon on the appalling levels of brutality and systematic rape of girls and women in war torn countries.

The adoption of Resolution 1960 came during the open debate of the Security Council at the United Nations in New York on Women, Peace and Security following Ms. Walstrom’s report.

SCR 1960 will help ensure that mass rape and sexual violence will be a liability for armed groups and their superior officers and commanders. The resolution further instructs the Secretary General and Security Council to “list the parties who have committed acts of sexual violence and and if necessary impose sanctions, to expose their superiors to increased international scrutiny, seal off the corridors of power and close all exits.”

Ms. Walstrom said, “Today’s resolution will help ensure that mass rape is never again met with mass impunity, and this must apply equally whether the victim is an 8 year old girl or an 80 year old grandmother.”

Submitted by Lois Beilin, SI UN Rep/NY