International Institute for Population Sciences
Deemed to be University (An Autonomous Organization of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India)

Abstract The International Council on Women’s Health Issues (ICOWHI) is an international nonprofit association dedicated to the goal of promoting health, health care, and well-being of women and girls throughout the world through participation, empowerment, advocacy, education, and research. We are a multidisciplinary network of women’s health providers, planners, and advocates from all over the globe. We constitute an international professional and lay network of those committed to improving women and girl’s health and quality of life. This document provides a description of our organization mission, vision, and commitment to improving the health and well-being of women and girls globally. ________________________________________ In 2011, women and girls remain victims of gender inequality (Read & Gorman, 2010). Despite progress in eliminating the social and health disparity between men and women during the last century, gender equality remains an elusive goal, particularly in the developing world. Although women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours, they earn only 10% of the world’s income. This represents less than 1% of the world’s property and illustrates the inequity experienced by women. In many countries, women and girls have less access to education, an important predictor of well-being (Bobbitt-Zeher, 2007). Impoverishment equates not only to hunger and sickness, but also to disempowerment and marginalization. As a result, many women and girls are subject to violence and other human rights abuses.