About WWSF

 
Introduction
 

What is WWSF?

WWSF, a humanitarian, non-governmental and international, non-confessional and non-profit organization with United Nations consultative status (ECOSOC, UNFPA and DPI), works for a new development paradigm with and for women and children.

Created in Geneva on 8 March 1991 (International Women's Day), its principle objective is to empower women, children and NGOs. WWSF programs serve to help implement women's and children's rights, to generate increased commitment and support for the realization of agreed development goals, and to hold world leaders accountable to their promises made at numerous UN summits and international conferences.

Alerting Governments and civil society organizations to play a more active role in the promotion of and respect for the rights of the child (article 19 and 34 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child), and contributing to the prevention of child abuse, WWSF launched in 2000 the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse, a Day to be commemorated every 19 November in synergy with the anniversary of the International Day for the rights of the child (20 November).

Why was WWSF created?

Recognizing that women and children (girls and boys under the age of 18) represent the world's largest constituency who have almost nothing to say in shaping the economic and political space in which they live, it is imperative that their thoughts and visions, intuitive skills, concrete and effective participation in development, and their deep aspiration for a more peaceful world be considered to help catalyze the necessary political will for the transformation of systems and structures into pathways of equality, development and peace.

What are WWSF programs?

Women's Section:

   Prize for women's creativity in rural life, awarded every year since 1994 to women and women's groups for their creative work to improve the quality of life in rural communities.

   International Day of Rural Women - 15 October -an annual global awareness campaign to increase rural women's knowledge and empowerment.

   Mali Micro Credit Sheep Project - A different way of making your gifts By offering a sheep to raise, you enable a rural family in Mali to have two meals per day. A WWSF project to help implement the United Nations Millennium Development Goals MDGs

Children's Section:

  World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse - 19 November - and an international NGO coalition to mark the Day. Objective: to create a culture of prevention and service as a rallying point for increased effective prevention measures, protection skills and rehabilitation programs.

  Prize for Prevention of Child Abuse Activities, an award to NGOs marking the World Day for innovative and pertinent programs.

   WWSF Clearinghouse for Prevention of Child Abuse and Violence Against Children , (since 2006) a database of Internet links to good practices and innovative prevention measures.

  Signature Card Campaign to make prevention of child abuse a global priority. Add your voice here.

  Youth Engage International - Young people pledge to prevent abuse and violence against children and adolescents. The YouthEngage-International.ch website is in preparation.

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