International Council of Women facts for kids

The International Council of Women (ICW) is a worldwide group of women's organizations. They work together across different countries to support and advocate for women's rights.

The ICW was started in March and April 1888 in Washington D.C.. Many women leaders came together for this event. There were 80 speakers and 49 representatives from 53 women's groups. These groups came from 9 countries: Canada, the United States, Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark, France, and Norway.

Women from different fields joined, including professional groups, trade unions, arts groups, and charity organizations. National councils from various countries are part of the ICW. This allows them to share their voices on a global scale. The ICW also works closely with the United Nations. It has special status with important UN groups like ECOSOC, ILO, FAO, WHO, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNCTAD, and UNIDO.

Highlighted countries have local organizations affiliated with ICW.

How the ICW Started

The idea for a global women's organization began in 1882. Two American women who fought for women's voting rights, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, visited Europe. They talked about this idea with other reformers in several countries.

When they returned home, the National Woman Suffrage Association helped organize the first ICW meeting. This meeting took place in Washington, D.C., on March 25, 1888. It was also a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention. This was the very first meeting about women's rights.

Rachel Foster Avery helped plan many details of this first meeting. Susan B. Anthony led eight of the sixteen sessions. At this meeting, the ICW created its rules. They decided to hold national meetings every three years and international meetings every five years.

Millicent Garrett Fawcett from England was chosen as the first president. However, she decided not to take the role.

In its early years, the United States helped pay for many of the organization's costs. Membership fees from U.S. members made up a big part of the budget. Most meetings were held in Europe or North America. The ICW used three official languages: English, French, and German. This made it harder for women from non-European countries to join. The ICW also did not strongly push for women's suffrage (the right to vote). This was to avoid upsetting more traditional members.

By 1899, the Council began to work on more important issues. They formed a committee focused on peace and solving international problems. Soon, other committees were created. Through these, the ICW started working on many topics, from voting rights to health.

The Twentieth Century

In 1904, at the ICW meeting in Berlin, a new group was formed. This group, called the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, focused specifically on women's right to vote. The ICW held congresses in Toronto, Canada, in 1909, and in Rome in 1914. The 6th Congress was in Kristiania, Norway, in 1920. Later, meetings were held in Washington, D.C. (1925) and Vienna (1930). In 1936, the ICW held a joint meeting with the National Council of Women in India in Calcutta. Meetings were stopped during World War II.

In 1925, the ICW formed its first partnership, called the Joint Standing Committee of the Women's International Organisations. This group worked to get women appointed to the League of Nations. By 1931, the League of Nations created a Women's Consultative Committee on Nationality. This committee looked at women's rights and nationality when they married men from other countries. Two more partnerships were formed in 1931: the Liaison Committee and the Peace and Disarmament Committee. The ICW updated its rules in 1936. The ICW worked with the League of Nations in the 1920s and with the United Nations after World War II.

By 1938, 36 national councils were part of the ICW. It had become one of the most well-known and respected international women's organizations.

World War II caused many problems for the Council's work. Some national councils stopped working completely. In others, leaders and organization were disrupted. In 1946, the ICW met in Philadelphia to restart its efforts. They wanted to bring back their unity. The conference released a statement that spoke out against war and all crimes against humanity. They also demanded a bigger role for women in national and international affairs.

The ICW Today

Since 1947, the ICW has a special status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This is the highest level of recognition an organization can get at the United Nations. Today, the ICW includes 70 countries and has its main office in Paris. International meetings are held every three years.

International Meetings

The International Council of Women has held many important meetings over the years. Here are some of them:

• 1888: Washington, D.C. (First Meeting)
• 1894: Berlin
• 1899: London
• 1904: Berlin
• 1909: Toronto
• 1914: Rome
• 1920: Kristiania
• 1925: Washington, D.C.
• 1930: Vienna
• 1933: Chicago
• 1936: Kolkata, organized with the National Council of Women in India
• 1946: Philadelphie
• 2006: Kyiv
• 2009: Johannesburg
• 2015: Seoul
• 2015: Izmir
• 2018: Yogyakarta
• 2022: Avignon

Affiliated Councils

Many national women's councils are part of the ICW.

• The National Council of Women of the United States was founded in 1888 at the first ICW meeting.
• The National Council of Women of Canada was founded in 1893.
• The National Council of French Women was created in 1901.
• The National Council of Italian Women was formed in 1903.
• The National Council of Belgian Women started in 1905.
• The first National Council of Women of Australia was set up in 1931. This helped coordinate state groups that existed before Australia became a federation.

See Also

In Spanish: Consejo Internacional de Mujeres para niños

• List of women's organizations
• Mapping the World of Women's Information Services