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National Council of Women of Kenya

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The National Council of Women of Kenya ( NCWK ) was founded in 1964 to provide coordination among the various women's groups in Kenya . These included groups as varied as the National Nurses Union, Nairobi Business Women, East African Women's League, the Home Economics Association of East Africa, the Mother's Union, the Young Women's Christian Association, the Kenya Girl Guides, and the Kenyan Association of University Women.

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50-617: The National Council of Women of Kenya affiliated with the International Council of Women in 1966. In 1976, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathi joined the organization. In 1977, she proposed the idea of planting trees to address deforestation in rural areas of Kenya. The tree-planting program was highly successful, and eventually Maathi created a separate organization, the Green Belt Movement , to expand her environmental efforts to other countries. In 2004, she received

100-556: A CSW forum on how the women's rights movement can counter "anti-trans voices [that] are becoming ever louder and [that] are threatening feminist solidarity across borders," where IAW's 16th President Marion Böker discussed her trans-inclusive position. IWRA has stated that "IWRA works for the rights of all women – feminism without trans women is no feminism at all (...) we have a lot of work to do to create an inclusive, vibrant and diverse feminist movement in Europe." IAW's Danish affiliate,

150-514: A gender-equal society on the basis of human rights. The principles of IAW affirm that everyone, regardless of gender, is "born equally free and independent" and equally entitled to "the free exercise of their individual rights and liberty." The principles affirm that "women’s rights are human rights" and that "human rights are universal, indivisible and interrelated." IAW stands in a liberal democratic tradition; in IAW's journal International Women's News , it

200-412: A modern and democratic society. The entire mainstream women's rights movement stands firmly against all forms of transphobia , homophobia , and racism , and these principles are part of the bedrock of the movement's values, and viewed as non-negotiable and essential in all efforts for equality. Speaking on trans inclusion, former IAW President Marion Böker said that for the women's rights movement, it

250-681: A top-down approach, where the elite were cast as the true agents of development." At the same time IAW claimed to speak on behalf of all women. In the late 1920s, the organization changed its name to the International Alliance of Women for Suffrage and Equal Citizenship, and in 1946 this was altered to its current name, International Alliance of Women. The first executive board included Carrie Chapman Catt (President), Anita Augspurg (1st Vice President), Donovan Bolden (2nd Vice President) and Rachel Foster Avery (Secretary). The organization's first President Carrie Chapman Catt also founded

300-922: Is aligned with other large mainstream feminist organizations such as the National Organization for Women or the League of Women Voters , itself founded by IAW's first President. 16 other women's rights organizations, which largely share a tradition with IAW – such as the American Association of University Women , National Women's Law Center , National Women's Political Caucus , and others – emphasized that "as organizations that fight every day for equal opportunities for all women and girls, we speak from experience and expertise when we say that nondiscrimination protections for transgender people—including women and girls who are transgender—are not at odds with women’s equality or well-being, but advance them." This sentiment

350-521: Is also in line with the "National Consensus Statement of Anti-Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Organizations in Support of Full and Equal Access for the Transgender Community" signed by 330 women's rights organizations, including those that share their core principles with IAW. The organization adopted gold (or yellow; Or in heraldry) as its color in 1904. The color, derived from the sunflower,

400-487: Is an international non-governmental organization that works to promote women's rights and gender equality . It was historically the main international organization that campaigned for women's suffrage . IAW stands for an inclusive, intersectional and progressive liberal feminism on the basis of human rights and liberal democracy , and has a liberal internationalist outlook. IAW's principles state that all genders are "born equally free [and are] equally entitled to

450-543: Is another focus of IAW and its affiliates, that has become more important since the postwar era. Violence against women and girls, both conflict-related violence and domestic violence , is also a significant focus of IAW and its affiliates, particularly in modern times. The IAW family belongs to the mainstream or liberal women's rights tradition and thus shares the mainstream feminist position on LGBT+ rights , which understands sexual and gender diversity as an essential aspect of women's human rights and gender equality in

500-466: Is in line with developments in international human rights law as they relate to women's human rights. In line with this, IAW affiliates such as Deutscher Frauenring advocate for trans-inclusive feminism and emphasize that far-right movements that undermine the human rights of minorities threaten democracy. In 2021 IAW and its affiliate, the Icelandic Women's Rights Association (IWRA), co-organized

550-430: Is indivisible from working for women’s rights and gender equality," that those who promote "the human rights of women and LGBTIQ+ people share the same goals of achieving safe and fair societies" and that condemned extremist hate movements such as " anti-gender " and " gender-critical " movements. The mainstream feminist movement's contemporary emphasis on an intersectional understanding of women's rights and gender equality

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600-483: Is necessary to work on the basis of human rights , which are universal and indivisible, defend democratic values, and fight for an inclusive women's movement, and warned against anti-democratic forces and forces on the far right that try to pit women's rights against the human rights of minorities, describing anti-trans activists as "right-wing and racist." Böker's remarks align with a statement from UN Women that emphasized that "working for LGBTIQ+ people’s human rights

650-521: Is the oldest symbol of women's rights. It had been adopted by American suffragists in 1867 and became the principal color of the American women's suffrage movement, typically used alongside white. Through the influence of the Alliance, gold and white became the principal colors of the mainstream international women's suffrage movement. Colors were important in the iconography of the suffrage movement. The use of

700-717: The Arab League in Cairo and the Gulf Countries Council in Riyadh , and is a member of the European Women's Lobby in Brussels . IAW's working languages are English and French. IAW understands sexual and gender diversity as an integral part of feminism. Speaking on trans inclusion, former IAW President Marion Böker said that for the women's rights movement, it is necessary to work on

750-629: The Danish Women's Society , has said that it takes homophobia and transphobia very seriously, that "we support all initiatives that promote the rights of gay and transgender people" and that "we see the LGBTQA movement as close allies in the struggle against inequality, and we fight together for a society where gender and sexuality do not limit an individual." IAW's Norwegian affiliate, the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights , has warned against

800-566: The League of Nations during the 1920s and the United Nations post- World War II . By 1938 the number of councils affiliated with the ICW, which had developed into one of the best known and most consulted of women's international organizations, had risen to thirty-six. World War II caused great disorganization in the Council's work. Some national councils discontinued their work altogether; in others

850-561: The League of Women Voters in the United States during her presidency. Since the onset of the Cold War the alliance's liberal internationalist outlook was strengthened. The alliance held firm anti-communist views and maintained a clear pro- Western stance throughout the Cold War. Its second President, Dame Margery Corbett Ashby , wrote that "it was us or the communist women who would organize

900-536: The 19th century, and remains one of the core issues of IAW and its affiliates. In line with IAW's increased focus on developing countries from the mid-20th century, girls' and women's education in developing countries has become an increasingly important topic. Legal and economic gender equality have been core issues of the liberal women's rights movement since the 19th century. For example, IAW works to strengthen women's land and property rights, especially in developing countries. Sexual and reproductive health and rights

950-929: The CIT and the National Council of Women in India 1946: Philadelphie 2006: Kyiv 2009: Johannesburg 2015: Seoul 2015: Izmir 2018: Yogyakarta 2022: Avignon Papers of the International Council of Women are held at The Women's Library . Other papers are held at the United Nations Library in Geneva, the Library of Congress in Washington, the UNESCO archives in Paris,

1000-651: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Today it represents over 50 organizations world-wide comprising several hundred thousand members, and has its seat in Geneva .It also accepts individual members. From 1926, the organization had strong ties to the League of Nations . Since 1947, IAW has had general consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council ,

1050-479: The ICW and thus make themselves heard at the international level. The ICW enjoys consultative status with the United Nations and its Permanent Representatives to ECOSOC , ILO , FAO , WHO, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO , UNICEF , UNCTAD, and UNIDO. During a visit to Europe in 1882, American suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony discussed the idea of an international women's organization with reformers in several countries. A committee of correspondence

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1100-715: The ICW became involved in issues from suffrage to health. In 1904, at the Berlin congress of the ICW, a separate organization formed to accommodate the strong feminist identity of the national suffrage associations: the International Woman Suffrage Alliance . The 1909 congress was held in Toronto , Canada and the 1914 conference took place in Rome. The 6th Congress was held in 1920 in Kristiania , Norway; followed in 1925 by

1150-997: The International Information Centre and Archives for the Women's Movement in Amsterdam, the Archive Center for Women's History (CARHIF) in Brussels, the Sophia Smith Library at Smith College, Massachusetts, the Margaret Cousins Memorial library in New Delhi, and the Lady Aberdeen Collection in the University of Waterloo (Ontario) Library Special Collections. National Council of Women of the United States

1200-624: The International Woman Suffrage Alliance, is historically the most important international organization within the bourgeois-liberal women's rights movement . The decision for the establishment of the organization was taken in Washington in 1902 by suffragists frustrated at the reluctance of the International Council of Women to support women's suffrage. As such the Alliance was a more progressive organization that emphasized legal and political equality between women and men from

1250-631: The Near East." In the alliance's journal International Women's News it was stated in 1946 that the support of the United Nations and democracy must "remain in the forefront of our programme." Its third President Hanna Rydh worked actively to build cooperation in developing countries, partially to counteract communism. IAW's members in the Nordic countries were also members of the Joint Organization of Nordic Women's Rights Associations . IAW works for

1300-504: The Nobel Peace Prize for her work. In 1979, Maathi ran for president of NCWK, but lost by three votes. She ran again the following year. She was elected president, and served from 1980 to 1987. This Kenya related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . International Council of Women The International Council of Women ( ICW ) is a women's organization working across national boundaries for

1350-576: The Washington, D. C. Congress; and then in 1930, the conference was held in Vienna . The next conference was a jointly-held congress of the ICW and the National Council of Women in India , hosted in Calcutta in 1936. During World War II congresses were suspended. In 1925, the ICW convened their first coalition, the Joint Standing Committee of the Women's International Organisations, to lobby for

1400-503: The anti-gender movement, expressed solidarity with the LGBT+ rights struggle and supported legal protections against discrimination and hate speech on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The Icelandic Women's Rights Association has published a report on improving the situation of non-binary people in Iceland. The IAW family's inclusive and intersectional position

1450-580: The appointment of women to the League of Nations. By 1931 the League of Nations called together a Women's Consultative Committee on Nationality to address the issue of a woman's rights (and nationality) when married to a man from another country. Two additional coalitions were formed in 1931: the Liaison Committee and the Peace and Disarmament Committee. The ICW constitution was revised in 1936. The ICW worked with

1500-530: The basis of human rights, which are universal and indivisible, defend democratic values, and fight for an inclusive women's movement, describing anti-trans activists as "right-wing and racist." In 2021 IAW and its Icelandic affiliate co-hosted a forum on the importance of solidarity between the feminist movement and the trans movement, and expressed concern over "anti-trans voices [that] are becoming ever louder and [that] are threatening feminist solidarity across borders." The International Alliance of Women, formerly

1550-456: The color gold began with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony’s campaign in Kansas in 1867 and derived from the color of the sunflower, the Kansas state symbol. Suffragists used gold pins, ribbons, sashes, and yellow roses to symbolize their cause. In 1876, during the U.S. Centennial, women wore yellow ribbons and sang the song "The Yellow Ribbon." In 1916, suffragists staged "The Golden Lane" at

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1600-530: The common cause of advocating human rights for women . In March and April 1888, women leaders came together in Washington D.C. , with 80 speakers and 49 delegates representing 53 women's organizations from 9 countries: Canada , the United States , Ireland , India , United Kingdom , Finland , Denmark , France and Norway . Women from professional organizations, trade unions, arts groups and benevolent societies participate. National councils are affiliated to

1650-500: The fortieth anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention , the first women's rights convention. Rachel Foster Avery managed much of the details of the planning of the first meeting of the ICW, and Susan B. Anthony presided over eight of the sixteen sessions. The ICW drafted a constitution and established national meetings every three years and international meetings every five years. Millicent Garrett Fawcett of England

1700-414: The free exercise of their individual rights and liberty," that "women's rights are human rights" and that "human rights are universal, indivisible and interrelated." In 1904 the Alliance adopted gold (or yellow) as its color, the color associated with the women's suffrage movement in the United States since 1867 and the oldest symbol of women's rights; through the Alliance's influence gold and white became

1750-786: The highest UN status possible for a non-governmental organization, the fourth organization to be granted this status . IAW also has participatory status with the Council of Europe . It has representatives at the UN headquarters in New York , the UN office in Geneva , the UN office in Vienna , UNESCO in Paris , the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg . It also has representatives to

1800-454: The highest accreditation an NGO can achieve at the United Nations . Currently, the ICW is composed of 70 countries and has a headquarters in Paris . International meetings are held every three years. 1888: Washington, D.C. (First Meeting) 1894: Berlin 1899: London 1904: Berlin 1909: Toronto 1914: Rome 1920: Kristiania 1925: Washington, D.C. 1930: Vienna 1933: Chicago 1936: Kolkata , organized jointly by

1850-891: The home country of a member organization, and elects the executive board. The current President and Chief Representative to the United Nations is Alison Brown. The executive board also includes the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and until 20 other members, including two Executive Vice Presidents as well as Vice Presidents for Europe, the Arab countries, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf , Africa, and Regional Coordinators for North America, Pacific, and South East Asia. The IAW represents about 45 organizations world-wide as well as individual members. The IAW

1900-473: The leadership and organization were disrupted. In 1946, the ICW met in Philadelphia to re-focus its efforts and recover its former unity. The Conference issued a statement condemning war and all crimes against humanity, as well as demanding a more active role for women in the national and international arena. Since 1947, ICW has Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

1950-416: The national Democratic convention; to reach the convention hall, all delegates had to walk through a line of women stretching several blocks long, dressed in white with gold sashes, carrying yellow umbrellas, and accompanied by hundreds of yards of draped gold bunting. Gold also signified enlightenment, the professed goal of the mainstream U.S. suffrage movement. An International Congress is held triennially in

2000-913: The onset. The Alliance was formally constituted during the Second conference in Berlin in 1904 as the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA), and was headquartered in London for much of its history. Its founders included Carrie Chapman Catt , Millicent Fawcett , Helene Lange , Susan B. Anthony , Anita Augspurg , Rachel Foster Avery , and Käthe Schirmacher . Amongst subsequent congresses were those held in Copenhagen (1906), Amsterdam (1908), London (1909), Stockholm (June 1911), and Budapest (1913). The French Union for Women's Suffrage (UFSF), founded in February 1909,

2050-668: The organization was one of the three major international "bourgeois" women's organizations, alongside the International Council of Women (ICW) and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Of these, IWSA (IAW) was more progressive and oriented towards legal equality and equal citizenship than ICW. At the same time, IWSA was more conservative than WILPF. The organization's members were often associated with liberal parties and movements, but some were also progressive conservatives or liberal conservatives. Most IAW members held "similar views of society and societal change, which assumed

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2100-497: The principal colors of the mainstream international women's suffrage movement. The basic principle of IAW is that the full and equal enjoyment of human rights is due to all women and girls. It is one of the oldest, largest and most influential organizations in its field. The organization was founded as the International Woman Suffrage Alliance ( IWSA ) in 1904 in Berlin , Germany, by Carrie Chapman Catt , Millicent Fawcett , Susan B. Anthony and other leading feminists from around

2150-449: The use of three official languages – English, French and German – which discouraged participation by women of non-European origin. The ICW did not actively promote women's suffrage , as to not upset the more conservative members. In 1899, the Council began to take on more substantive issues, forming an International Standing Committee on Peace and International Arbitration. Other standing committees were soon established, and through them,

2200-404: The world to campaign for women's suffrage . IWSA was headquartered in London , and it was the preeminent international women's suffrage organization. Its emphasis has since shifted to a broad human rights focus and the importance and value of women`'s contributions as equal partners. The perequisite for securing women's rights is the universal ratification and implementation without reservation of

2250-475: Was elected as the first president, but she declined to serve. In 1894, the ICW met in Berlin , where Alix von Cotta said that many senior teachers stayed away. In 1899, they met in London. In the early years, the United States supported many of the expenses of the organization, and dues from U.S. members made up a significant part of the budget. Most meetings were held in Europe or North America, and they adopted

2300-658: Was formally recognized by the IWFA congress in London in April 1909 as representing the French suffrage movement. IWSA also started its own monthly journal, the Jus Suffragii . IWSA, influenced by moderate liberal feminist Millicent Fawcett against the militancy of suffragettes in the style of Emmeline Pankhurst , refused membership to the WSPU at their 1906 Copenhagen meeting. In the interwar period,

2350-403: Was formed to develop the idea further at a reception in their honor just before they returned home. The National Woman Suffrage Association , led by Anthony and Stanton, organized the founding meeting of the ICW, which convened in Washington, DC, on March 25, 1888. Representing Louisiana at the Woman's International Council was Caroline Elizabeth Merrick . The meeting was part of a celebration of

2400-578: Was founded in 1888 at the first ICW gathering. The National Council of Women of Canada was founded in 1893. The National Council of French Women was created in 1901, the National Council of Italian Women in 1903, and the National Council of Belgian Women in 1905. The first National Council of Women of Australia was established in 1931 to coordinate the state bodies existing prior to Australia's Federation . International Woman Suffrage Alliance The International Alliance of Women ( IAW ; French : Alliance Internationale des Femmes , AIF )

2450-448: Was granted general consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council , the highest level possible, in 1947, and has participatory status with the Council of Europe . The IAW has permanent representatives in New York , Vienna , Geneva , Paris , Rome , Nairobi and Strasbourg and addresses the European Union through its membership in the European Women's Lobby in Brussels . The IAW's current representative to

2500-425: Was stated in 1946 that support for democracy must "remain in the forefront of our programme." Former IAW President Marion Böker emphasized in 2023 that it is important to defend democratic values. IAW was founded to advocate for women's suffrage and political equality remains one of its traditional core issues. Girls' and women's education has been an important focus of the liberal women's rights movement since

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