Our special guest speaker at our meeting on Zoom on 9 Nov was the new SIGBI President Johanna Raffan MBE. Johanna is a Member of the Thames Valley Club in the same Region as us – London Chilterns Region. We were really proud when we heard that this was Johanna’s first public engagement since becoming President!
Please scroll down to read a brief biography about Johanna.
Johanna talked to us first about her passion for education – her career leading to her MBE and how important we all know it is as Soroptimists and a key UN Sustainable Development Goal SDG4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
After that she spoke to us about the reason behind her theme for 2020-21 – “We Stand Up for Women – Believe to Achieve” – the purple and gold colours reflect the colours for the centennial of Soroptimists being celebrated this year up to the anniversary in October 2021. Johanna celebrates the work of the Soroptimist organisation with 72000 Members in 121 countries – and urges that all Members must be advocates for Human Rights and equality.
Why did she join Soroptimist International? primarily for the programme action work and then found friendship and fun as a Member – probably similar to many other Members – and all three things are what motivate her to remain a Member. The Programme work of Clubs is the pillar that supports the Membership pillar for recruitment and retention of Members.
Johanna quoted the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres – 31 August 2020 about the increase in Domestic Abuse from COVID-19 “The pandemic is having a disproportionate and devastating social and economic impact on women and girls including already reversing decades of fragile progress and deepening existing inequalities regarding gender inequality.” 70-90% of frontline COVID support and caring is carried out by women and only 8% of heads of state are women. Most research into women’s issues is carried out by men! We need to Build Back Better post-COVID-19. Johanna talked about the shockingly low number of rape cases that get to court, about human trafficking – the economic value of a trifficked woman or girl is £100,000! She then challenged us – Let us play our part in achieving – the goal of “leaving no one behind” and achieving gender equality by 2030 at the latest – working under the 5 Ps of Peace, Planet, People, Prosperity and Partnerships.
Johanna’s outline presentation is here: Johanna Raffan Clubs and Regions v4
Q&A Club Members had lots of questions for Johanna. Her motivation for founding NACE – the National Association for Able Children in Education was the lack of support for gifted children. She has been able to share the expertise developed in the UK around the world. SIGBI biggest challenge is recruitment and retention of Members – Johanna hopes that a combination of online and face to face (blended) meetings for Clubs will help along with some new “virtual” Clubs. Soroptimist International (SI) biggest challenge is to bring the 5 Federations together. There are major changes underway already under International President Sharon Fisher and SIGBI’s Maureen Maguire will follow on from Sharon. The next SI Convention (held every 4 years) will be in Dublin 27-29 July 2023 – see you there!! Most proud as a Soroptimist? The Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank, the Kori Project in Sierra Leone, and the Soroptimist Rose (sold by SI Thames Valley Club).
After Johanna had spoken we heard feedback from the online SIGBI Conference 30-31 Oct which was attended by seven of our Members. This image is a screen grab of this year’s virtual change of insignia ceremony – when Denise Powell officially handed over the Presidency of London Chilterns Region to Helen Byrne.
Our new Member Louise Marron was impressed with the quality of the speakers – Lady Hale, Professor Sue Black, Dr Alison Gardner and Jane Garvey. She also really enjoyed hearing about Soroptimists’ Programme Action work – it enabled her to see the bigger picture of what we do. Sarah Lichman had attended one Conference previously and gave this, the first online Conference, a big thumbs up! Helen Byrne reported that the Federation Programme Action Committee held the day before the conference started had been really interesting – hearing about projects by countries and by programme area – read more about the content here www.sigbi.org/belfast2020/thursday-29-october-2020-fpac The event being held online had meant that many more people attended without paying for travel or accommodation. Denise Powell reported that the opening ceremony showing the flags from all the countries in our Federation moved her as it always does when she attends in person. She said she found the online experience intimate in a good way. Members who had chosen to view Conference with another Member (socially distanced) had enjoyed that experience too. The next SIGBI Conference will be in Llandudno 28-30 Oct 2021 – put a note in your diaries now! www.sigbi.org/llandudno2021
You can click here to read blogs from all of the Conference speakers and find out more www.sigbi.org/belfast2020 The theme this year was “WE STAND UP FOR WOMEN!”
Club’s business was swiftly covered after this and Members were able to chat together on Zoom before the meeting closed.
Johanna Raffan MBE, SIGBI President 2020-21
Johanna became the President of our Federation, Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland, in October having been a Soroptimist for over thirty years and an active member of SI Thames Valley where she is heavily involved in the Club’s Kori project including being Chair of Trustees.
Johanna worked for 34 years in education, 25 of them as a Head Teacher. During this time she developed a passion for educating the very able and was a founding member of the National Association for Able Children in Education (ACE) in 1983 , subsequently being its President and a Founding Director. This work has taken her to more than 30 countries advising teachers on how to recognise and support able pupils and on to provide advice and guidance to 4 countries on policy and strategy. For this amazing contribution Johanna received an MBE for services to Education in 2013.
The theme for SIGBI 2020/21 is We Stand Up for Women! Believe to Achieve – and it uses the purple and gold colours for the Soroptimist International Centenary 2021.
