ICJW represents Jewish women around the world.

Established in 1912, the International Council of Jewish Women (ICJW) represents 52 women’s organizations in 47 countries around the world working for social justice and welfare for all races and creeds. ICJW provides a voice for Jewish women around the world and a platform for the issues that concern us, our families, and our communities. Click here to open a PDF file about the history of ICJW.

ICJW represents Jewish women from all walks of life in many important international forums and is strategically positioned to confront and respond to the concerns of the Jewish community and women in general.

At the United Nations, ICJW has consultative status as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and maintains permanent delegations in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Paris. ICJW representatives regularly attend meetings of the General Assembly, ECOSOC, UNICEF and UNESCO and participate in consultations with other NGOs. ICJW is also represented at the Council of Europe, the European Women’s Lobby, Religions for Peace, and the International Coalition for Agunah Rights, in addition to major international and regional Jewish organizations.

Among the global issues that we champion are:

-          Campaigning for equality

-          Promoting feminine leadership

-          Boosting self-esteem among young women

-          Opposing domestic violence

-          Halting human trafficking

-          Encouraging interfaith and inter-cultural dialogue

-          Fighting anti-Semitism and racism

-          Freedom for Agunot (Jewish women awaiting religious divorce)

-          Awareness of health and environmental issues

At the local level, ICJW affiliates are involved in a wide range of volunteer activities. They offer care services for needy populations, promote grassroots social welfare projects, leadership training for communal activists, and advocate on behalf of issues of local and national concern.

Our Objectives

ICJW Executive Committee