The ICW was formed on March 25, 1888, in Washington DC, the United States, by several founding members, including Susan B. Anthony, May Wright Sewall, and Frances Willard.
Since its inception, the ICW has been at the forefront of efforts to attract world attention to many women`s right issues. This organization also leads the war on social injustice against women.
The ICW wants to bring together women`s organizations around the world, with the aim of promoting human rights, gender equality, peace and women empowerment in all aspects through the establishment of an international federation.
The ICW, which has been integrated with the international government institutions, managed to build and maintain a stunning reputation for 130 years since its establishment.
A total of 53 women`s organizations from nine countries attended the first ICW meeting in 1888.
This year, Indonesia was honored to host the 35th General Assembly in Yogyakarta, a city with rich cultural heritages on the foot of Mount Merapi.
The theme for the 35th General Assembly is "Transforming Society Through Women Empowerment".
As a country that once had a woman president, Indonesia is a long supporter of the ICW and its struggle against social injustice around the world. The cooperation between the two sides marked by the enlistment of the Indonesian Women`s Congress (Kowani) in 1973 as an ICW`s member.
Indonesia always sends its delegates to attend the ICW General Assembly, and even one of the Kowani Chairmen (Almh) Kuraisin Sumhadi, once held the position of President of the ICW for the period 1994-1997.
Before serving as President of the ICW, she had served as Vice President of the ICW for two periods (six years).
New Board of Directors
At the 35th General Assembly which takes place at the Grand Inna Malioboro Hotel (GIM) Yogyakarta, ICW will elect a new board of directors.
The ICW?s Vice President from Australia Hean Bee Wee told Antara after the ICW Board of Directors meeting in Yogyakarta on Wednesday, that all preparations had been carried out ahead of the general assembly.
She guarantees that all preparations are complete, including those on ballot papers, re-checking the nominees and ensuring the eligibility of candidates.
According to her, the ICW has also allocated specific time for candidates to introduce themselves and their respective missions on the sidelines of the general assembly.
The selection process is scheduled to take place on September 15th.
Wee pointed out that this time around, there are more candidates for the vice presidential posts than those in the previous years.
"This is partly because in the last three years, the leadership has done well and people see that there is a need and everyone wants to participate because we are actually achieving the women`s agenda a lot more and have higher profile," she explained.
The current 2015-2018 ICW Board of Directors consists of ICW President Jungsook Kim (South Korea) and five Vice Presidents namely Elisabeth Newman and Hean Bee Wee (both Australia), Doris Bingley (Malta), Lina Liu (Taiwan), and Christine Knock ( New Zealand); ICW Treasurer Martine Marandel (France); Secretary of ICW Nabiye Isin Atala (Turkey), and two members Fatos Inal (Turkey) and Jamal Gibril Hermes (Lebanon).
In addition to the Board of Directors, the ICW leadership structure also recognizes a Permanent Committee, which has five sectors; the status of women, sustainable development, general well-being, communications, and social issues.
Two Indonesian women who were also Kowani`s officials, Giwo Rubianto and Hadriani Uli Silalahi, are member of the ICW`s Permanent Committee. Giwo Rubianto is a Coordinator of the Permanent Committee on Communications and Hadriani Uli Silalahi serves as a Coordinator of the Permanent Committee on Sustainable Development.
Aside from finalizing the election process, the ICW Board of Directors meeting also discussed budget reports from the last three years.
Important Issues
A number of delegates who have arrived in Yogyakarta also claimed to be ready to take part in the General Assembly. President Joko Widodo is scheduled to officially open the event on Friday, September 14, 2018.
The newest registration data, as of Wednesday night, show that delegates from 19 countries, namely, Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Fiji, the Philippines, Finland, India, South Korea, Lebanon, Malta, Papua New Guinea, France, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Nigeria and Turkey, have arrived in Grand Inna Malioboro hotel. The registration is managed by a state owned company.
One of delegates from the National Council of South African Women (NCAW) Tselane Marolo showed her happiness for being able to join the general assembly in Yogyakarta.
"We are thrilled to be here. Yogyakarta is beautiful and the weather is very nice. This will be a fruitful and exciting meeting," said Secretary of the NCAW Tselane Morolo after receiving her participant card.
South Africa sent 10 officials and members of the NCAW to attend the 35th ICW General Assembly, which is held coinciding with the National Gathering of One Thousand Indonesian Women`s Organizations from September 13 to 18.
Aside from the various plenary sessions, the event will also be featuring a number of expert speakers in its discussion panels.
There will be at least four discussion panels under the themes that are derived from the main one, `Transforming Society through Women`s Empowerment`, featuring women figures who are experts in their respective fields, including Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Special Advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Akiko Yamanaka, the ICW`s permanent representative to the United Nations Mohinder Watson, as well as Malaysian higher education figure Syarifah Hapsah.
The 35th ICW General Assembly is expected to result in a document on the efforts to empower women across the globe, which will be declared at the Village Economic Center in a community based tourism destination in the Borobudur Buddhist Temple, Magelang District, Central Java Province, supported by 20 state owned companies.
The event is jointly held by the ICW and the Indonesian Women`s Congress or Kowani, in cooperation with the Ministry of State Owned Enterprises, in which 35 state owned companies are involved in supporting the event, including Antara News Agency.
Reporting by Roy Rosa Bachtiar
Editing by Gusti NC Aryani/ Bambang Purwanto
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Bustanuddin
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
