The International Soroptimist Federation (SI) works with other non-governmental organizations and various United Nations institutions to promote the changes necessary to make the world a better place for future generations.
Through appointed permanent representatives, Soroptimists have an ongoing presence at the United Nations centres in New York, Geneva and Vienna, UNESCO in Paris, the FAO in Rome, and UNEP in Nairobi.
Soroptimist International of Europe holds consultative status at the United Nations’ ECOSOC, participatory status at the Counsil of Europe and the European Women’s Lobby and contributes to the work of the OSCE. Soroptimists also regularly participate in various NGO forums of concern to women at national and international levels.
UN Economic and Social Counsel (ECOSOC)
Together with only 150 other NGOs, Soroptimist International of Europe holds general consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This status allows Soroptimists to act as advocates for women’s rights and for the improvement of the lives of women by making policy statements and participating in panels, meetings and round-table discussions organised by the UN.
Through its ECOSOC status, Soroptimist International of Europe participates in the work of the United Nations’ Commission for the Status of Women (CSW).
Soroptimist International of Europe also contributes to the work of the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which meets several times a year in Geneva, and to the work of the UN’s Human Rights Council, which often addresses issues of concern to women.
Council of Europe (CoE)
Soroptimist International of Europe holds participatory status at the Council of Europe (CoE). Soroptimist International of Europe supports the work of the Council of Europe in the promotion of human rights by lobbying for the implementation of its various conventions relating to women and children.
European Women’s Lobby (EWL)
Soroptimist International of Europe has participatory status at the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), the largest umbrella organisation for women’s associations in the European Union.
The EWL represents the interests of about 2,500 women’s organisations and works to ‘achieve equality between women and men, to promote women’s rights in all spheres of public and private life, to work towards economic and social justice for all women in their diversity and to eliminate all forms of violence against women’.
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
Soroptimist International of Europe also participates in the work of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the world’s largest security-oriented intergovernmental organisation.
Through its permanent representatives, Soroptimist International of Europe contributes to the work of the OSCE’s oldest institution, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) which deals with, among other things, human trafficking, violence against women and gender equality.
