Graduate Women International
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 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, 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 (NGO) to receive special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is a NGO maintaining official relations with UNESCO and the ILO. GWI advocates actively through the Commission on the Status of Women (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 of Barnard College, Professor Caroline Spurgeon of the University of London and Rose Sidgwick of the University of Birmingham 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 accommodation for female academics. At the first IFUW Conference in 1920, national organisations from Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Great Britain, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and The United States attended seeking membership in IFUW. From the onset, IFUW used the League of