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
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
by both British and North American college and university workers who were hoping to contribute to congenial relations between women of different nationalities.
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.
Graduate Women International (GWI) is based in
Geneva
, neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier
, website = https://www.geneve.ch/
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
,
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.
GWI has national affiliates in 60 countries and individual members in more than 40 countries.
The organization was the
ninth non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...
(NGO) to receive
special consultative status
The consultative status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to "Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Soc ...
with the
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC; french: links=no, Conseil économique et social des Nations unies, ) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields ...
and is a NGO maintaining official relations with
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
and the
ILO. GWI advocates actively through the
Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW or UNCSW) is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the main UN organs within the United Nations. CSW has been described as the UN organ promoting gend ...
(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.
History
In the aftermath of World War I, Dean
Virginia Gildersleeve
Virginia Crocheron Gildersleeve (October 3, 1877 – July 7, 1965) was an American academic, the long-time dean of Barnard College, co-founder of the International Federation of University Women, and the only woman delegated by United States ...
of
Barnard College
Barnard College of Columbia University is a private women's liberal arts college in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a group of women led by young student activist Annie Nathan Meyer, who petitioned Columbia ...
, Professor
Caroline Spurgeon of the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
and
Rose Sidgwick of the
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingha ...
created IFUW to help prevent another catastrophe such as the recent war in Europe. These women believed that if they could unite university women from around the world, the fostering of friendship and understanding would lead to a fostering of peace.
On 11 July 1919, IFUW was founded in London with founding members from three countries: Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. In addition to promoting peace, the advancement of careers for women in university formed a major objective for the organisation. IFUW created fellowships and promoted the founding of women's clubhouses where women could stay during research visits overseas.
Theodora Bosanquet was executive secretary to the IFUW from 1920 to 1935, developing its library at
Crosby Hall in London where both the IFUW and
British Federation of University Women had offices and offered accomodation for female academics.
At the first IFUW Conference in 1920, national organisations from
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
,
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
,
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
,
The Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and
The United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
attended seeking membership in IFUW.
From the onset, IFUW used the
League of Nations
The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
as a platform to evoke change. Through connections with the League of Nations, IFUW became acquainted with other organisations focusing on women's empowerment or education. Key questions that IFUW focused on in the early years surrounded disarmament, unemployment of educated women and nationality of married women.
Name Change
The International Federation of University Women (IFUW) became Graduate Women International (GWI) in April 2015 after 96 years as an organisation. The change in name reflects the desire to promote inclusivity. Graduate Women International sought to represent the contemporary diversity and inclusion of the members on an international scale, while promoting the focus of education for women and girls.
Governance
GWI is a membership-driven organisation with a headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. GWI has a small and dedicated central team that serves its members and works on programs and advocacy.
The General Assembly takes place every three years and elects its board of officers, Committee members and Conveners for the next triennium. The Triennial Conferences occur in a different location than the previous meeting. In 2019, the Triennial Conference took place in Geneva and the 2016 Triennial Conference met in Cape Town, South Africa. The Board of Officers and all committee members are volunteers. There are seven committees that cover various aspects of GWI operations, membership and reach. There is the International Fellowships Committee, Finance Committee, Education Committee, Membership Committee, Resolutions Committee, Hegg Hoffet Fund Committee and Project Development Committee.
GWI is financed mainly by its membership dues. Other funding is also provided in the form of grants or donations. GWI utilises
GlobalGiving
GlobalGiving is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the United States that provides a global crowdfunding platform for grassroots charitable projects. Since 2002, more than 1.6 million donors on GlobalGiving have donated more than $750 mi ...
as a donation platform for specific projects, such as Rural Teachers for Rural Futures.
Activities
GWI runs a fellowship cycle at least once a triennium, which funds PhD students only. GWI's Hegg-Hoffett Fund for Displaced Women Graduates assists graduate women (in special cases tertiary women students) who have been displaced as a result of war, political upheaval or other serious emergencies. The Hegg-Hoffett fund provides small short term grants for refresher courses for re-entry into the candidates' professional field. GWI carries out advocacy and communications campaigns focused on its mission, as well as projects aiming to strengthen girls' and women's access to education. GWI's members run grass roots projects providing girls and women with training, mentorship, and skill building.
Resolutions
At every Triennial Conference, GWI passes resolutions urging member organisations to focus on key issues and push their governments for change. The most recent conference, in 2019, resulted in eight new resolutions. These resolutions guide GWI's statements at the United Nations as well as at conferences and guide recommendations and advice to national affiliations and associations (NFAs).
Programmes
GWI advocates for women's rights, equality and empowerment through various programmes. GWI currently supports multiple active programmes.
Bina Roy Partners in Development (BRPID)
BRPID awards grants to GWI national federations and associations (NFAs) from developing countries on a competitive basis to promote GWI's mission. Donations from impact investors, personal contributions and member affiliates support the Bina Roy projects. In 2019, BRPID funded programmes in six countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, El Salvador, Ghana, India, Mexico and Turkey.
Teachers for Rural Futures
GWI provides scholarships and mentoring support, through Teachers for Rural Futures, to young women from Buyende District in Eastern Uganda, a rural area where the majority of girls do not complete secondary school, for them to become qualified teachers and promote girls' education. The competitive programme allows women to achieve their dreams of becoming secondary school teachers and to promote girls' education and empowerment.
Twinning Programme
Twinning is a formal collaboration between two organisations or groups. Through GWI's Twinning Programme, NFAs can establish formal twinning partnerships for a specific focus and amount of time. Twinning pools resources to collaborate to achieve a common goal on a specific project. Long-term benefits include the formation of a stronger relationship between two NFAs.
Notable people
*
Winifred Cullis
Winifred Cullis (2 June 1875 – 13 November 1956) was a physiologist and academic, and the first woman to hold a professorial chair at a medical school.
Early life and education
Born in Gloucester, Winifred was the youngest daughter of the ...
, English physician, president
*
Virginia Gildersleeve
Virginia Crocheron Gildersleeve (October 3, 1877 – July 7, 1965) was an American academic, the long-time dean of Barnard College, co-founder of the International Federation of University Women, and the only woman delegated by United States ...
, American academic, co-founder
*
Ellen Gleditsch, Norwegian
radiochemist
Radiochemistry is the chemistry of radioactive materials, where radioactive isotopes of elements are used to study the properties and chemical reactions of non-radioactive isotopes (often within radiochemistry the absence of radioactivity leads to ...
and Norway's second female professor. Started her career as an assistant to Marie Curie.
*
Dame Margaret Kidd, Scottish advocate, vice-president
*
Elizabeth Stoffregen May, American economist, president
*
Frances Moran
Frances Elizabeth Moran, (6 December 1893 – 7 October 1977) was an Irish barrister and legal scholar. She was Reid Professor of Criminal Law from 1925 to 1930, and Regius Professor of Laws from 1944 to 1963 at Trinity College, Dublin (TCD). S ...
, Irish legal scholar, president
*
Daphne Purves, New Zealand teacher, president
*
Amy Rustomjee, Indian educator, vice-president
*
Ethel Sargant
Ethel Sargant (28 October 1863 – 16 January 1918) was a British botanist who studied both the cytology and morphology of plants. She was one of the first female members of the Linnean Society and the first woman to serve on their council. S ...
, English botanist, president
*
Rose Sidgwick, English historian, co-founder
*
Caroline Spurgeon, English literary critic, co-founder
*
Helen C. White, American literary scholar, vice-president
*
Karolina Widerström
Karolina Olivia Widerström (10 December 1856 – 4 March 1949), was a Swedish doctor and gynecologist. She was the first female physician with a university education in her country. She was also a feminist and a politician, and engaged in the qu ...
, Swedish gynaecologist
*
Helle Lambridis
Elli Lambridi (; 22 January 1896 – 28 January 1970), also spelled Helle Lampride or Helle Lambridis, was a Greek philosopher who wrote extensively in the fields of ancient and modern philosophy. She also wrote on archaeology, wrote fiction and pr ...
, Greek educator and philosopher
*
Marie Curie
Marie Salomea Skłodowska–Curie ( , , ; born Maria Salomea Skłodowska, ; 7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first ...
, internationally renowned French scientist
*
Birgit Vennesland, Norwegian-American biochemist
*
Marie of Romania, the final queen of Romania
References
External links
Graduate Women International (GWI)Australian Graduate Women (AGW) (formerly Australian Federation of University Women (AFUW))British Federation of University Women (BFWG)Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW)
{{Authority control
Student organizations established in 1919