She Speaks is a blog that features contributions from young women and girls who are leading social and economic change in their communities. The contributors share stories about the challenges they face in their community and offer solutions and insights that can bring about sustainable change–especially to the lives of young women and girls.
The World Young Women’s Christian Association (World YWCA) is faith-based organisation which advances the empowerment, leadership and rights of women, young women and girls in more than 120 countries around the world. We are a volunteer-based movement, which has been at the forefront of progressing women’s rights for more than 160 years.
We are rich in diversity, and our members and supporters include women from many different faiths, ages, backgrounds, beliefs and cultures. Yet we are all working toward the same common goal that “by 2035, 100 million young women and girls will transform power structures to create justice, gender equality and a world without violence and war; leading a sustainable YWCA movement, inclusive of all women.”
Our priorities include:
- Strengthening young women and girls’ transformative leadership;
- Realising human rights; and
- Sustaining the YWCA movement.
Our work is guided by a human rights framework, as well as the Millennium Development Goals and international treaties and platforms for advancing women’s rights. We also collaborate with many partner organizations globally.
Key facts at-a-glance
- 108 associations
- 120 countries
- 20,000 communities
- 3 million members worldwide
- 7.6 million annual programme participants
- 25 million women and girls – global outreach