Across the world thousands of Soroptimists marked International Women’s Day with hundreds of activities and events on and around 8 March 2013. In some countries just gathering like this puts their lives at risk. Events highlight the economic, political and social achievements of women, and raise awareness of work still to be done to build a better world for women and girls.

This year the focus for Soroptimists is “Peace and Ending Violence Against Women” because of all the recent atrocities against women particularly in Pakistan and India and because the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women this year in March (CSW 57) has a theme of violence against women.

On Friday 8 March, several Kidderminster Soroptimists joined members from Midland Clubs, Worcester & Malvern, Stourbridge, Leamington & Warwick and Solihull together with Worcester Women’s Institute on the bridges in Gheluvelt Park, Worcester to celebrate International Women’s Day. A special mention was made of Malala Yousafzai who is continuing to campaign for the education of young girls in her home country, Pakistan.

On Saturday 9 March, members from 12 Midlands Clubs met in Birmingham to mark this day and heard from Shaheen Ali, Professor at Warwick University Law School. Shaheen spoke about growing up in the Swat Valley in Pakistan with a family who educated their daughters. At aged 5 she was engaged to her first cousin and married at 18. Her husband then sent her to Law School in Peshawar where she was one of three women amongst 300 students. She campaigned to open doors for women at the Law School and now women outnumber the men as students. Shaheen also campaigned for women’s toilets and family planning during her time as a minister in the local provincial cabinet where she was the first women to serve. She provided us all with an insight into how one woman can make a difference and improve the lives of other women and children.

For more details regarding the activities and membership of the Club, please email on kidderminstersorop@gmail.com or look at our website link on www.sigbi.org