Chapter Three
International
After beginning this third chapter with a brief synopsis of AAUW national office’s role in international issues we explore AAUW of Wisconsin’s involvement with three international initiatives.
AAUW has played a distinguished role in international affairs throughout its history. AAUW national office awarded its first International Fellowship in 1917 and cofounded the International Federation of University Women (IFUW) in 1919. AAUW has maintained a representative to the United Nations since 1946, following issues such as rights of women and girls, poverty and development, education, women in peacekeeping, women and globalization, women and environment, HIV/AIDS and health issues, trafficking/sexual exploitation, early marriage, female genital cutting, older women, impact of national budgets on women, and gender imbalance in U.N. agencies and on government delegation.
During the decade of this history supplement AAUW of Wisconsin has been involved in international activities including the IFUW, the Central Asia Institute (CAI), and Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners (W/NP). However the international chair position on the Wisconsin state board remained vacant for all but two years. The position was filled in 2005 with the appointment of Wilma Carol LaBelle AAUW Milwaukee Branch (2005-6) and again for one year by Nina Albanese-Kotar AAUW Eau Claire (2008-9).
International Federation of University Women (IFUW)
In 2004, when AAUW voted to withhold its dues from the International Federation of University Women (IFUW), the international organization was made up of women university graduates from 78 national federations and associations and had 150,000 members in 77 countries. AAUW helped to found the IFUW after the First World War in 1919. When an individual joined AAUW, they automatically became a member of IFUW. The IFUW brought to AAUW international advocacy, international connections, and global impact. AAUW had been a supporting member since IFUW’s inception and contributed approximately 40% of its operating budget.
In 2004 “The Association Board made the difficult decision to eliminate our annual $200,000 IFUW dues from the 2004-05 budget based solely on our financial situation, not on the value of IFUW and our involvement with it,” reports Great Lakes Regional Director Pam Thiel in a Spring 2005 Badger Brief article. Thiel goes on to say, “However, AAUW remains committed to working internationally on women’s issues and continuing efforts around the world.”
AAUW of Wisconsin and the IFUW: IFUW’s 27th Triennial Conference, Globalization: Connections through Education was held August 10-17, 2001 in Ottawa, Canada. Sixteen AAUW of Wisconsin women attend including two who play special roles on the program: Ronni Nivala, AAUW North Shore Milwaukee Branch, state convention co-chair attends as one of AAUW’s official delegates to IFUW. Dr. Lucy Harvey, AAUW Wausau Branch, presents a workshop on Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners (W/NP).
While no AAUW of Wisconsin attend the the event, noteworthy is that at IFUW’s 28th Triennial Conference held August 4-10, 2004 in Perth, Australia, U.S. attendees express concern about AAUW’s financial picture leading to its decision earlier in the year to withhold IFUW dues for 2005.
AAUW of Wisconsin and the Dutch Association of University Women (VVAO): AAUW of Wisconsin maintains a relationship with the Dutch Association of University Women (VVAO) through periodic visits for more than a decade beginning in 1992. VVAO members visit Wisconsin prior to the IFUW Triennial Conference in Palo Alto, California in 1992 and make a return visit to Wisconsin in 1996. Between those years, in 1994, AAUW of Wisconsin members make their first visit to the Netherlands.
The visits continue during the decade covered by this history supplement when ten AAUW of Wisconsin members travel to the Netherlands and are hosted in the homes of local VVAO branch members from May 4-16, 2003 . On May 10, seven Canadian women join 45 Dutch women and the ten Wisconsin women for a VVAO sponsored International Seminar on the effect of an aging society on the IFUW.
AAUW: Women in Society Delegation to Israel: AAUW of Wisconsin leader Marian Seagren Hall joins nearly 20 other AAUW delegates and their guests in traveling to Israel from October 3-11, 2010 as a delegate to AAUW: Women in Society. The delegation is planned and implemented by AAUW Executive Director Linda Hallman and Israeli women leaders. The goal was is increase understanding and relations between AAUW and women leaders and organizations in Israel particularly in education, health care, government, and culture. Marian Seagren Hall (AAUW Wausau Branch) and her husband Bill Hall, who attends as a guest, are the only two Wisconsinites in the delegation.
Central Asia Institute (CAI) Project
In 2007 AAUW of Wisconsin state board launches a new international project
that supports the Central Asia Institute (CAI) and its mission of educating girls in the remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Greg Mortensen, AAUW Bozeman (MT) Branch member, coauthor with David Oliver Relin of Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace and Build Nations…One School at a Time (2006) is a main speaker at AAUW national convention in Arizona in 2008.
Greg’s mother Dr. Jerene Mortensen, former elementary school principal founded the Pennies for Peace movement at a River Falls, Wisconsin elementary school. Jerene presents at our AAUW of Wisconsin 2008 spring convention to encourage local branches to support CAI.
Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners (W/NP) Honors AAUW of Wisconsin
In 2000 AAUW of Wisconsin is honored by Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners (W/NP) with a Citation Award for our collaboration and assistance in project development. W/NP is a not-for-profit, non-political organization working to enhance quality of life in both Wisconsin and Nicaragua. The award is given at W/NP’s 35th anniversary celebration. Branches from across the state regularly collect materials, equipment, and money to support the Learning Center Project in Nicaragua. This is a network of 47 rural training centers where women, men, and teens gain technical and business skills to provide employment, self-sufficiency, and empowerment.
AAUW of Wisconsin and W/NP, together with other local, state, and national partners, sponsored the Wisconsin Women Care Conference on April 28, 2001 in Stevens Point.
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