The International Association of Women's Museums (IAWM) is an organisation with its foundation office in Bonn (Germany) and its administrative office in Merano (Italy). The network was founded in 2008 in Merano and transformed into an association in Alice Springs (Australia) in 2012. It has the goal to connect women's museums worldwide and to advocate for their interests.IAWM is led by six board members from different continents. The chairwoman is currently Mona Holm from Norway and the coordinator of the network is Astrid Schönweger from Italy.
IAWM's goal is to promote culture, arts, education and training from a gender perspective. Furthermore, the association wants to foster exchange, networking, mutual support and global cooperation among Women's Museums. Conducting research and the development of projects, exhibitions, new initiatives, community activities, seminars and conferences is another goal. IAWM is also working to promote and strengthen the acceptance of women's museums, to promote their global cooperation and mutual support, and to achieve international recognition in the world of museums. The membership of women's and gender museums worldwide and is advocating for women's rights and a gender-democratic society.
The association works as juncture network and as a central contact point for mediation for women's museums and initiatives. It monitors women's museums and initiatives worldwide.[1]
Monitoring
Networking
Cooperating
Today women's museums exist on every continent. They have originated mostly independently from each other. Women's museums of the US and Europe have their origin in the period of the second-wave feminism and its new understanding of history as gender history. Likewise, the museums of other continents have their roots in modern feminism. They want to provide insight into female history, culture or art to an interested public.[2]
Women's museums are important for women's education, empowerment, and self-confidence. They provide awareness training, possibilities for independent actions, and tools to overcome discrimination.[3]
The association IAWM emerged from the Network of Women's Museums, which was founded in Merano, Italy in 2008. The Women's Museum in Merano and Senegal organised the first congress, where 25 women's museums from all five continents joined for a meeting. The Iranian Nobel Peace Prize Winner (2003) Shirin Ebadi was invited to take over the role of the godmother of the congress and thereafter, she became the permanent godmother of the network. She said, "The women are the ones who write the history of the world! There has to be a women's museum in every country of the world!"[4] This quote became the motto of the network.
Finally, the association was founded at the 4th International Congress Of Women's Museums in Alice Springs, Australia in 2012.
Since then, international congresses take place every four years and, if desired, continental congresses are organised in between.