Young Women's Christian Association

The Young Women's Christian Association ( YWCA ; German  Christian Association of Young Women ) is a worldwide movement. The World YWCA (World Federation of Christian Associations of Young Women) consists of 122 national associations and is based in Geneva . Around 25 million women and girls worldwide take part in YWCA activities. It is therefore the largest ecumenical women's organization in the world.

Emergence

The YWCA was created in Great Britain in 1855 under the influence of the industrial revolution and based on the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) . The founding wives were Emma Robarts and Mary Jane Kinnaird . In fast-growing London , the YWCA was committed to providing safe housing, educational opportunities, networking and Bible study opportunities for women. The YWCA quickly spread to other cities and countries, so that in 1894 the World YWCA was founded. The YWCA took a pioneering role in the work to empower women and in raising awareness of women's issues.

activities

In over 22,000 local groups around the world, women are committed to making their world a better place. The YWCA wants to achieve cultural, economic, political, religious and social justice for girls and women and promote women as leaders and decision-makers ( empowerment ). The current priorities of the World Federation are:

• Health promotion for women against HIV / AIDS
• Human rights of women and children
• Peace in the world through more justice
• Sustainable development

The local groups have different orientations:

• In Great Britain the organization has been called Platform 51 since the end of 2010 to 2013 , as Christianity no longer plays a role in the organization. Since August 2013 the organization has been called Young Women's Trust
• As a member of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, the YWCA in the USA is campaigning for stricter gun controls.
• In Switzerland the YWCA was widespread as a Christian Association of Young Women (CVJF) until it merged with the CVJM to form Cevi Switzerland.

See also

• Christian Association of Young People

Web links

• Official website (international)
• German YWCA eV
• Young Women's Trust (YWCA England & Wales)
• Platform 51 (Japanese)
• Archives of the Swiss National Association of Christian Associations of Young Women AGoF 140 in the finding aids of the Gosteli Foundation, archive on the history of the Swiss women's movement

Individual evidence

1. ^ Platform 51 Center Closures, Young Women's Trust website.