Our Vision

Graduate Women International (GWI) advocates for women’s rights, equality and empowerment through access to quality secondary and tertiary education, and training up to the highest levels. Our vision is 100% of girls and women in the world achieving education beyond primary school.

We have national affiliates in 60 countries and individual members in more than 40 others. Join our international advocacy and grant programmes and learn how you can become part of an international network of women working for change.

 

Mission

Graduate Women International (GWI), founded in 1919 as the International Federation of University (IFUW), is a worldwide, non-governmental organisation of women graduates, whose purpose is to:

• Promote lifelong education for women and girls;
• Promote international cooperation, friendship, peace and respect for human rights for all, irrespective of their age, race, nationality, religion, political opinion, gender and sexual orientation or other status;
• Advocate for the advancement of the status of women and girls; and
• 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.

 

To achieve these aims, GWI shall:

• Represent and advocate the views of graduate women in international fora;
• Enable graduate women to use their expertise to effect change at all levels;
• Provide an interdisciplinary approach to issues; and
• Promote cooperation, networking, support and understanding among graduate women.

 

Our members volunteer their expertise in a wide-range of community projects, for example:

• Literacy, financial literacy and vocational training programmes;
• Mentoring and workshops to promote girls and women’s skills and learning;
• Programmes to promote women up to the highest levels; and
• Campaigns to increase women’s awareness of their rights.