World Young Women's Christian Association (World YWCA)

The World YWCA is a global women’s right movement. In over 100 countries, we work with women, young women, and girls across faith, culture, and region. World YWCA is the largest organization of its kind, engaging millions of people each year. We believe that when women rise to leadership they transform power structures and policies around human rights, gender equality, peace, and justice. When women lead, they are empowered to address global agendas of sustainable development. World YWCA supports young women as they connect, inspire, mobilise and act for transformational change, for a sustainable world. We empower YWCA’s training programmes are initiated, driven and facilitated by women and young women. We use a feminist approach, which is inclusive and intergenerational. We also use a human rights-based approach to empower young women and women to become leaders and decision-makers in their communities. We develop skill-based and thematic trainings to respond to the needs of the communities. For instance, we are developing a Young Women’s Leadership Academy. We believe that training one girl or woman means opening the door to an entire community. We advocate The World YWCA actively works to influence policies, regulations and norms which obstruct the rights and leadership potential of women, young women and girls. We bring the voices of young women and girls to the decision-making table. We create opportunities for them to advocate for their rights at global and regional policy-setting platforms such as the African Union, the Commission on the Status of Women and the Human Rights Council. We create safe spaces For the past 160 years, the YWCA has provided Safe Spaces to women and girls in the heart of local communities. Through YWCAs in more than 70 countries, the World YWCA is striving to provide safe, inclusive, non-judgmental and confidential spaces for women and girls to discuss issues such as Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV, and cases of violence.

Primary Functions

• Awareness Raising/Advocacy
• Networking/Convening
• Program/Project Implementation

Secondary Functions

Not applicable or unknown

Geographic Scope

• Global / regional

Other skills

• Life skills/sexuality education
• Rights/empowerment education
• Social and emotional learning

Website

World Young Women's Christian Association (World YWCA)

Headquarters location(s)

• Geneva, Gelderland, Switzerland

Office location(s)

• N/A