Greetings, Members and Friends,
25 years ago, representatives of 189 nations unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women. Since then, all the countries involved in developing this platform have fallen short on their commitments. The global health crisis has intensified existing gender inequalities, threatening to undo a century’s worth of progress.
The 64th UN Commission on the Status of Women convened on March 9, but was limited to opening statements and the adoption of a political statement; it was subsequently suspended due to the pandemic. Despite this setback, the conversation about Beijing +25 continues online.
The NGO Committee on the Status of Women and The Feminist and Women’s Movement Action Plan are offering opportunities to participate in dialogues regarding the Beijing Platform's six thematic areas. The virtual VoiceVoice conversations are small and self-moderated. I took part in a conversation with two women from Ghana and Nigeria, addressing the theme of “Participation, accountability and gender-responsive institutions.” I plan to participate in similar events in the future, and encourage others to take advantage of the many opportunities we now have thanks to our special consultative status with the United Nations. Contact IWC (
The Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating for people all over the world, especially women and children. Fortunately, we still have the ability to get together online to do the work that needs to be done to make the world a better place for women and girls.
Supporting each other is a vital part of the equation. I feel that our twice-a-month online gatherings are providing me with valuable inspiration and spiritual nourishment. I hope many of you feel the same.
Thank you for putting your faith in me to serve as president of the board. I look forward to a time when we can gather again in person.
Faithfully and appreciatively,
Karen Kortsch, IWC President