Soroptimist International is affiliated with many different international projects on club, region and national levels. The following are just some of what SI does. For more information on Soroptimist International projects please go to www.soroptimistinternational.org
Cafe Femenino Project
Soroptimist Friday Harbor has a special project benefiting women in third world countries. Please click on the link in the left column titled Cafe Femenino Coffee Project for more information.
SI President’s Appeal 2009
Every year, on Human Rights Day (December 10) the President of Soroptimist International selects a project that provides direct assistance to women in extreme need. This year the appeal is to prevent human trafficking from Moldova by providing life-skill education and sustainable living conditions for vulnerable children.
The need is in Moldova, a small republic with a population of only 3.5 million people, bordered by Romania and the Ukraine. It remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress in its economy. Largely owing to poverty, Moldova is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation in their own country and Europe.
The project aim to work with boarding schools to support victims of trafficking who have managed to go back to their home country and need support to return to a normal life. Project activities include life skill education, career guidance, health care, dealing with violence at home and communication with public offices.
Soroptimist International project partners are the International Organization of Migration and the Child Rights Information Center Moldova. We need your support! You can mail a donation to Soroptimist – President’s Appeal, Post Office Box 2856, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 or contact President Nancy DeVaux at president@sifri.org
United Nations
Soroptimist International has a voice with the United Nations through the Economic and Social Council. This council oversees UN activities and policies promoting human rights. The ECOSOC provides a means for SI representatives to request council agenda items and contribute to other UN gatherings and seminars. Soroptimist International, along with other councils, divisions, agencies and institutes, work on promoting women’s rights, equality and the empowerment of women worldwide.
Soroptimist International has volunteer representatives at the major UN centers in New York City, Geneva and Paris. For more information go to our international website at www.soroptimistinternational.org and click on the tab ‘What we do’ and then go to United Nations.
