Soroptimist International is a world -wide service organisation which provides dynamic opportunities to transform the lives and status of women and girls. We work on projects to EDUCATE, EMPOWER & ENABLE women and girls, observing these five objectives – PEOPLE – PLANET – PROSPERITY – PARTNERSHIPS – PEACE.
This is Programme Action. Each Soroptimist Club identifies the needs of local, national and international communities and establishes projects to address these needs. Clubs are able to network globally and form international partnerships.
Programme Action is the most important aspect of the organisation as without it there would be no excitement, no action and no fulfilment of our aims and objectives. Our projects link to one or more of the Programme Focus areas which are:
- Food Security and Health
- Learning Opportunities
- Economic Empowerment
- Environmental Sustainability
- Violence and Conflict Resolution
Every four years, an International Programme is developed which 
concentrates more directly on one of the above areas. For the 2019-2021 project, SI President Sharon Fisher has selected The Road to Equality, which aims to advance the human rights and equality of women and girls through empowerment and education. Gender Equality is a cross cutting issue and women and girls are at the centre.
The projects listed in this section include some of the local, national and international projects in which SI Southport are currently involved.
Soroptimist International Southport is actively participating in the following projects:
Don McMath Foundation School – sponsorship of four girls at the school
‘Smalls for All’ – recycling key items of underwear to women
Supporting Sefton Women’s and Children’s Aid (SWACA)
Plus our Federation Appeal 2019 – 2021: THE ROAD TO EQUALITY
The Appeal will target some of the worst causes of inequality and learn the root causes, hear stories from those who are in the “fight” for change and develop our voices to become advocates. SI President Sharon Fisher states, “Change comes when enough people are talking and if you know the topic and you tell one person and they tell one person and they tell one person until so many are talking about something it cannot be ignored. “To this end, President Sharon hopes to use seminars, webinars, networking partnerships, our networks of neighbours, friends and family and our lived experiences to turn up the volume on the Rights of Women and Girls as we learn about the different areas of the appeal: FGM, Child Marriage, Domestic Violence, Migration, Sex Trafficking, and the Rights of Older Women.
And a new ‘Road to Equality’ project – Making Masks
Soroptimists around the world have leapt into action in light of the global pandemic, supporting local communities and those facing increased physical, mental, and financial challenge.The very inequalities addressed in The Road to Equality SI President’s Appeal are exacerbated by the pandemic. We are witnessing increasing threats to the safety of women and girls – domestic violence, human trafficking, FGM and child marriage, with many older women facing the crisis alone, and refugee women lacking access to adequate healthcare and sanitation facilities.
We have observed how Soroptimists are stitching and crafting, making masks and other protective equipment such as gowns, face shields and more, for themselves, for friends, for their communities and for those on the frontline.