The World YWCA is hosted its fourth International Women’s Summit (IWS) under the theme “Women Creating a Safe World ”. Held in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 12-13, 2011 as part of its 27th World Council, the summit follows on the 2007 summit whose theme was “Changing Lives, Changing Communities: Women’s Leadership Making a Difference on HIV and AIDS”.
Following the ground-breaking International Women’s Summit (IWS) on Women’s leadership on HIV and AIDS held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2007, the World YWCA and its partners will host World Council 2011 and its fourth IWS in Zurich, Switzerland from July 12-13, 2011, around the theme: “Women Creating a Safe World ”.
The IWS will broadly discuss this theme and further define equitable, safe and inclusive spaces and programmes for women, thus advancing CEDAW and MDG commitments.
Safe space is about the personal, economic and political security of women and girls, their right to live free from violence, to make choices about where to live and work, to move freely and participate in all facets of democracy, as well as to have full access to sexual and reproductive health services, including universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
With community centres around the world, the YWCA is renowned for helping provide safe places where women, young women and girls may become empowered and lead change in a setting free of discrimination, stigma or prejudice.
But, there are going to be a few AMAZING guest speakers. Women who have, and continue to challenge the status quo!
Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for the United Nations (UN Women) and a long-time champion of women’s rights, who has advocated for gender equality and women’s empowerment throughout her career, will be one of the keynote speakers at the International Women’s Summit to be held in Zurich, Switzerland in July 2011. Ms Bachelet will be speaking on “inequality, sexual and reproductive health rights, HIV and violence: the nexus and agenda for women and girls over the next decade” during the opening plenary. You can read more at www.worldywca.org
And that is not all – Mary Robinson will be there too! What better example for young women worldwide than that of a woman of the stature of Mary Robinson – the embodiment of leadership, commitment, achievement, vision, integrity, relentless hard work and loyalty! Presently leading Realizing Rights: the Ethical Globalization Initiative, Mary Robinson is a world renowned human rights activist and a trailblazer for women’s rights and leadership. She was the first woman President of Ireland (1990-1997) and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002). She has spent most of her life as a human rights advocate. As an academic (Trinity College Law Faculty 1968-90), legislator (Senator 1969-89) and barrister (1967-90, Senior Counsel 1980, English Bar 1973) she has always sought to use law as an instrument for social change, arguing landmark cases before the European Court of Human Rights, the Irish courts and the European Court in Luxemburg. She also served as Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders.