With almost 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 115 countries on five continents.
BPW International has General Consultative Status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1947 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.
Connection to BPW Calgary and BPW Canada:
BPW Calgary and BPW Canada Past President Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla occupied a seat on the BPW International Board (2021-2024) and was Taskforce Chairperson for “Women Migrants and Global Citizenship” (2018-2020), first ever taskforce set up at the international level in this area. She was reappointed as Taskforce Chairperson in the following triennium (2021-2024). This taskforce was renamed to “Immigration and Global Citizenship”. During her first term, she submitted an international resolution on “Skills Development for Migrant Women and Recognition of their Foreign Credentials” to respond to the global pandemic. This resolution was passed at the General Assembly during the 30th Congress of BPW International. In her second term she submitted an international resolution to “Expand Humanitarian Pathways to Address Modern Trends in Human Mobility”. This resolution was passed at the General Assembly during the 31st Congress of BPW International. Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla was recipient of the President’s Award presented to her in 2024 by the then President Dr. Catherine Bosshart from Switzerland.
Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla, JD and Dr. Catherine Bosshart, Saanenmoser Switzerland, 2024.
For more information, visit BPW-International.org