Promoting United Nations goals with ACWW
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organisation promoting international co-operation. Established in 1945 after World War II, the UN started with 51 member states (now 193) and its primary goal was to prevent conflict.
Its objectives have changed over the years and include maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.
QCWA and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
QCWA Branch members demonstrate support for UN objectives by observing and celebrating designated UN days, years, or decades, such as UN International Women’s Day (8th March), UN International Rural Women’s Day (15 October), and UN International Day of Peacekeepers (29 May).
The QCWA is currently focused on the UN Decade of Family Farming (2019-2029).
Branches and Divisions host International functions and events, which helps to raise funds to support QCWA International projects, particularly in the South Pacific Area.
ACWW membership allows individual members to submit Resolutions of international interest to, and attend, the ACWW Triennial World Conference. Member societies adopt ACWW policies passed at the World Conference and South Pacific Area Conference, and advocate for change at own State and Federal Government levels.
At 2019 QCWA State Conference in Maryborough, ACWW Resolutions reflecting UN’s sustainable development goals that were adopted as QCWA Policies included:
- Ensuring the wise use and protection of the shared marine environment, to protect the sustainability of coral reefs and fish stocks for future generations. Goal 14: Life Below Water
- Regulating the use of plastics in packaging and manufacturing processes to reduce the impact of discarded plastic on the environment. Goal 13: Climate Action
- Developing and implementing strategies for the prevention of domestic violence. Goal 5: Gender equality
- Identifying and reducing specific drivers of insect pollinator decline, develop agricultural pollinator-friendly practices, and promote greater public awareness of the role of insect pollination in global food production. Goal 15: Life on the Land
- Increasing funding to:
a) Educate medical practitioners and alert all communities about the identification, treatment, and prevention of Q Fever, and
b) Implement a scheme to subsidise vaccination programmes to prevent Q Fever.
Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
- Raising the standard of living by providing safe and secure access to toilet facilities of rural women and their families, by including special and appropriate facilities for people with disabilities, serious illnesses and the elderly. Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.
- Striving for gender sensitive health care. Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, Goal 10: Reduced Inequality
It is through the membership of Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) that the QCWA contributes more broadly to the UN’s goals.
ACWW and the UN
- Holds consultative status with UN economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
- ACWW is committed to achievement of SDGs including climate change, economic equality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace, and justice.
- ACWW UN Committee is formed of interested ACWW Members and reports and communicates to the Board on current UN issues. ACWW UN Committee Chairman is elected and a Board Member of ACWW.
- The ACWW UN Chariman publishes reports and presents updates on projects in ACWW The Countrywoman magazine.
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