Associated Country Women of the World


The Associated Country Women of the World is the largest international organization for both rural and urban women, with a membership of nine million in over 70 countries. ACWW holds a triennial conference and publishes a magazine, The Countrywoman, four times a year.

Brief History

Late 19th Century – rural women's groups were set up independently. Communication between groups enabled more country women to come together in friendship and work towards similar goals.
London April 1929 – first International Conference of Rural Women – 46 women from 24 countries attended four-day conference.
Vienna 1930 – conference decision by the International Council of Women to form a 'Liaison Committee' of rural women's organizations.
Stockholm 1933 – the committee became the Associated Country Women of the World .
In 2013, ACWW-affiliated groups around the world celebrated the 80th anniversary of their founding. The British Columbia Women's Institutes marked the occasion with an article by WI Historian, Ruth Fenner. This followed her biography of founder, Mrs Alfred Watt.
August 17–23, 2016 a conference at the University of Warwick. The next triennial conference will be in Melbourne, April 4-10, 2019.

Mission

ACWW funds projects in the following areas:
Through projects in rural communities, ACWW aims to improve the standard of living for all women and their families in the following areas:
ACWW also advocates for rural women and their families through its links with the UN. In addition to its special consultative status with UNESCO, ACWW is a member of the following UN groups:
ACWW is a founding organization of the Alliance for Health Promotion and a member of the NGO Group on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.