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WSC 104th Annual Meeting Report

The YWCA World Service Council’s March 13 meeting at the Armenian Cultural Center was a gathering of WSC members as well as YWCA delegates in New York for UNCSW. A decision to hold the annual meeting during the UN Commission on the Status of Women hearings resulted in a reunion of sisterhood from across the globe, creating the perfect environment for networking and sharing of ideas.

World-YWCA-General-Secretary-Casey-Harden-and-YWCA-USA-CEO-Margaret-Mitchel — World YWCA General Secretary Casey Harden and YWCA USA CEO Margaret Mitchell

Former-General-Secretary-of-YWCA-Taiwan-Ping-Lee-Annual-meeting-Co-Chair-Doris-Pagelkopf-Joelle-Logue — Former General Secretary of YWCA Taiwan Ping Lee, Annual meeting Co-Chair Doris Pagelkopf, Joelle Logue

Co-chairs Gloria Chun Hoo and Tycely Williams welcomed attendees, thanked Doris Pagelkopf and Mildred Morrison for coordinating the meeting and acknowledged YWCA staff for their assistance. Gloria reported that the WSC had contributed $100,000 to the World YWCA’s Goal of 2035 toward engaging and training young women in 2024. She paid tribute to longtime WSC member Doris Salah who passed away last year. Doris had been an extraordinary leader, mentor and a cornerstone of YWCA Palestine where she served as General Secretary for four decades. In addition, Gloria introduced Robyn Cousin as a new member of the executive committee.

The meeting was turned over to YWCA leaders who addressed new initiatives to advance our ongoing fight for equity in the United States, especially under the threat of patriarchal fascism here and abroad.

YWCA USA CEO Margaret Mitchell spoke about a data collecting initiative that will be instrumental in the goal of reaching Wealth Justice. A survey has been sent to 2000 women with another 2000 that will be sent to help determine the economic status of those served by the YWCA. Margaret said this will result in a shift of service delivery models based on the findings of financial trauma and systemic barriers that women and girls face. Survey results will target impacts and measure societal norms that will develop new national and local dashboard views of the economic well -being of women served by the YWCA, thereby enabling the YWCA to tell their stories backed up by an economic evaluation. Margaret said, “the data will be “qualifiedly, quantifiably and undeniably impactful,” in telling the story of YWCA’s return on investment prompting corporations, grantors, local and state governments, etc. to meet the needs required for wealth justice. Margaret estimates every dollar received by the YWCA increases in value to $31 dollars of economic assistance.

World YWCA General Secretary Casey Harden had some statistics of her own regarding gender justice, referring to the 2035 goal of 100 million women and girls in the process of transforming power structures. She said, “with ten years into this effort, the World YWCA has reached 74 million, 35 of which identifying as young women.” She stressed that we cannot let the rest of the women hanging as we face fascism in the United States which has affected so many other countries. She pointed out the devastating consequences of USAID being withdraw in countries where women and children need it the most. The YWCA of Rwanda had depended on 98% of USAID funding for the welfare of women and children. They are crippled in their work now.

Luna-Lee-with-WSC-Co-Chair-Gloria-Chun-Hoo — Luna Lee with WSC Co-Chair Gloria Chun Hoo

WSC-2025-The-YWCA-World-Council-Executive-Committee — The YWCA World Council Executive Committee

Casey said it is time for a Call to Action, for global agents like the World Service Council to step up, expand their mission and reach. The World YWCA sees the WSC as a model for other countries to adopt in order to create a Global Solidarity Fund -one that seeks out women of wealth, women’s foundations and corporations led by women. While the World YWCA’s focus has been on young women which the WSC has strongly supported, a new toolkit has been created to increase more intergenerational ways of work. The World YWCA will introduce the Intergenerational Toolkit on World YWCA Day April 24, based on the premise that leadership is built on those who mentor others. Like power structures that grow from private to community, tomorrow’s leaders grow from experienced and inspirational women who mentor them.

Casey has said many times that stories can mobilize a movement, and we learned that firsthand from two young women who have risen to leadership positions at the World YWCA. Emma Grzechnik Mork is a board member from YWCA/YMCA Sweden whose journey was ignited by mentors who pushed her to seek leadership positions. In a summer camp she attended, she became a camp counselor and then camp director. Ay age 19 she traveled to Zambia for YMCA/YWCA Sweden and at 23 became national board president. She commented that while gender equity is good in Sweden, many young women lack self-esteem. YWCA helps young women overcome those esteem issues by lifting them up and teaching leadership skills.

Teeraporn (Jah) Sutakul, the young women’s country lead for Rise Up! in Thailand, said she was tricked by a best friend to join Rise Up in the first place. After training, Casey encouraged her to lead the initiative there despite the culture of older women leading. For Jah, Rise up changed her life by helping her overcome her fears, take risks and offering safe spaces to grow.

Before closing, Joelle Logue offered heartfelt messages from former WSC Chair Joyce Mims and longtime member Elaine Carlson. WSC’s meeting was one of the best attended in recent years, and the executive committee has decided that future annual meetings will be held in conjunction with UNCSW.