Home|||עברית
WIZO Departments
Public Affairs, UN & NGO Department
Chairperson: Celia Michonik
38 David Ha'melech Blvd.
Tel Aviv 64237		 Tel: 972-3-608-9242/1
Fax: 972-3-608-9240
Email: pa_ngo@wizo.org
 Celia Michonik, Chairperson, Public Affairs, UN & NGO Department
Celia Michonik
WIZO Public Affairs, UN & NGO Department

The Public Affairs Department serves as the informational and diplomatic arm of World WIZO and bears consultative status in such UN bodies as ECOSOC and UNICEF.  With focus on putting member Federations worldwide in touch with Israeli news and views as well as WIZO's position within that framework, the main purpose of our department is to forward the  international Jewish women's lobby in order to combat discrimination and the persecution of Jews globally.  With active representation at the UN, we aim to promote the Israeli perspective and ultimately counter anti-Semitism/ Zionism. This Department is also dedicated to advancing the status of women and applies efforts into defending the rights of women as well as young girls and children in Israel and beyond.

Our services

The Public Affairs Department compiles information to be distributed to WIZO federations on issues related to current events in Israel as well as WIZO activities. It also reports on the Jewish World, namely global anti-Semitism/Zionism, racism, and Jewish Education.

WIZO representatives regularly attend a range of UN programs and meetings, which include:

 Meetings for the UN Commission on the Status of Women held annually in New York.
 Briefings of the UN Department of Public Information for the Community of Non Governmental Organizations.
 Meetings of the Human Rights Commission.

WIZO at the United Nations and its role as an NGO

WIZO's activities at the United Nations began in 1959 when WIZO received an invitation from the Secretary General of the UN to accept consultative status with UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) because of the very specialized work that WIZO was carrying out on behalf of children.

The following year, WIZO received consultative status with ECOSOC (Economic and Social Committee of the UN). Such status has enabled WIZO to participate in UN governmental conferences.  Until recently, WIZO was the only Zionist organization with ECOSOC status at the UN.

WIZO has permanent representation at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, as well as Geneva and Vienna.

Through its representation, WIZO makes great efforts to defend the equality of women in Israel by working to ensure the implementation of the objectives of the 'Platform for Action'- Beijing 1995.

The UN conferences against Racism

WIZO was represented by 6 delegates at the NGO & Governmental Conferences held in Durban, South Africa in August/ September 2001.

Recent Attendance to UN conferences:

52nd UN Commission on the Status of Women: Financing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. New York- March 2008.Click here for Report.

61st Annual NGO/DPI Conference: Reaffirming Human Rights for All: The Universal Declaration at 60. Paris – September 2008.

WIZO Representation in Europe

The European Council of WIZO Federations (ECWF) serves as a representative body at leading European events. Since 1992, WIZO has been an integral part of the European Women's Lobby.  WIZO also sends delegates to the European Council.

Representation within other International Organizations

WIZO is represented on the Israel National Committee for UNICEF and is involved with UN linked agencies.

WIZO is a member of the International Alliance of Women (IAW) and is represented on its Board and Executive.  The IAW is a worldwide NGO working for the status of women across all continents with special projects in Asia and Africa.

WIZO also supported the initiative of opening a branch of the international network; Business and Professional Women (BPW).


Various articles by the Public Affairs Department
 
 WIZO, the Women's International Zionist Organization, is a non-party international movement dedicated to the advancement of the status of women, welfare of all sectors of Israeli society and encouragement of Jewish education in Israel and the Diaspora.
 WIZO is an international movement of Zionist women, founded in England in 1920. Today, there are over a quarter of a million volunteers in 50 Federations throughout the world, working actively for the welfare of the citizens of Israel and providing help and support in the operation of hundreds of education and welfare projects and services.