The
International Alliance of Women (
IAW; , AIF) is an
international non-governmental organization that works to promote women's
human rights around the world, focusing particularly on
empowerment of women and
development issues and more broadly on
gender equality. The basic principle of the IAW is that the full and equal enjoyment of
human rights is due to all women and girls. It is one of the oldest, largest and most influential organizations in its field. The organization was founded in 1904 in
Berlin by
Carrie Chapman Catt,
Millicent Fawcett and other leading feminists to campaign for
women's suffrage. Originally named the
International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) and headquartered in
London, it was the preeminent international women's suffrage organization. Its emphasis has since shifted to a broad human rights focus. Today it represents over 50 organizations world-wide comprising several hundred thousand members, and has its seat in
Geneva.l