A quick snapshot of the most important issues for the World YWCA:


HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is the largest global emergency to face women and girls in our lifetime

HIV/AIDS infection rates among women are rising disproportionately to men in every region of the world. The issue of HIV/AIDS is strongly linked to the issues of violence against women and women's sexual and reproductive health and rights.

When HIV/AIDS affects women, it affects entire families and communities, including millions of children who are left orphaned and vulnerable. Since 1999, the World YWCA has mobilised women and girls in local communities to respond to HIV and AIDS. YWCAs in over 70 countries have developed a solid base of programs that address HIV/AIDS at different levels. 

World YWCA promotes male and female condom programming as part of the solution to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In Australia female condoms are only available online.

» Find out more about female condoms


Peace and justice

Peace is a prerequisite for achieving equality between women and men

Close to 90 per cent of current war casualties are civilians, the majority of whom are women and children.  Women and children also make up an estimated 80 per cent of the 50 million refugees and displaced people world wide.

Women are, however, underrepresented in peacekeeping, peace building and post conflict reconstruction, and as a result these efforts are often blind to the needs of women and girls.

YWCAs across the world provide shelter, protest against war, support women in conflict areas and urge women's participation in democracy and conflict resolution.


Sustainable development

There cannot be a sustainable future while huge numbers of women and girls live in poverty

Sustainable development seeks to balance environmental protection, healthy economic growth and social equity. Ending poverty is one of the most pronounced problems for creating a sustainable future. 

Women and girls are a clear priority as they are 70% of the world’s estimated 1.3 billion people living in poverty, two thirds of the one billion illiterate adults, and two thirds of the 130 million children who are not in school. 


Human Rights

Women's rights are human rights

All human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.

Their full and equal enjoyment by women and girls is a priority for the World YWCA, and is essential for the advancement of women.