The Women’s Institute has been a constant presence in several campaigns for more than a century. Click on this link to read more about this history. The DBWI has a campaigns coordinator and Climate Ambassador keen to get more active with campaigning on the important issues for our membership. Consider becoming a member to get more involved in the DBWI campaigners group – email debeauvoirwi@gmail.com.

National campaigns list:
KEY CAMPAIGNS – the main issues we are working on.
Thinking Differently: Autistic and ADHD Women and Girls – raising awareness of Autism and ADHD in women and girls and to take action to improve the diagnosis process.
See the Signs – raising awareness of the subtle signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer to help ensure that more women are diagnosed earlier.
Stop Modern Slavery – raising awareness of modern slavery in the UK. It also calls for better support for survivors, as well as more effective action to eradicate the problem.
Make a Match – to promote registration to the aligned UK stem cell registry to enable more people to receive potentially life-saving stem cell transplants.
Climate Change – As a founding member of The Climate Coalition, the WI movement works to urge policymakers to take decisive action to tackle climate change, and to encourage community networks to come together on climate action projects in their local area.
End Plastic Soup – explores the scale of the microplastic fibre pollution and calls on the government and industry to develop solutions to the problem.
No More Violence – raising awareness and taking action to end the scourge of violence against women.
CURRENT CAMPAIGNS
Food Matters – Our campaign to reduce food waste and tackle food poverty.
SOS for Honey Bees – raising awareness of the plight of bees and how we can take action to decelerate the UK honeybee population.
Get on Board – raising awareness of the importance of local bus services and to empower members, WIs and federations to make the case for buses in their local communities.
Link Together to Alleviate Loneliness – working alongside health and social care providers and raising awareness of the causes and impacts of loneliness.
5 Minutes that Matter – raising awareness of the importance of attending routine cervical screenings, and support more women to make an informed decision about whether or not to take up their invitations.
Make Time for Mental Health – working to improve the way people view mental health and are calling for better support for those who need it.

RESOLUTIONS
Every year WI’s and Federations can submit resolutions about issues of concern to the National Federation. A shortlist is decided and voted on by members. At the Annual Meeting on the 25th May one or more of these resolutions is further discussed by delegates and one may be adopted to become a new campaign. Below are the stages in more detail.

How a Resolution becomes a Campaign

Stage I

Between July and September, WIs and federations submit resolutions about current issues they are concerned about to the NFWI.

Stage II

In early autumn, the submitted resolutions are discussed and debated by federation and member delegates and reduced to a shortlist.

Stage III

Between November and February, federations and WIs hold meetings to discuss the shortlisted resolutions, giving every member the chance to have their say on the shortlist. Each member casts their selection for the resolution they support the most.

Stage IV

The NFWI Board of Trustees reviews the results of the member selections and agrees on the resolutions to go forward to the Annual Meeting. This is usually one resolution, but sometimes more than one is taken forward. These resolutions are then again discussed by each WI to determine how they wish their delegate to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Stage V

At the Annual Meeting, delegates hear from the resolution proposer, seconder, and experts on the topic before they cast their votes on behalf of WIs. If a resolution is adopted, it will go on to form the basis of a WI campaign.

This year the resolution being discussed is ‘Clean rivers for people and wildlife’. The wording is:

Water quality in our rivers is shameful. Legally, designated bathing waters must be regularly monitored for pollution. The NFWI urges its members, the wider public, local authorities and Government to make, support and promote applications for official designated bathing sites on appropriate stretches of rivers in their area. This will be as instrumental to the clean up of rivers as it has been for water quality improvement at coastal beaches.