Servas Women

No lasting peace without economic and social equality.

Servas International firmly believes that there can be no lasting peace without economic and social equality. Substantial reduction in poverty is therefore a crucial prerequisite in ensuring peaceful coexistence and cooperation globally.

” Servas International requests UN Member States to take all possible steps to: stop arms delivery and redirect military funds to humanitarian causes; protect women and girls from gender-based violence; and promote women’s involvement in leadership roles in ending conflict and building peace. 

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2025, March | New York

UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69)

Women with Disabilities: Vocational rehabilitation and leadership training for advocacy

Vocational rehabilitation is a process that helps individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions to obtain and retain employment. Vocational rehabilitation can facilitate economic empowerment of women with disabilities by supporting their participation in the workplace. The philosophy of vocational rehabilitation and United Nations’ resources on disability and rehabilitation will be reviewed. The inclusion of women with disabilities in society will be discussed by Mobility International USA (MIUSA), who created the Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD). MIUSA will share key principles that make WILD a model leadership training for women with disabilities and how it has been adapted in communities throughout the world.

Feminine Narratives: The Role of Women in Peacebuilding in Colombia

Feminine Narratives: The Role of Women in Peacebuilding in Colombia" explores the fundamental role women play in peacebuilding in Colombia, highlighting their multiple roles as victims, leaders, and agents of change in their communities. The panel will address social initiatives led by women, emphasizing their contributions to conflict transformation, the inclusion of a gender perspective in the Peace Agreement, and the promotion of social justice. Through the narratives of Colombian women, the discussion will focus on how their daily efforts strengthen peace and contribute to social reconciliation, playing a crucial role in building a more equitable society.

East African Women share their stories of resilience in the face of adversity

These challenges are multifaceted, including lack of available quality healthcare, economic inequalities, increased need for health education, intertwined with cultural beliefs about abortion and reproductive rights. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach for girls and women of all ages that includes improving healthcare infrastructure, increasing access to skilled doctors and nurses, providing affordable health insurance, enhancing education by dispelling misconceptions and misinformation, and advocating for gender rights to make informed choices about reproductive health. 
This panel will discuss why it is essential to legally empower women to make their own decisions and to provide access to a safe healthcare system. We believe this will improve women’s autonomy and overall health outcomes in the region.

Experiences of women in Brazil and Argentina

This event highlights the work of women in Brazil and Argentina who lead circular economy and sustainability initiatives through cooperatives such as Coopercuc, ASCAMAI and GROW. Coopercuc fosters economic autonomy in Bahia with umbu products, while ASCAMAI preserves the tradition of mangaba harvesting in Sergipe, Brazil, promoting sustainable practices and the economic empowerment of local communities. GROW, in Argentina, promotes diversity and inclusion policies as a basis for sustainability. These initiatives have transformed communities, reinforcing female leadership and promoting fair and sustainable models. The event seeks to inspire similar practices to build an equitable and sustainable future.

Intercultural Exchange from Asia and Africa: Stories of Women’s Empowerment

This groundbreaking collaboration between Servas Asia and Africa highlights inspiring stories of empowerment. Professor SK Song from Korea will explore how intercultural exchange activities empower women and amplify their voices. Lillian Olero, a public primary school teacher from Kenya, will discuss fostering rural women’s leadership through intercultural exchange. David Kabambo, a Tanzania CEO of Peace for Conservation, will share his project- engagement of women in wildlife preservation and promoting equity as a fundamental human value. Finally, Vicky Liu from Taiwan will emphasize the importance of intercultural exchange in breaking down prejudice, enhancing understanding, and fostering peace. 
Intercultural exchange nurtures understanding, confidence, and inspiration, empowering women to lead change in their communities and beyond.

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2024, October | New York

Written Statement for CSW69 to UN Women

This is a written statement that addresses Beijing +30 from Servas International perspective as an NGO focused on peacebuilding.  

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2024, March | New York

UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)

Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

This three-page statement focuses on women and poverty and highlights three specific areas where women are most vulnerable: in food production, natural disasters, and armed conflict.

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2024, March | Online

Women, poverty and discrimination

In today’s world almost 700 million live in extreme poverty. Out of these 383 million are women and girls and 19% of them are extremely poor and are from the marginalised and vulnerable nomadic and indigenous community. Women from these communities are often confronted with discrimination, malnutrition, lack of access to basic services like electricity, safe drinking water, sanitation, decent housing, education and health facilities. In line with the overall objectives of CSW68 the plight of these groups from India and Mexico will be deliberated and essential alleviation measures to improve the well-being and living conditions would be elaborated.

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Indigenous nations of U.S. and Canada
Poverty sources, solutions and collective vision.

Speakers:

• Elder Philomene Stevens of the lethka Stoney Nakoda Nation
• Denisa Livingston of Dine Nation
• Baabiitaw Boyd of Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Nation

Live streamed on March 18, 2024 at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

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Empowering Taiwan's womens independent economic abilities through lifelong learning programs

Speakers:

Vicky Wenchi Liu, Executive Director of the elderly learning center, Servas Taiwan
Shuh- Jen Sheu, Professor at the College of Nursing in National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Jojo Chihua Jen, National Secretary of Servas Taiwan

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2023, May 7 | Online

How Servas International is connected to and participates in the United Nations.

Servas Canada hosted a teleconference event to explain how Servas International is connected to and participates in the United Nations. The event looked at SI's involvement in the UN's Commission on the Status of Women conference (CSW67) held in March 2023, and included reflections by Servas Canada members Julie Cormack and Kent Macaulay and Servas US members Rachel-Elion Baird and Natalie Petersen. Servas attendees from 14 countries discussed and offered suggestions for expanding Servas’ participation in future UN conferences and programs.

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2023, March 13 | Online

UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67)

"Women and Girl's Access to Education in Afghanistan and Türkiye. Servas International Peace School", a presentation that was given at the United Nations 67th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meetings on March 13, 2023.

Education is a fundamental right, but in many parts of the world women and girls are deprived of this basic human right. Some governments (like the Taliban in Afghanistan) impose significant restrictions on women and girls that limit their choices and their freedoms; this silences them. The Servas International Peace School near Antakya, Turkey, offers a special educational opportunity to build goodwill and cultural understanding between local adults (and especially children) and Servas visitors. Today technology has a global reach; let us use this strategy to bring and expand educational opportunities to those who need it the most. Women and girls are tomorrow’s leaders; they deserve to be heard, not forgotten.

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Contact: @email

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