With 30,000 members globally, The International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International) has become one of the most influential international networks of business and professional women with affiliates in 95 countries in five continents.
BPW has General Consultative Status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and participatory status with the Council of Europe. Its members include influential women leaders, entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, professionals and young career women.
The root of BPW’s advocacy is embedded in the work with the United Nations. BPW lobbied for the formation of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and supported many women’s issues. BPW was awarded a Peace Messenger Certificate from UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar in 1987. Esther Hymer, BPW representative at the UN, was named as one of three women playing a significant role in the work of the UN Commission by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997.
Today, BPW continues its representation at UN Headquarters in New York, Vienna, Geneva; UN regional offices (UNECA, UNECE, UNESCAP, UNESCWA, UNECLAC); UNESCO, UNICEF, ILO, WHO, UNCTAD, UNIDO, FAO, UN DPI; Council of Europe; European Women’s Lobby and continues to work closely with UNIFEM.
BPW Calgary and BPW Canada Past President Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla occupies a seat on the BPW International Board (2021-2024) and was Taskforce Chairperson for Women Migrants and Global Citizenship (2018-2020).
For more information, visit BPW-International.org.