Montréal


Forward to the future


Soroptimist International’s new Programme Goals and Objectives


Hilary Ratcliffe, International Programme Director 2011-2013


programme voting delegates from all four Federations took a leap forward in “faith”. They agreed new programme goals and objectives that will enable us to drive forward the vision and mission agreed in Glasgow. We should be an effective global voice for


women and girls and play our part in civil society influencing decision makers. This is only possible if you have a clear message. To achieve this, the delegates agreed to narrow our goals and objectives and create a focus that really defines who and what we are.


Goal1: Soroptimist International will improve the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment or enabling opportunities. Increase access to formal and non-formal learning opportunities: Members will be able to engage in many of their current projects, such as building schools, providing equipment or sponsoring a child. It also encourages non formal education opportunities to mentor, get involved with out of school activities, work with organisations such as the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), run award programmes to allow women to return to education and many more. Creative thinking will show the enormous scope of this goal. Improve access to economic empowerment and


sustainable opportunities for the employment of women: Returns on investment in women seen in the family, community and countries are high – if we can educate women and girls, empower them with skills and confidence, working within the wider community to enable opportunities then we are working towards the achievement of this ambitious goal. Eliminate violence against women and girls and ensure women’s participation in conflict resolution: This encompasses the work that we do in the area of violence against women – through prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships. It recognises that we not only believe in, but demand, that women are involved in conflict resolution. Ensure women and girls have food security and access


TIS September 2011 Page 6 At the board meeting in Montréal,


to the highest attainable standard of health care. Unless women have food, water and appropriate sanitation, they cannot fully participate in society. Soroptimists commit to using education, empowerment, and enabling opportunities to ensure that women and girls are no longer denied their basic human rights to water and health. We also acknowledge that access to


these fundamental resources are critical to achieving their fullest potential. Address the specific needs of women and girls


by improving environmental sustainability and mitigating effects of climate change and disasters. Involved in this is our attitude to climate change, our environment and our help in rebuilding lives after disasters. We know that climate change and environmental issues affect women and girls more than their male counterparts, we also know how critical it is that women are included in the development and implementation of mitigating solutions. All this comes under the remit of goal


one. Surely enough choice for all us to find something to do and to find some area that we can really engage with.


Such inspired programme delegates!


Goal 2: Soroptimist International will be a global voice for increasing access to education and leadership for women and girls. We do the work and this goal tells us to


shout about it in the UN and any other forum where we can get a voice, locally, nationally and internationally. As part of this goal we need strategic


partners. We are influential and important, but numerically we are a small player in the global NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) community. So we have to “punch above our weight”, working with other likeminded organisations to greater effect. Into that context we can put our advocacy partnership with WAGGGS, but there may be others; we may find funding partners, campaigning partners and others. This goal allows us the flexibility to look. Our work will only have the credibility that the voting delegates envisaged if it is based


firmly on the work that we actually do. Our theme is Education and Leadership;


agreed by a worldwide members’ vote. They felt this is where we can all work together and make that key difference. To enable this to happen the Board decided


that progressing our work by reporting on our global impact is the way forward. This clearly shows the effect we are having in areas of formal and non-formal education. It also records the times we have been able to report and make statements in the United Nations and other fora at which we are represented. Our agreed title is “Educate to lead”; the key words are • Educate • Empower • Enable Taking this report together with the agreed


goals and objectives we have our plan. This then allows us to create strategies. These will include enhancing systems for reporting our work; developing materials to increase knowledge of our work; enabling us to advocate from a strong knowledge base. This will give us credibility and make our voice/ work relevant. So decisions made in Montréal will impact


on all that we do. We have the standard against which to evaluate our work: • It must improve the lives of women and girls • It must be accurately reported • It must feed into the annual global impact report


• It must educate to lead • It must educate, empower and enable. Most of all it must be something that we


all buy into. Clubs can now look at their projects and evaluate them against this bench mark. Is it doing what we say we do? If not, should we be doing it? If it does, how can we do it better? If we do this we will have that key niche


that we need in the NGO community. We will be a valued member of civil society and we will get new members because we will be seen as relevant, exciting and fun to be with. Therefore we will go forward into the future with a strong presence enabled by our forward thinking delegates who met at the board meeting in Montréal. Thank you to them all!


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