Category: Blog
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Improving Gender and Diversity in Intellectual Property and Innovation
Blog of Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou, SI Representative to the UN in Geneva. The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) hosted its inaugural IPGAP (Intellectual Property Gender Action Plan) Global Research Experts Meeting in November 2024, bringing together leading researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to address pressing issues related to gender and diversity in intellectual property (IP) and…
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Ending Violence and Bullying at school
Blog of Evelyne Para, SI Representative to UNESCO in Paris. A significant number of children and adolescents worldwide face violence and bullying in schools, including cyber-bullying. Combating this violence in schools, which harms the health, well-being and learning of young people, is an urgent and essential challenge. This is why UNESCO Member States have proclaimed…
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Geneva Calls: A Pivotal Moment for Older Persons’ Rights
Blog of Donatella Benjamin, SI Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Geneva Calls: A Pivotal Moment for Older Persons’ Rights, celebrating the International Day of Older Persons “Geneva Calls: A Pivotal Moment for Older Persons’ Rights” was organised by the NGO Committee on Ageing (Geneva) on October 1st, and co-sponsored by Soroptimist International. UN…
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Security Council Debate: Women, Peace and Security
Blog of Donatella Benjamin, SI Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Did you know the Security Council annually holds an open debate on ‘Women, Peace, and Security’ (WPS), and Viola Amherd, the President of the Swiss Confederation, is also a Soroptimist? ‘Promoting sustainable peace’ is one of Switzerland’s key priorities for its term on…
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How to Keep the United Nations Environmental Agenda in Times of Crisis?
Blog of Pascale Muylaert, SI Representative to the UN in Geneva. These days, international Geneva practitioners and environmental defenders in general face deep uncertainty, overlapping crises, and competition between major problems. Despite these challenges, their activities have to remain politically relevant to ensure steady progress in the fight against the triple planetary crisis: climate change,…
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Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review
Blog of Theresa Devasahayam, SI Representative to the UN in Bangkok. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA). In November 2024, the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was held in Bangkok, convened by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia…
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The opening session of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development
Blog of Tania Gomez Herazo, SI Belgium. Recently, Tania Gomez, from Soroptimist International Belgium, attended the 2024 to 2025 Inter-sessional Panel of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UN-CSTD). In her below report, Tania summarises the key discussion during the opening session, held on 21 October 2024, and the outcomes of the…
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Bridging the Gaps: Inclusive Digital Health
Blog of Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou, SI Representative to the UN in Geneva. During a recent meeting coordinated by Warwick University, SI Representative Dr. Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou was among a number of stakeholders brought together to discuss the urgent needs within digital health spheres, particularly concerning coordination needs and gaps in effective digital governance. In her…
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Widows Seminar: Challenges, Gaps, and Best Practices
Blog of Berthe De Vos Neven, SI Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. This two day seminar on Widows: Challenges, gaps, and best practices, hosted on October 17 and 18 at the UN in Geneva, was organised by Widow’s Rights International and Co-organised by Soroptimist International. Five years ago, I attended a side event…