About Us
ABOUT CFUW ABOUT CFUW ST. JOHN’S ABOUT IFUW / GWI
About Graduate Women International (GWI) formerly called IFUW
The International Federation of University Women (IFUW), an international, non-profit organization of women graduates, was founded in 1919 by women who believed in the importance of working together for peace, international understanding and friendship. It is now known as Graduate Women International.
Its mission is to:
- promote lifelong education for women and girls
- promote international cooperation, friendship, peace and respect for human rights for all, irrespective of gender, age, race, nationality, religion, political opinion, sexual orientation or other status
- advocate for the advancement of the status of women and girls
- encourage and enable women and girls to apply their knowledge and skills in leadership and decision-making in all forms of public and private life.
GWI provides a global voice for women graduates, working for the adoption and implementation of international agreements that will protect and benefit all women and girls. In this capacity, it has consultative status at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Orgnization (UNESCO) and the Economic and Social Council of the United Stations (ECOSOC) and, since 1947, has the right to send accredited observers to all organs of the United Nations.
Today, there are GWI members in over 120 countries around the world, linking women of all cultures, fields of study, professions and generations. CFUW is the largest and one of the most active of the 61 national affiliates of GWI. All CFUW members are automatically members of GWI.
For more information about our international organization, please go to www.graduatewomen.org or www.ifuw.org