Advocating for Change


Anna Aiken SI Programme Officer, reports


From the editor


SI UN Representatives with Hilary Ratcliffe, 2nd right


Once again it has been a busy few months! SI is delighted to announce the


A Global Voice at the Highest Levels: Rio+20 Welcome to the final TIS UN column.


appointment of two new UN representatives. Rina Dupriet has joined the team in Paris, and Martina Gredler has joined the Vienna centre. We extend a very warm welcome to Rina and Martina! We are sadly saying goodbye to two long


We are now well on the road to Rio+20 (also known as the Earth Summit) which will take place in June 2012. The President Elect of SISWP attended the International Women’s Forum on Sustainable Development in Beijing in November. This forum brought representatives from


standing representatives in Paris; Yseult Kaplan (representative since 1995) and Christine Dagain (representative since 2005). SI would like to thank Yseult and Christine for all they have done to further our representation at UNESCO and the voice of SI.


New York International Day of the Older Person was marked in October. SI’s UN Representatives in New York attended a briefing session on what living longer means for development, the economy and gender equality. SI UN Representative Carol Themm was interviewed by Global Action on Aging. Her interview is on the SI news pages (published 19 Oct).


government, civil society and the UN together to discuss the challenges of the Rio+20 agenda in relation to women. SI, represented by UNEP representative


Alice Odingo, joined the Women Major Stakeholder’s Group in the development of their official submission to Rio+20.


Farewell!


magazine, this will be the last issue of The International Soroptimist (TIS). As most members will remember, TIS


used to be a printed magazine but as the costs of print and distribution rose, we ‘went digital’. With such a truly international


As reported in our September


membership and – therefore – readership, it seems it was only a matter of time before most communication was carried out on the internet, reaching most parts of the world far more quickly, efficiently and cheaply than print could ever do, and so the magazine has only been available online for the last two years. Now, with further budgeting


requirements, the SI website and the Global Voice newsletter will be the main media for members to find news and information about SI events, initiatives and successes. I have very much enjoyed editing The


Vienna Our Vienna representatives have been working with the Nairobi representatives to connect the UN Industrial Development Organisation with the SI Kenya-Denmark climate change project. UNIDO are interested in learning from this successful example of civil society/ government partnership. Updates to follow in the New Year!


Rome


roundtable on Gender, Food Security and Nutrition. The discussion promoted the development of international voluntary guidelines on food security and nutrition. SI’s response can be found in the members section of the SI website.


In Rome, Cinzia Palmi attended a


Cinzia Palmi attended the UN Food & Agricultural Organisation meeting in Rome


Our UN Representatives in New York will be attending meetings in December where all submissions to Rio+20 are debated and combined to develop a declaration which will be the starting point for the Rio+20 outcome document. We will be working to ensure that the language around women is not compromised.


CSW New York Finally, SIHQ and the New York


representatives have been busy preparing for CSW 56. SI has submitted a written statement on the priority theme which centres on rural women. Pre-session advocacy materials will be made available by January 1st to help you lobby your government on critical issues.


Full reports for all of these events are available at www.soroptimistinternational.org. To stay informed of all UN news, do sign up for SI’s monthly newsletter, The Global Voice: http://soroptimistinternational.us2. list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=4c7867996d6229f393f039603&id=68f0d4e8d4. If you have any questions about our UN work, please contact hq@soroptimistinternational.org. We would love to hear from you!


International Soroptimist, meeting – in person and online – some wonderful women from all corners of the globe, hearing their experiences, sharing their news, trying to help develop their hopes and dreams. One thing is for sure, Soroptimists


are doing an amazing job around the world, frequently in the most incredibly difficult circumstances, taking time out of their busy lives to help others. To paraphrase the great Rudyard


Kipling (he wouldn’t mind, I know!): “If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run - Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And - which is more - you’ll be a Soroptimist!”


impressive work and hope that one day, the rights of women will be a matter of course not a cause to be won.


Sheila TIS December 2011 Page 3 I wish you all good luck with your


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