Our SI UN Rep in Rome reports back on the end of phase 1 of the 1 Billion Hungry Campaign

Our Representative to the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation), Cinzia Palmi, reports back on the 140th Session of the FAO council and the closing of Phase 1 of the 1 Billion Hungry Campaign:

"The Session was chaired by Mr Luc Guyan, independent Chairperson of the Council, and it was attended by many representatives of the Member States and UN Agencies, International NGOs which have a formal status with FAO as well as a number of private sector agencies. The items in agenda were mainly of a technical, legal and financial character. I participated in item 7, particularly in the analysis of the Report of the 36th Session of the Committee on Food Security and the Report of the 22nd Session of the COAG, both endorsed; and the ceremony concluding the 1BH Project.

Wilma Malucelli, President of the Italian Union, and I held meetings with the following FAO Officials: Mr Thomas Price, Senior Programme Officer and Coordinator for NGOs/CSOs; Ms Marcela Villareal, Director, and Mrs Nora Ourabh Haddad of the Gender Equity and Rural employment Division. We also met Mr Zohrab Malek, Ambassador of Armenia, and Ms Cristina Gorajski, Coordinator of the AHG/INGOs. This was a great opportunity to learn more about the issues and share SI's perspective.

The ceremony concluding the 1BH project was very moving and interesting. The signatures were delivered - thank you to all Soroptimists who have contributed to the success of this campaign! Over 3 million people have signed the petition so far!

The success of the campaign has confirmed how strongly people react when they are acquainted with the dimension of the hunger problem. The campaign has now entered its second phase which will suggest various ways to contribute to the solution of the problem and publicise the single initiatives. The General Director Mr Diouf concluded “hunger is a complex problem. But it is not hopeless. Below this petition lies a global movement".

When we get more information on the second phase of the campaign we will post the information on the blog so watch this space!

To visit the 1 Billion Hungry website click HERE.

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!