Understanding the United Nations means understanding how we, as women leaders, can be part of shaping a better world.

In recognition of International Day of Women in Diplomacy – June 24th

we are honored to introduce to you:

Her Excellency Dr. Mutryce Williams

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Her Excellency Dr. Mutryce Williams formally assumed her present appointment as St. Kitts and Nevis’ Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations on 15 January 2024 after presenting her credentials to the United Nations Secretary General. Ambassador Williams currently serves as co-facilitator of the Revitalization of the Commission on the Status of Women; a UN Member State-led process aimed at strengthening the Commission to ensure that it is fit-for-purpose in advancing gender equality and the rights and empowerment of all women and girls. She previously served as the Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Caucus where she appeared before the UN Security Council on several occasions advocating on behalf of Haiti. Ambassador Williams also served as Chair for the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) at the UN.

Full biography HERE.

From NFBPWC United Nations Special Committee: we extend appreciation to H.E. Dr. Mutryce Williams for her work.

Getting to Know the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Global Impact from Local Actions

By: Barbara Bozeman, President, NFBPWC

In 2015, all 193 United Nations member states—including the United States—adopted a shared plan called the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At its heart are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a call to action for all countries and communities to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.

These goals are broad, ambitious, and deeply interconnected. But you don’t have to be a diplomat or a government agency to make a difference. Meaningful contributions come from individuals, committees, and clubs.

1. No Poverty - End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

• Host a financial literacy workshop for women
• Partner with a shelter to provide hygiene kits
• Collect professional attire for job-seekers

2. Zero Hunger - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

• Organize a community garden
• Volunteer at or donate to a food bank
• Host a plant-based cooking class

3. Good Health and Well-Being - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages.

• Partner with clinics for wellness screenings
• Promote maternal health awareness
• Organize a walk/run to raise funds for women’s health

4. Quality Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

• Support scholarships for women in STEM
• Volunteer in adult literacy programs
• Host a “career day” for girls

5. Gender Equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

• Join or host Equal Pay Day events
• Mentor survivors of gender-based violence
• Advocate for workplace harassment prevention policies

6. Clean Water and Sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

• Educate about menstrual hygiene
• Support sanitation access for homeless women
• Advocate for clean water in schools

7. Affordable and Clean Energy - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

• Host a solar energy info session
• Support clean energy legislation
• Fundraise for solar cookers in developing nations

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

• Promote women-owned businesses
• Hold a résumé and interview prep event
• Teach entrepreneurship workshops

9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

• Host a “Girls in Tech” event
• Tour a local sustainable manufacturer
• Raise funds for rural internet access

10. Reduced Inequalities - Reduce inequality within and among countries.

• Partner with disability advocacy groups
• Promote inclusive hiring practices
• Host forums on systemic barriers

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

• Partner on urban green space projects
• Organize a neighborhood cleanup
• Encourage local disaster preparedness planning

12. Responsible Consumption and Production - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• Host a “zero waste” workshop
• Promote secondhand fashion swaps
• Teach upcycling crafts

13. Climate Action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• Host climate-focused speaker panels
• Encourage tree planting
• Advocate for local climate plans

14. Life Below Water - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

• Organize a beach or river cleanup
• Educate about microplastics
• Support marine wildlife groups

15. Life on Land - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

• Plant pollinator-friendly gardens
• Support conservation nonprofits
• Host a wildlife education event

16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

• Support civics education for girls
• Host conversations on justice reform
• Observe International Day of Peace (Sept 21)

17. Partnerships for the Goals - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

• Collaborate with other local organizations
• Connect with global BPW clubs for project sharing
• Attend UN or NGO briefings

Want to go deeper?

• Official UN SDG Page: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
• UN SDG Learn (Free Courses): https://www.unsdglearn.org

UN News, Breaking UN News, 23 May 2025, Peace and Security

By: Susan O’Malley, IFBPW, Chair of Nominating Committee

Diplomats prepare ground for June Conference on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, as outlined in GA res.79/81. The Conference will produce an action- oriented outcome document entitled “Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and Implementation of the 2-State Solution.”

Pictured Left: Members of the United Nations during the 2- State Solution Conference. Photographer Loey Felipe, UN Photo 5/23/2025

For more information about BPW Asia Pacific Region:

Website: https://www.bpw-international.org/members/asia-pacific/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BPWAP/

BPW AP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BPWAsiaPacific-e6y

“Inspire, Innovate, Empower, Transform – Together We Shape a Sustainable Future”

Greetings BPW Sisters and happy Spring!

It has been a very busy time in NAC since my last report. I was able to have a lovely holiday in the Greek Islands with my husband, and now I am preparing to attend the BPW European Regional Conference in Malta May 23-25th. I am looking forward to attending their conference and learning what’s happening within BPW in Europe so I can bring back best practices for our region.

The BPW Asia-Pacific Regional Conference will be held August 24-26, 2025, in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

August 26, 2025, is IFBPW’s 95th anniversary, so it promises to be a very special event. Unfortunately, I am unable to attend and have expressed my regrets to Regional Coordinator Herlin. Here is the link if anyone is able to attend. If you do attend, please let me know so I am aware of NAC’s representation there. BPW Asia Pacific Regional Conference, Putrajaya, Malaysia, 24-26 August 2025 - BPW International

Our affiliates in the region have been working hard and it’s exciting to see what’s happening there. BPW St. Kitts is celebrating their 50th anniversary as an Affiliate week-end of May 16th. We wish them congratulations on achieving this milestone and commend them for the work they have done for the IFBPWC, including hosting the Congress last November.

BPW Dominica is growing with an expansion to the north part of the island. NAC will be sending out their next newsletter in late June, so I look forward to you all seeing this great news and more at that time.

I wish you all the best as you continue your hard work for NFBPWC – you are doing a great job in following the footsteps of our founder Dr. Lena Madison Phillips, and you are to be commended.

Karin Gorgerat
BPW International Regional Coordinator
North America and Caribbean

The Commission on the Status of Women isn’t just a conference. It’s a catalyst!

From Dialogue to Action: Understanding CSW’s Agreed Conclusions

In our last article, we introduced the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Each year, CSW brings together Member States, UN entities, and civil society organizations—including representatives from NFBPWC and BPW International—to review progress, identify challenges, and shape global standards and policies.

But what happens after all the speeches, panels, and discussions? How does CSW translate global dialogue into actionable outcomes?

The answer lies in one of CSW’s most important outputs: the Agreed Conclusions. 

What Are Agreed Conclusions? Agreed Conclusions are the negotiated outcome document adopted at the end of each annual CSW session. This document captures commitments made by UN Member States to advance gender equality in a specific thematic area—whether it's access to education, economic empowerment, technology, or climate resilience.

They’re not just words on paper. These conclusions influence national policies, inform NGO advocacy, and provide a clear benchmark for evaluating global progress. The process of drafting them is complex, collaborative, and—at times—contentious. But when consensus is reached, the final product serves as a powerful signal of international political will and direction.

Why Do They Matter to Us? As members of NFBPWC and BPW International, we are part of a global network of women’s organizations with consultative status at the United Nations. That means we have a voice—often in the form of written statements, side events, and formal interventions—during the CSW process.

Understanding the Agreed Conclusions gives our advocacy sharper focus. It helps us:

• Align our local and national work with global gender equity goals.
• Hold governments accountable for the commitments they make on the world stage.
• Push for progress in areas where language has historically been weak or watered down.

For example, if the Agreed Conclusions call for expanded access to STEM education for girls, NFBPWC members can highlight successful programs already underway in their communities—or push for new ones that align with this goal.

How Are They Formed? The process begins long before delegates arrive in New York. In the months leading up to the March session, the UN Secretary-General releases a report on the year’s theme, laying the groundwork for negotiation. Civil society organizations, including BPW, provide written inputs and host pre-CSW consultations.

During the two-week CSW meeting, government delegates negotiate line by line, word by word. Every paragraph is scrutinized. Language around issues like sexual and reproductive health, economic autonomy, or the rights of marginalized groups can be flashpoints, with some Member States pushing to strengthen commitments and others pushing back.

Civil society is not in the negotiation room—but we are in the building. We lobby, educate, and raise our voices to ensure that feminist principles aren’t lost in political compromise.

What’s in the 2024 Agreed Conclusions? This year’s priority theme was "Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective."

Among the commitments adopted:

• Increasing investments in care infrastructure to reduce the unpaid care burden on women.
• Creating gender-responsive budgeting at the national level.
• Strengthening women’s participation in public institutions and decision-making processes.
• Prioritizing data collection to measure poverty and inequality through a gender lens.

These conclusions give us clear guidance: we must connect gender equality efforts to broader systems of economic justice and institutional reform.

How Can You Use the Agreed Conclusions?

Here are three ways members can turn these global commitments into local momentum:

1. Educate: Share summaries of the Agreed Conclusions in your clubs. Use them to spark conversation about what’s working—and what’s still needed—in your own communities.

2. Advocate: Meet with local or national lawmakers. Show them how CSW’s recommendations apply to their policies—and what women in your area are calling for.

3. Collaborate: Partner with other organizations. Joint projects aligned with CSW outcomes have added credibility and international backing.

From Global Commitments to Grassroots Change

The Commission on the Status of Women is not just a conference. It’s a catalyst.

By understanding and acting on the Agreed Conclusions, we transform global consensus into local change. As NFBPWC members, we don’t just observe the process—we’re part of it. Let’s use our voice, our presence, and our programs to ensure these promises don’t stay in New York but reach all the way to the lives of women and girls in every corner of the world.

Core CSW Resources

• UN Women – Commission on the Status of Women (Main Page)

Overview of CSW, themes, outcomes, and session archives. https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw

• CSW68 (2024) – Official Session Page

https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw68-2024

• Agreed Conclusions Archive (All Years) Browse outcome documents from past sessions.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/outcomes

Civil Society & NGO Participation

• NGO Committee on the Status of Women (New York) Key civil society group organizing NGO engagement around CSW.

https://ngocsw.org

• CSW NGO CSW Forum (Parallel Events) Find or propose side events, access recordings, and participate in the NGO CSW Forum.

https://ngocsw.org/ngo-csw-forum

Helpful UN Documents

• CSW Methods of Work (explains how CSW functions)

https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/methods-of-work

• UN Women – Reports & Briefs Related to CSW

https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications

To participate with the CSW Committee and learn more – contact csw@nfbpwc.org or President Barbara Bozeman via president@nfbpwc.org

Understanding the United Nations means understanding how we, as women leaders, can be part of shaping a better world.

Greetings BPW Sisters.

I am very excited that we have our 1st Newsletter of this triennium going out to all of you. It’s been a busy few months in North America and the Caribbean Region and it has been great to speak with you during that time. You are all an inspiration with the work you are doing in your clubs and countries.

The engagement we have had in our region is fantastic – we had 27 people step up to be part of the BPW International Standing Committees. I look forward to hearing of the work they are doing during this triennium.

We had a good number of people travelling to New York City for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the BPW International Leader’s Summit. Some are Delegates for BPW International, others are Delegates for BPW Canada, and some are Delegates of other NGO’s. It is a wonderful experience and I hope they will take back what they have learned to their clubs to encourage participation next year.

Our Strategic Plan was shared with the Presidents and the work on our goals of Membership, Advocacy and Leadership Development is in full swing. Our last NAC President’s Meeting included a discussion about Membership and there were a lot of wonderful ideas that were shared. BPW is the best kept secret, and it’s up to all of us to share the benefits of what BPW can bring to them.

I look forward to continued great work happening within our Region and I am committed to see the BPW International theme fulfilled – “Inspire, Innovate, Empower, Transform – Together We Shape a Sustainable Future.”

Karin Gorgerat
BPW International Regional Coordinator
North America and Caribbean

To read more Tributes and Accolades about Sylvia G. Perry, please read the 10-page AnyFlip Document at: https://online.flipbuilder.com/gfore/gpwk/

As a member of NFBPWC:You can attend CSW70 whether in person or virtually. You can develop and present a program at CSW70.

Each March, thousands of advocates, diplomats, and changemakers gather at the United Nations—both in New York City and online—for one of the most powerful events in the world focused on gender equality: the Commission on the Status of Women, or CSW.

If you’ve never heard of CSW or only associate the United Nations with one event per year, you’re not alone.

Many of our members equate the UN’s work solely with CSW. While CSW is a key event for women worldwide, it represents one part of a much broader system of global diplomacy and sustainable development—one that includes entities like ECOSOC, UNESCO, and regional partnerships such as the Organization of American States (OAS).

What Is CSW?

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was established in 1946 as a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It remains the only global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Each year, CSW convenes to:

• Evaluate progress on gender equality and women’s rights
• Identify challenges and emerging issues
• Develop global policy recommendations
• Foster connections between governments, NGOs, and civil society

And while the UN's official meetings are crucial to shaping high-level policy, much of CSW’s energy and impact comes from its interactive events and community engagement.

Three Types of CSW Events

If you’re attending or participating for the first time, it’s helpful to understand the three main categories of events at CSW:

1.  Official UN Events

These are hosted by the UN and Member States and include:

• Opening and Closing Ceremonies
• Ministerial Roundtables
• General Discussions
• Agreed Conclusions negotiations

These sessions focus on policymaking and diplomacy and are usually limited to government delegations and accredited observers.

2.  Side Events

These are sponsored by UN Member States or UN agencies and are centered on themes aligned with CSW’s annual focus. Side events may:

• Highlight national or regional achievements
• Showcase new reports or research
• Discuss innovative strategies

Some are open to the public (especially virtually), while others require invitations.

3.  Parallel Events (NGO Forum)

This is where NFBPWC members can shine. Parallel events are hosted by NGOs and civil society organizations and are open to global audiences. Topics are diverse and grassroots-oriented, including:

• Women in leadership
• Gender and climate change
• Access to education and healthcare
• Stories of impact from the field

BPW International, through which NFBPWC is connected, holds General Consultative Status with ECOSOC, giving us the opportunity to host, present, and participate.

Why Should You Participate?

Attending CSW—whether in person or virtually—can be transformative. It’s a chance to:

• Learn from global experts and peers
• Share your story or your organization’s work
• Get inspired to lead change locally
• Contribute to international conversations on women’s rights

For NFBPWC members, this is more than just an event. It’s a platform to connect global policy to local action, and to demonstrate the power of women working together across borders.

Looking Ahead to CSW70

The 70th Session of CSW (CSW70) is set for March 9 – 20, 2026, and we are already preparing. This year, our committee’s objectives are:

1. Educate members about CSW—how it works, how it connects to the larger UN framework, and what role we play.
2. Encourage member engagement—through virtual attendance, delegation involvement, and proposing parallel events.

Each monthly article and future meetings planned will help you build knowledge and confidence—so when CSW70 arrives, you’ll know how to step forward and participate with purpose.

Want to Learn More?

Explore these two resources to dive deeper into CSW: 

CSW Official Page

NGO CSW/NY – Parallel Events & Resources

Brief History of Commission on Status of Women

To participate with the CSW Committee and learn more – contact csw@nfbpwc.org or President Barbara Bozeman via president@nfbpwc.org

As we observe Military Appreciation Month, we proudly recognize the contributions of women in the armed forces — women who embody the strength, resilience, and leadership that the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) champions every day.

From breaking barriers in uniform to advocating for equality after service, military women exemplify the spirit of CSW’s mission: empowerment, equity, and global impact.

This May let’s not only thank them for their service — let’s uplift their voices in the fight for gender justice.

Reflections on CSW69#

My reaction to the two weeks of CSW69 was bittersweet: such positive energy, many  excellent NGO parallel events and side events by Member States, hopefulness, friendships. but also, a franticness, a quickness to anger, a realization that we had not made progress in furthering the rights of women and girls, but at least countries reached a kind of consensus with countries allowed to append disagreements. [The US added disagreements to the original Beijing Platform of Action.] After 30 years reproductive rights, which are so essential to women’s health and lives, are still not permitted in Political Declaration 69. There is an increasing backlash against women and girls with much violence.

IFBPW had many excellent parallel events. The What’s App listserv was exhausting with chat! I participated in Carol Hanlon’s excellent UN CSW69 Forum which featured many IFBPW speakers with diverse backgrounds and accomplishments. [Pictured Right: Susan in the green sweater] The other two parallel events I helped organize with Beth Deighton and moderated were “Women & Armed Conflict” with speakers from Iran, Ukraine, Syria, and Palestine and the second event “Post-Beijing Widows Face Even Greater Challenges for Rights” with widows from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, UK, Nigeria, and a report from China. I was in tears at both of these events.

The backlash against women has been increasing for several years. You may read about this at the UN Women website. At the Millennium Hilton across the Street from the UN Church Center, CFam, a conservative women’s NGO, was holding forth with the audience not allowed to ask questions. They supported eliminating the Department of Education and public schools with children being home schooled and abolishing DEI which means banning teaching the struggles of the Women’s and Black movements.

At the last UN CSW69 briefing for NGOs on March 21, the Women’s Major Group spoke of the pushback for women in the Political Declaration 69 that had reproductive rights deleted at the last moment and hoped progress might be made at the High Level Political Forum in July. The session ended with powerful statements from two women in the audience: “We need women’s rights from conception” and from Queen Mother, “We can’t wait any longer.”

Susan O’Malley
United Nations Representative

Shared with the permission of BPW UK’s President, Jo Kinsey:

Summary of the InfoUAction for Women Business Consulting Center Project

Over the past year, we have been actively developing the InfoUAction for Women Business Consulting Center, which has become a key platform for entrepreneurship development and management training. As part of this large-scale project, we designed three powerful training programs:

For startups – supporting new business ideas, forming a strategy for launch and growth.

For existing businesses – scaling up, entering new markets, and attracting investments.

For self-employed individuals – enhancing personal efficiency and resilience in times of change.

800+ participants gained practical knowledge and skills through specialized training groups.

The final event, held last Friday, marked the culmination of the project – we presented the results, recognized winners, and highlighted the best business cases.

In addition to the official part, a high-level expert panel discussion took place, where national experts worked on a resolution for submission to relevant ministries. The document includes concrete recommendations on:

Adult education and management programs.

Creating a favorable business environment.

Enhancing economic resilience of communities in crisis situations.

We are currently preparing a presentation of the project results in English, as well as editing videos and selecting photo materials, which we will share with you soon.

A huge thank you to all participants, partners, experts, and the team for this significant step in strengthening Ukraine’s economic resilience!

#InfoUAction4Women #BusinessConsulting #EconomicResilience #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship

ear BPW members in United States,

The President of BPW USA Barbara Bozeman asked me to write an article about BPW Europe to your Newsletter. I am greatly honored to address the members of the USA.

My name is Anu Viks, I am the Regional Coordinator of Europe 2021-2024 and 2024-2027. I come from a small by size, but big by courage country Estonia. I am the Past President of BPW Estonia, the member of BPW since 2002. My field of business is the international road transport industry. Working in the male dominated area has motivated me to inspire women to take action for their own careers, lives and economic independence.

My motto is - everything is possible, just believe in yourself. 

Europe is the biggest region in IFBPW with 17500 members in 32 countries. The biggest Federation is BPW Italy with 10500 members. BPW Europe is led by the Executive Council consisting of 5 members – the Regional Coordinator/Chair of the EC Anu Viks (BPW Estonia), Secretary Carmen Taheny (BPW Ireland), Treasurer Mariane Pontone (BPW Germany), Communication Officer Valentina Ceban (BPW Moldova/BPW Switzerland), Young BPW Representative Anna Zimmerman (BPW Germany).

The most important event of BPW Europe this year is the Regional Conference in Malta 23-25 May 2025. The host of the Regional Conference is BPW Valletta Club in Malta. You are invited to join the European Region at the Conference in Malta https://bpwmalta.com/bpw- european-conference-2025/. The registration is opened. Malta is a lovely island in the Mediterranean Sea with the rich history.

The position of Communication Officer of BPW Europe was created in 2021 as it is essential to the European Region as we have 17500 members in 32 different countries. Effective communication is the key priority to keep members informed about the work of the European Region, to inform about upcoming events, webinars, advocating, networking and sharing best practices. This was the purpose of modernizing the BPW Europe website, social media channels, and create the BPW Europe LinkedIn account. Now BPW Europe communication reaches thousands of members every week.

My mission as the Regional Coordinator is to bring the Presidents of European Region together and share information and best practices the regular online Presidents meeting. During the regular online meetings Presidents can share their experiences, communicate their success stories and receive good knowledge from the different guest speakers. The first online meeting took place at the end of 2020. These regular meetings have made European Presidents a strong, friendly and well working group. The feeling of sisterhood was especially important during Covid times to keep the Federations and Clubs operating and active. Giving each other advice and support helped many Clubs to get through the challenging Covid time and keep up the numbers of membership.

BPW Europe had four active Working Groups in 2021, my intention was to carry on the work of the Groups and create new ones. With the help of two seasoned

members (Moyra McMahon BPW Ireland President and Myriam Heidelberger BPW Switzerland co- President) the revision on the Groups was made and some groups received new Chairs, and the work continued - Learning for Leadership (Conny Montague, BPW Germany); Women on Boards (Eufemia Ippolito, BPW Italy); Charter on the Girls Rights (Pinella Bombaci, BPW Italy). Equal Pay Day (Karine Babule, BPW France). Two new Working Groups were established – Green and Sustainable Future (Siiri Puttonen, BPW Estonia) and WEPs (Radmila Jirkovska, BPW Prague Czech Republic). All Working Groups are now well established and active, organizing webinars, seminars, training sessions, meetings.

There are 4 Networks inside Europe – DACH (German speaking members from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein), Adrion Net (Clubs around Adriatic Sea), Danube Net (Clubs around Danube River) and newly created in May 2024 Nordic Network (countries in Scandinavia – Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Baltic Sea region – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland).

BPW Europe has been unitedly working to support our BPW Club in Chernihiv Ukraine and refugees from Ukraine who have arrived to all countries in Europe. BPW Poland members have been tirelessly working to receive and help the refugees who arrived after the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the strain has been enormous. Many Federations and Clubs have received funds from BPW International Support Ukraine Fund for projects – Poland, Ireland, Romania, Madrid Spain to support refugees and BPW United Kingdom to support Ukrainian women inside Ukraine. BPW UK project was focused on helping BPW Chernihiv Club in Ukraine. From the funds of the Support Ukraine Fund BPW UK President Jo Kinsey together with Amelie Leclercq (BPW Sofia Bulgaria) bought a van for Chernihiv Club to help people in need to get to the medical facilities and to deliver groceries for those who are not able to look after themselves. City of Chernihiv was heavily bombed in the beginning of 2022, buildings and road network were destroyed. Many Chernihiv Club members lost their homes. The van was packed with goods needed in Chernihiv (blankets, pillows, medicine) and delivered in April 2024 to the members of Chernihiv Club Julia Zayka and Viktoria Filatova.

BPW Europe is registered in Brussels Belgium. BPW Europe is registered in the hub of Brussels based women organizations – Amazone building on Rue du Meridien 10, 1210 Brussels.

BPW Europe has representation in European Women`s Lobby (EWL). Our Representatives in EWL is Miette Dechelle (BPW Belgium) and alternate Representative is Pille Tsopp Pagan (BPW Estonia). BPW Europe’s work and actions on women empowerment and advocacy are reflected to EWL. Through EWL BPW Europe is participating in European wide work and campaigns for ending violence against women. In 2024 BPW Europe presented the Manifesto of BPW Europe to EWL consisting of 5 main points – empowerment, gender equality, proportional representation in equal pay for equal work, women on Boards and decision-making, and leadership in Europe.

BPW International and BPW Europe have the Representative in the Council of Europe. The Representative takes part in the online and F2F meetings and reports the activities of BPW to the Council of Europe and the work of the Council of Europe to BPW. The Representative is Pinella Bombaci (BPW Italy).

BPW Europe has the representation in the European Institute for Gender Equality. EIGE is the body of the European Union established by Regulation No. 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and the Council of December 20, 2006, which began work in 2007. Equality between men and women is one of the basic principles of the European Union. EIGE headquarters is in Vilnius Lithuania. BPW Europe is represented by the members of BPW Vilnius Chamber Club Lithuania, the current Representative is the President of the Club Irma Spudiene.

The work of BPW Europe and my work as the Regional Coordinator can be best described in 3 important words – empowerment, equality and inclusion. Our mission is to ensure Equal Pay for equal work between Women and Men; obtain work-life balance for Women and Men supported by incentives, infrastructures, policies and laws; realize women’s equality in political decision-making and on Boards; empower women in their professional and leadership potential; guarantee all women equal economic independence free from discrimination and harassment against women at work; allocate and implement gender responsive budgets to realize women’s rights and equality at all levels; and represent Women in economic, civil and political life.

Just few weeks ago at the Leaders’ Summit of BPW International in New York I heard a quote from Past International President Elisabeth Benham. She was quoting Susan Jones, Past Vice President of IFBPW from Australia. I took a liking to this quota immediately.

“BPW allows ordinary women to do extraordinary things!”

With best wishes,

Anu Viks
BPW Europe Regional
Coordinator