Graduate Women International

Graduate Women International (GWI), originally named the International Federation of University Women (IFUW), is an international organisation for women university graduates. IFUW was founded in 1919 following the First World War by both British and North American college and university workers who were hoping to contribute to congenial relations between women of different nationalities.[1][2] Over 100 years later, GWI continues to advocate for women's rights, equality and empowerment through the access to quality secondary and tertiary education as well as training up to the highest levels. The goal is for 100% of girls and women worldwide to achieve an education beyond primary school.[3]

Graduate Women International (GWI) is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and advocates for girls' and women's rights, equality and empowerment through access to lifelong quality education. The organisation's work is centred on Education for All, Secondary Education, Tertiary Education, Continuing Education, and Non-Traditional Education to empower girls and women.[4]

GWI has national affiliates in 60 countries and individual members in more than 40 countries.[3] The organization was the ninth non-governmental organization (NGO) to receive special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is a NGO maintaining official relations with UNESCO and the ILO. GWI advocates actively through the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW is the most comprehensive international agreement on the human rights of women. It calls for states to eliminate all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender and sets an agenda for achieving full equality between women and men.

Over its centenary existence, the organisation has managed grass roots projects, done capacity-building and advocated with leaders all over the world in favour of girls' and women's education and empowerment.[5]

  1. ^ Oertzen, Christine von (April 30, 2016). Science, gender, and internationalism : women's academic networks, 1917-1955. Springer. ISBN 978-1-137-43890-4. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  2. ^ Goodman, Joyce (November 2011). "International citizenship and the International Federation of University Women before 1939". History of Education. 40 (6): 701–721. doi:10.1080/0046760x.2011.598469. S2CID 145262883.
  3. ^ a b "Our Vision - Graduate Women International (GWI)". Graduate Women International (GWI). Retrieved 2017-04-13.
  4. ^ "GWI Manifestos - Graduate Women International (GWI)". Graduate Women International (GWI). Retrieved 2017-04-13.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).