Next Soroptimist International President to be New Zealander

PRESS RELEASE: Next Soroptimist International President to be New Zealander, Yvonne Simpson

Soroptimist International President Ann Garvie communicated that she is truly delighted to announce the outcome of the election of Soroptimist International President-Elect to Yvonne Simpson from the Federation of the South West Pacific. Yvonne will take up her post on 1st January 2014.

Yvonne Simpson has been a member of SI Westland, New Zealand since 1996. Inspired by a visit to a Soroptimist project in Bosnia in 2004, Yvonne made a strong commitment to actively improve the lives of women and girls. “Soroptimists Educate to Lead” reflects Yvonne’s passion for Soroptimist programme and membership. Her most recent programme work is as SISWP Federation Project Liaison for “Birthing in the Pacific” which addresses the Millennium Development Goal 5 – improving maternal mortality. The project is based in Papua New Guinea and involves providing or supporting training for clinicians, Community Health Workers and Village Birth Attendants. Her vision is for a growing organisation that is dynamic where younger professional women want Soroptimist training and the opportunity to serve through projects that Educate, Enable and Empower.

SI President Ann Garvie, from Scotland, writes:

“I offer you, Yvonne my warmest congratulations, your experience within the organisation and the wealth of your life’s knowledge, will be invaluable to the organisation as we face the global challenges of poverty and injustice.

You have illustrated your strength of leadership globally; few Federation Presidents have had to re-arrange their Federation’s Convention because of the earthquake in your city of Christchurch, you showed initiative and “went by rail”. In addition in partnership with International President Alice you launched the Birthing in the Pacific Appeal, the outcome of which is a credit to Alice, yourself, your Federation and to the global membership..”,

Soroptimist International (SI) is active at the major UN centres in New York, Vienna, Geneva, Paris, Rome and Nairobi holding General Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) who have their HQ in New York and official relations with UNESCO (Paris). In seeking to advance SI programme, SI can be given accreditation with ECOSOC’s agencies and commissions and has the option to join Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) committees set up to work on specific topics or areas of concern. Soroptimist International has accreditation with:- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, since 1960; United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in New York, since 1966; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi; Because SI has General Consultative Status with ECOSOC, SI can apply for official relations with United Nations Specialised Agencies. Soroptimist International has been accepted by:- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Paris, Operational Relations; International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva, Special List; United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in Vienna, Consultative Status; Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Rome, Formal Relations.

Soroptimist International (SI) consists of four federations. New Zealand belongs to Soroptimist International of the South West Pacific (SISWP)

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