INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
Women's Rights Worldwide
in several short articles
International Alliance of Women
IAW Foundation
IAW representatives are entitled to attend ECOSOC meetings of the UN wherever they are held (New York, Rome, Geneva, Paris etc.). IAW has a journal called IWNews, a website on: http://www.womenalliance.org and a monthly electronic newsletter, also to be found on the IAW website.
IAW is aiming to establish a real equality of liberties, status and opportunities between women and men, and to work for equal partnership between men and women in all spheres of life.
Vrouwenbelangen is one of the 60 affiliates of the International Alliance of Women. See also: 'a bit of history', by Pat Richardson, Australia.
Women’s rights are human rights
Human rights are universal, indivisible and interrelated
A bit of History
IAW was formally constituted at a Congress in Berlin in 1904 as 'The International Women Suffrage Alliance', or IWSA.
The first President was Carrie Chapman Catt of the United States. After the stormy and sometimes militant years of the suffrage ovement, the title was changed to 'International Alliance of Women' or IAW.
Carrie Chapman Catt was one of the many international friends of Aletta Jacobs, the famous Dutch President of Vrouwenbelangen at that time. Both took a journey through the world to talk about women's right to vote and be chosen as a member of Parliament.
The IWSA-members formed wonderful teams. The international support of the IWSA was incredible and also very important, because all women's voting rights had to be fought for by the women themselves, on a national level.
For more history click on this page, or this one, or have a look at WEL, the story of the Women’s Electoral Lobby in Australia.
Jus Suffrage News
In 2004, during the Centenary Congress in 2004 in Berlin, IAW presented a centenary publication: 'The International Woman Suffrage News 1904-2004'.
It gives an overview of the work IAW has done in hundred years. It describes the most important campaigns, the evolution of the communication from the early editions of Jus Suffrage News to the present day sophistication of the world-wide web and the electronic newslettter, the important contribution of French speaking collegues and the many activities of IAW involving those of the United Nations.
Commission on the Status of Women
Every year IAW is sending a delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women of the UN.
Gender Equality - Political Rights
The all important aim of the IAW is gender equality. The national member organisations, like Vrouwenbelangen, all have their own priorities, depending on the situation in their country. Their aim can be also: equality in education, in health, violence against women, or in the many fields of economics and equality in the social field.
There is one aim, though, that every member supports: 'equality in civil and political rights'. Here again you'll find the origin of the foundation, the core of the suffrage movement of the IAW. That aim is:
"To urge women to accept their responsibilities and to use their rights and influence in public life to ensure that the status of every individual, without distinction of sex, race or creed, shall be based on respect for the person, the only guarantee for individual freedom and peace".
A Women's Movement
The IAW of the 21st century is still a women's movement. IAW is representing more than 60 national organisations on all continents. Individual membership is also available to persons supporting the aims of the IAW.
Through its involvement with international agencies, the IAW campaigns for the development of policies and programmes for women's rights everywhere.
General consultative status
IAW is an International NGO with general consultative status at the Economic and Social Council of the UN. Accredited at UNCHR, CSW, DPI, ILO, WHO, UNCTAD, FAO, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNCHS, UNEP, ESCAP. IAW is represented at the International Criminal Court, Council of Europe, Arab League, African Union, Commonwealth. 
IAW is a member of the European Women's Lobby (EWL) and a member of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationships with the UN (CONGO).
It is represented at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg by Anje Wiersinga from the Netherlands and at the European Women's Lobby by Joanna Manganara from Greece.
It has permanent representatives at the United Nations in New York, Vienna, Geneva and Paris. The common languages used are English and French.
IAW Board meetings
IAW Board Meeting are held every year in another country. In 2011 in Iceland, in 2010 in South Africa, in 2009 in Switzerland, and in 2008 in the Netherlands.
In 2007 India, New Delhi, in 2006 Paris, in 2005 Burkina Faso, in 2004 Berlin and Freiburg in Germany; in 2003 the Domincan Republic, in 2002 Vienna in Austria, in 2001 Sri Lanka, in 2000 Malmo in Sweden.
Vrouwenbelangen is an Affiliate of IAW
.Joining IAW
Any person in sympathy with the objectives of the Alliance shall be eligible for individual membership.
Join the International Alliance of Women, a great organisation!
For membership inquiries contact the IAW Membership Officer:
Pat Richardson, P.O. Box 380, Nambucca Heads, 2448 NSW, Australia,
e-mail: iaw.membership@tsn.cc. Website: www.womenalliance.org
IAW is trying to keep the contribution as low as possible. It consists of 20 Euro's yearly, all over the world.
Lyda Verstegen from the Netherlands was nominated IAW President in 2010 (see the picture).
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