Palestinian Jerusalemite Mira Rizeq elected President of World YWCA, Palestinian Young Woman Selina Abdallah elected Board member

Geneva, November 30, 2023 Mira Rizeq, a Palestinian
from Jerusalem, was re-elected as the President of the World YWCA for a new
term (2023-2027) during the 30th World Council meeting,
which took place both in person at the main headquarters in Geneva,
Switzerland, and virtually from November 27th to December 1st, 2023.
Rizeq, who
previously served as the General Secretary of the YWCA of Palestine from April
2006 until her election as the World YWCA president in 2019, secured the
majority of votes in the elections. Her re-election reaffirms the success she
achieved during her four years as head of the World Board, making her the first
Palestinian to hold this position in the worldwide association's history.
In
addition to Mira Rizeq's re-election, Selina Abdallah, a young Palestinian, was
elected as a member of the World Board, representing the Middle East region. The board comprises 20 women representing eight geographical regions.
The World YWCA is the largest women's association globally, with 100 member associations around the world, representing
approximately 25 million women. The association has representation in the
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The
Palestinian delegation to the World Council meeting was led by the Chairman of
the Board of Directors, Luma Tarazi, and included the General Secretary of the
association, Amal Tarazi, along with members Lana Rabadi, Sandrine Amer, Selina
Abdallah, and Dana Qassis. An observer delegation also participated, including
members Vera Pano, Rabab Musleh, Arda Aghazarian, Ruba Odeh, Mayadah Tarazi,
Lara Khammash, Nidal Abu Al-Zuluf, Manar Sharouf, Yara Abd Rabbo, Juliana
Majrouh, Ekhlas Abu Zir, Lina Rabadi, and Shereen Ajrab.
The YWCA of Palestine
congratulates the former General Secretary, Mira Rizeq, on her re-election as
the president of World YWCA and Selina Abdallah on her election to the World board.
“These
achievements reflect the leadership role played by Palestinian women in various
fields," the YWCA of Palestine emphasized.
The YWCA
of Palestine is a non-governmental association initiated in 1893 and formally
established in Jerusalem in 1918. It includes four local associations in
Jerusalem, Ramallah, Jericho, and Bethlehem. The YWCA has three areas:
leadership and civic engagement, economic justice, and just peace. The YWCA is
a rights-based association where all our programs and advocacy are based on the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The association aims to enhance the participation of women, especially young women, in decision-making processes, empower them to take on leadership roles, and contribute to creating a society characterized by equality, freedom, tolerance, justice, peace, and human dignity. It is affiliated with the World YWCA, working to empower women, young women, and girls in over a hundred countries worldwide.