YWCA News current

The World YWCA and UNFPA announce the launch of a training manual: Empowering Young Women to Lead Change. The launch took place Monday, 14 August 2006, as a part of the XVI International AIDS Conference.

The World YWCA will participate actively in the XVI International AIDS Conference, "Time to Deliver", taking place in Toronto, Canada from 13-18 August, 2006, as well as in the Ecumenical and Interfaith pre-conference "Faith in Action: Keeping The Promise", 10-12- August, 2006.

The World YWCA, founding member of the EAA, will take part in the ecumenical and interfaith pre-conference with a delegation of 5 young women from Belarus, Zimbabwe, Argentina and Switzerland who will facilitate a workshop entitled "ABCs: What about women?". The workshop will be offered four times during the 3-day pre-conference. After the pre-conference, 3 other World YWCA staff members will join the delegation in Toronto for the international conference, as well as YWCA Canada members.

Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under Secretary-General of the United Nations has visited the World YWCA for a working session. After the meeting he sent the following gracious letter.

The World YWCA has sent the following letter to National Associations of the organization.

Gender, peace and security information is just a mouse click away with a new UN tool.

A broad spectrum of researchers, ranging from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the media to policy makers and students worldwide, will be able to exchange data and increase collaboration on gender, peace and security issues thanks to the first-ever such dedicated online directory, launched by the United Nations this week.

Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro, World YWCA General Secretary, is to be honoured with the Leadership Award at this year's Planet Africa Awards in Canada. The mission of the Planet Africa Awards is “to identify and recognize deserving individuals, organizations, businesses and agencies that make a profound difference in the lives of people of African heritage. This is done by honouring and celebrating their hard work, excellence and professionalism. They are role models, especially for youngsters.”

Junior 8
Voices of Youth, UNICEF’s website for young people, now provides adolescents with the opportunity to know more, do more and say more about the Junior 8 2006 event in St. Petersburg. The latest news on the Junior 8 can be found at http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2403.html . Young people also have an opportunity to meet online with Junior 8 participants from the G8 countries and young people from around the world at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/junior8russia2006/ to discuss the main themes of the Junior 8 2006. The yahoo group will be time limited (15 June – 20 July 2006) and will only be accessible prior to and during the Junior 8 2006.

The Leadership Council of the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS has met in Toronto, Canada to launch an agenda for action in response to the UNGASS Declaration issued June 2 in New York at the conclusion of the 2006 High Level Meeting on AIDS.

Citing the rising numbers of HIV positive women in Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America, Musimbi Kanyoro, Secretary General of the World YWCA, says “Women must be heard speaking eloquently about the pandemic becoming feminized.”