President's message

As we focus our energies on preparing for the 56th Commission on the Status of  Women in New York, I am delighted to share that once again we are partnering with like minded organisations to amplify our global voice. This year’s theme is “the empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges.” By working together, we can ensure that the voices of rural women and girls will be represented at this important UN meeting.

Soroptimist International, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, the World YWCA, and the Friends of Cambodian Child’s Dream Organisation invite you to participate in a worldwide conversation about violence against rural women and girls: experiences and solutions, as part of a workshop we are collectively hosting. Together, we have developed a list of questions and we would love to know your thoughts! 

All four organisations will be collecting responses – written, audio, video, or photo – over the coming weeks as we prepare for CSW56. We will be taking these questions to the event and capturing responses in person, culminating in a side event with panellists from each of our organisations. 

If you would like to participate, please answer any of the following questions in 2 minutes or less – don’t forget to tell us your name and where you’re from!  And feel free to share your response in any format you like.  They will all be edited together after CSW to create a film which we will distribute far and wide.

1) What are the risk factors, including cultural and societal norms, which render rural women and girls around the world vulnerable to violence?  Are they different from those facing women and girls living in urban or peri-urban areas? What are the specific challenges facing young rural women?

2) Do rural women and girls experience violence differently from women and girls living in urban or peri-urban areas? Are there specific challenges facing young rural women?

3) What kinds of interventions, from your first hand experience, work best in a rural setting?  What types of educational and awareness measures are proving effective?

4) How are rural women and girls leading change in this area? What more can be done to build the leadership of rural young women and men to respond to violence in their communities?

5) How can policies or legislation work to reduce incidence of violence against women and girls in rural areas? Are sufficient resources being directed towards addressing the problem?

6) How can we create safe spaces in rural communities for women and girls experiencing violence?

7) What are five simple, cost-effective strategies to address violence against rural women and girls?

You can send your responses to hq@soroptimistinternational.org. 

Join us as we work together to raise awareness about violence against rural women and girls – and learn how we can make a difference. 

Alice Wells

International President