Hear Our Voices- We stand up for Women

Following the 84th SIGBI Federation Conference in Bournemouth, it is with great pleasure that I commence my year as National President Soroptimist Republic of Ireland.

I became a member of Soroptimist International Dublin in 2006. Dublin club was chartered in 1938, and through many projects, has a wonderful legacy of working to improve the lives of women and girls, locally and throughout the World. We are like minded women who want to make a difference. Soroptimists work to educate, empower and enable women and girls, including the many vulnerable and dispossessed women in Ireland today. We stand up for women through our programme work of advocacy, raising awareness and action.

Soroptimist International founded in 1921 in California, is the World’s largest women’s service organisation with over 75,000 members across 122 countries. Soroptimist International has consultative status at the United Nations. I had the honour of attending the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN in New York in 2015 with 80 fellow Soroptimists. The Commission which first met in 1947 is the global body dedicated to the promotion of women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Soroptimists have a say in this process. Through our work focused around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) Soroptimists along with other NGOs aim to achieve gender equality by 2030.

My theme for the year ahead is “Hear our Voices”. An important part of our programme work is to help those who are dispossessed to find a voice so that together, we can effect change. We stand up for women including -homeless women and young children, women who are victims of violence, women involved in prostitution, Traveller women, women and girls suffering mental health issues and women in direct provision. We are committed to helping women have an equal voice.

Hear our voices also includes my goal to hear the voices of the members of our 16 clubs around the country and strengthen the 2 way communication between members and our National Association.

Many thanks to you all for your support and good wishes for the year ahead.


National President Catherine
Soroptimist International ROI

What an honour to be President of this amazing organisation.

it is our vision and mission that lies at the heart of who we are. What excites me is the idea that this is even a possibility and that we can work with others with the same intent to make it happen.

My theme is ‘We Stand Up for Women’ My hope is that this can be a platform for us to clearly articulate the difference that we make to the lives of women and girls.

Isobel Smith
SIGBI President 2019-2020

The project target is to raise £105,000 over 3 years to:

• Educate and train 45 girls per year, providing them with education and vocational training, including basic and advanced tailoring skills and a silver jewellery training workshop that can lead to gainful employment and enable them to return to society.
• Create a sustainable 30-bed facility which will act as a safe and secure halfway house, a home during transition and a stepping-stone for these girls. (more...)