International Council of Women

International Council of Women
Name	International Council of Women
Founded	0 1888
Founders	Susan B. Anthony, May Wright Sewall, Frances Willard
Type	Non-governmental organization
Focus	Women's rights, peace, human rights
Headquarters	Paris, France
Website	https://www.icw-cif.org/

International Council of Women

The International Council of Women (ICW) is one of the oldest international women's organizations, founded in 1888 to promote women's rights and welfare globally. While its primary focus was international, its advocacy for human rights, suffrage, and social justice created ideological and strategic frameworks that influenced activists within the United States, including those in the Civil Rights Movement. The ICW's emphasis on cross-national cooperation and legal equality provided a model for using international pressure and moral authority to advance domestic civil rights causes.

History and founding

The International Council of Women was established in 1888 in Washington, D.C., during a meeting convened by leaders of the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). The founding was spearheaded by prominent American suffragists, including Susan B. Anthony, May Wright Sewall, and Frances Willard. The creation of the ICW was inspired by the success of the World's Congress of Representative Women held in conjunction with the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. Its founding principle was to serve as a unifying body for existing national councils of women, aiming to share information and coordinate action on issues like education, labor rights, and peace. The first permanent headquarters were established in Zurich, and later moved to Paris.

Structure and organization

The ICW is structured as a federation of autonomous National Councils, each representing a coalition of women's organizations within its respective country. The supreme governing body is the Triennial Council meeting, held every three years, where member councils convene to set policy. Day-to-day operations are managed by an elected Board of Officers, including a President and Vice-Presidents. A standing Committee on Civil and Political Rights has been a permanent feature, reflecting the organization's core mission. Major affiliated bodies have included the National Council of Women of the United States and the National Council of Women of Great Britain.

Advocacy and major campaigns

Throughout its history, the ICW has championed a broad platform of reform. Early campaigns focused on securing women's suffrage, improving access to higher education for women, and advocating for protective labor legislation. The organization was a consistent advocate for international peace, participating in the Hague Peace Conferences and later supporting the formation of the League of Nations and the United Nations. In the mid-20th century, its advocacy shifted towards the universal application of human rights, as defined by instruments like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It has held consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council since 1947.

Relationship to the US Civil Rights Movement

The ICW's work intersected with the American Civil Rights Movement primarily through shared principles and overlapping leadership. The ICW's longstanding commitment to equality before the law and its condemnation of racial discrimination provided an international moral framework that U.S. civil rights leaders could reference. Figures like Mary McLeod Bethune, who served as a vice-president of the ICW, bridged both worlds, advocating for African-American rights domestically while promoting anti-colonialism and human rights internationally through the council. The ICW's triennial assemblies often passed resolutions against segregation and apartheid, offering symbolic support and global visibility to the struggle against Jim Crow laws.

Key figures and leadership

Key founding and early leaders included Susan B. Anthony (first Vice-President), May Wright Sewall (first Recording Secretary), and Frances Willard. Later influential presidents included Lady Aberdeen, who led the organization for over two decades, and Annie Jiagge of Ghana, the first African woman to preside over the ICW. American members who played significant roles in both the ICW and domestic social justice movements included educator and activist Mary McLeod Bethune and diplomat Eleanor Roosevelt, who was deeply involved in the ICW's post-World War II human rights work.

Affiliated national councils

The strength of the ICW has always lain in its affiliated National Councils. Key members include the National Council of Women of the United States (founded in 1888), the National Council of Women of Great Britain, the National Council of Women of Canada, and the National Council of Women of India. These councils acted as conduits, bringing ICW resolutions to national audiences and lobbying their respective governments. The National Council of Negro Women, founded by Mary McLeod Bethune, while not a direct affiliate, shared many members and causes with the U.S. National Council, creating a network that linked the ICW's international agenda to the fight for racial equality in America.

Impact and legacy

The International Council of Women's legacy is its pioneering role in creating a sustained, organized international women's movement. It provided a crucial platform for dialogue and strategy-sharing across borders for over a century. Its advocacy helped normalize the concept of women's political participation and contributed to the adoption of women's suffrage worldwide. By consistently framing women's rights as integral to universal human rights, it influenced the development of international law and provided a precedent for later movements, including the Civil Rights Movement, to appeal to global norms against discrimination. The ICW remains active, focusing on contemporary issues like gender-based violence and climate change.