News and Updates from the Global Fund for Women

Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:41:21 +0000

Women at DAWN's 2011 training institute.

In the age of globalization, DAWN's network of feminist scholars, researchers and activists work for economic and gender justice – basic human rights often overlooked during rapid development.

Through research, advocacy, and training, DAWN creates a support system for women to organize around challenging issues affecting their livelihoods, living standards, and overall human rights.

When DAWN supported 25 women to attend the Rio +20 global development conference, decision makers couldn’t ignore their voices. Women from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Rapa Nui, Vanuatu, Hawaii and Samoa lobbied for laws to protect biodiversity and their oceans, and they demanded government regulation of industries that destroy natural resources. They won and the government of Papua New Guinea agreed to a moratorium on deep-sea mining exploration – a major policy shift.

Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:33:47 +0000

Woman at APWLD's Parliamentary Exchange in Timor-Leste.

APWLD has been a powerhouse of advocacy and activism for 25 years. With 180 member-groups from over 25 countries, they are a leading voice for women’s rights in Asia and the Pacific. With research and training, women are empowered to use law as an instrument to claim and strengthen their human rights.

A recent training on gender and politics included a parliamentary exchange that took Burmese women parliamentarians to meet their counterparts in Timor-Leste. The result? Daw Khin Waing Kyi, a representative in Burma/Myanmar’s House of Nationalities, was inspired to advocate for a 30 percent quota for women within the Burmese Parliament. Her proposal is pending review for the next election in 2015.

From parliamentarians to local women leaders, APWLD’s strength lies in its diverse membership. During trainings on how to utilize local political resources, a member of her city council’s Committee on Affairs of Women and Youth in Tajikistan used APWLD’s materials to develop leadership trainings for young women in her city. Another participant from Kyrgyzstan incorporated APWLD resources to create leadership development sessions for women living with HIV.

Tiwi’s Raincoat

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:24:20 +0000

At first, Tiwi’s work was caring for her family. But with the cost of living in Indonesia on the rise, Tiwi needed more money just to keep up. So, like many women between the ages of 20 and 50 in her country, Tiwi started working on contract, making leather goods for a local factory.

But there was a downside. Contract work allows factories to subvert minimum wage laws, ignore working conditions and undermine relationship and solidarity building amongst women workers who fiercely compete for contracts.

Despite these obstacles, Tiwi was promoted to a day laborer position. Unfortunately, day laborers are not entitled to transportation, a uniform, and meals like permanent factory workers. So during the rainy season, she worked outside without a raincoat because the factory only gave them to permanent workers.

Undeterred, Tiwi became involved with Global Fund for Women grantee partner, Yasanti, one of the only female trade unions in Indonesia. She and her colleagues learned the value and purpose of labor unions and leadership. Yasanti organizes local labor groups and connects women from different sectors to regional labor networks. An important advocate and voice, Yasanti speaks truth to business owners who can influence government.

Tiwi took the skills from Yasanti back to her factory, organized her coworkers, and called a meeting with the management to demand raincoats. The negotiations were successful: day laborers got raincoats and improved facilities to keep them dry during the rainy season.

Today, Tiwi continues to collaborate with Yasanti to fight for the rights of women workers in her community.

A Leader All Along

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:14:58 +0000

Community leader in Southeast Asia. Photo credit: APWLD.

When her husband’s alcoholism became so debilitating that he could no longer work, Kanthi Wijekoon had to make a difficult decision. She left her three small children in Sri Lanka with hopes of making higher wages as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia.

While living and working in her employer’s home, she was sexually assaulted. When Kanthi complained, the employer’s wife retaliated by withholding food and burning her hand to the bone with a hot frying spoon.

Kanthi escaped by jumping a high wall surrounding the family’s home. But without a passport, she was quickly arrested and placed in Saudi jail with little food and poor sanitation.

In prison, she met over 700 Sri Lankan women; all had been arrested for running away or minor infractions like stealing food from their employers. In the long tradition of Sri Lankan women’s organizing, Kanthi didn’t resign herself to the sickening prison conditions. She organized and led her fellow prisoners to demand better treatment.

Remembering her local women’s organization, Kanthi wrote Global Fund for Women grantee partner, Rural Women’s Front for help. They sorted out legal aid and paid her fees. When she returned to Sri Lanka, they provided her with counseling. After hearing her stories of prison organizing, Rural Women’s Front knew Kanthi would benefit from leadership training.

Today, Kanthi is a recognized leader and role model for women in the rural Gampha district. Using skills from Rural Women’s Front, she was able to increase daily wages for women rice farmers. Kanthi now leads programs reaching more than 600 women every year, many facing the same struggles she once did.

Want to Change The World?

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Fri, 03 May 2013 00:02:40 +0000

Stand with the women who already do, always have and always will.

Stand with women. Stand with us.

Director: Abigail E. Disney
Producer & Editor: Will Barton
Associate Producer & Assistant Editor: Christine Zenyi Lu
Most Stills Courtesy of Alissa Everett
Song: "No Bad News" written and performed by Patty Griffin, courtesy of Almo Music Corp / One Big Love Music
Opening Animation: Tompert Design

25th Anniversary Gala

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Fri, 03 May 2013 00:02:30 +0000

Global Fund for Women 25th Anniversary gala, April 17, 2013, New York City

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers a rousing keynote speech. "I like the Global Fund because from the very beginning it has understood that women can be agents of change, drivers of progress, makers of peace—all they need is a fighting chance. That we have to stop seeing women as victims and start seeing them as the people who own their own lives and can help the rest of us understand the future that can be created."

Global Fund for Women Board Member, founder of Center for Women's Global Leadership, and activist Charlotte Bunch speaks on the vital role of women's human rights defenders. "...we can only realize that the changes that are needed in the 21st century; if we defend the defenders, if we build a stronger net of security and support for those activists on the front lines who are experiencing intense backlash that comes with any progress toward change, but that particularly comes for women who dare to step out and take that role."

Jacqueline Zehner receives the Global Philanthropist Award, presented by Barbara Dobkin, champion of women's rights and Chair of the American Jewish World Service and the Dafna Israeli Fund.

Jennifer Buffett receives the Global Philanthropist Award, presented by Barbara Dobkin, champion of women's rights and Chair of the American Jewish World Service and the Dafna Israeli Fund.

Mozn Hassan receives the Charlotte Bunch Women's Human Rights Defender Award, presented by Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Mónica Roa receives the Charlotte Bunch Women's Human Rights Defender Award, presented by Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

An Inspiring Night

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:30:46 +0000

View photos and videos from our 25th anniversary in New York, where we recognized extraordinary women leading the way for equality and justice worldwide.

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour emceed the sold out event and the Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered the keynote speech. Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood Federation of America presented the inaugural Charlotte Bunch Human Rights Defender awards to three extraordinary women: Mónica Roa from Colombia, Mozn Hassan from Egypt and Staša Zajovic from Serbia. Jennifer Buffett and Jacquelyn Zehner were honored with Global Philanthropy Awards.

The Rising Tide in Asia and the Pacific

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:34:29 +0000

What happens when one of the world’s leading women’s rights foundations receives its largest single grant in history? We rise and team up with women-led organizations in Asia and the Pacific to propel progress for women, communities, and nations.

With a four-year, $5.9 million investment from the Dutch Foreign Ministry, women-led organizations are leading the charge to end violence and poverty. They are recruiting women to run for office and applying grassroots solutions to climate change.

Follow us through 2015 as we build on the successes of our Breakthrough Project and learn from a region where women’s rights are changing virtually overnight.

Our Impact

$1.1M

IN FLEXIBLE FUNDING

192,278

PEOPLE SERVED

11,544

WOMEN AND GIRLS TRAINED AS LEADERS

As of April 30, 2013

Our Grantee Partners

View FLOW grantee orgs in a larger map

The Stories

A Leader All Along

Tiwi’s Raincoat

Our Partners

Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development, Chiang Mai, Thailand

APWLD has been a powerhouse of advocacy and activism for 25 years. With 180 member-groups from over 25 countries, they are a leading voice for women’s rights in Asia and the Pacific. Read more »

Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era, Quezon City, Philippines

In the age of globalization, DAWN’s network of feminist scholars, researchers and activists work for economic and gender justice – basic human rights often overlooked during rapid development. Read more »

Support

This project is made possible thanks to the Government of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women (FLOW) project is a 80.5 million euro fund initiated by the Dutch Foreign Ministry to strengthen the rights and opportunities for women and girls worldwide. FLOW focuses on women's leadership in three priority areas: security (including violence against women and UN Resolution 1325), economic empowerment (with an emphasis on food security, land, water and economic rights) and participation and representation of women in politics and public administration.

We are grateful to the Government of the Netherlands for their investment in women.

DONATE NOW

Join the Dutch government and over 20,000 supporters worldwide.

Invest in women.

Clinton, Amanpour Headline Global Fund for Women Gala

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:46:38 +0000

Global Fund for Women's 25th Anniversary is a party with a purpose. On Wednesday, April 17th, we will celebrate 25 years as the world’s leading funder of women’s rights, and recognize some of the extraordinary women leading the way to equality and justice around the world.

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour anchors the sold out event. The Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver the keynote speech and honor Charlotte Bunch, one of the brains behind UN Women. Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood Federation of America will present the inaugural Charlotte Bunch Human Rights Defender awards to three extraordinary women from Colombia, Egypt and Serbia. Jennifer Buffett and Jacquelyn Zehner will be honored with Global Philanthropy Awards.

For more information or to schedule interviews, contact: dholmes@globalfundforwomen.org +1.816.510.5748

For more information about the event click here »

About the Global Fund for Women: The Global Fund for Women is the largest publicly supported foundation that advances women’s human rights by investing in women-led organizations worldwide. Our international network of supporters mobilizes financial and other resources to support women’s actions for social justice, equality and peace. Since 1987, the Global Fund has provided more than $100 million to more than 4200 women-led organizations in 170+ countries around the world.

Roma Women Ditch the Script

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:34:02 +0000

Roma activists filming "I’m a Roma Woman" campaign in Budapest, Hungary.

When Katalin Bársony’s grandmother wanted to send her daughter to high school in Budapest, her husband said she would become an “outsider whore.” Her grandmother didn’t listen to him, went against tradition and as a result, Katalin’s mother became a well-known activist for Roma rights.

When it was Katalin’s turn to go to school, there was no question about her right to education. Even though only one in ten Roma children complete high school in Hungary, she went to university and bucked the patriarchal tradition and anti-Roma prejudice that prevented many of her girl friends from even getting through schoolhouse doors.

At the age of 23, Katalin directed the first-ever documentary series on Roma communities around the world. Mundi Romani, a project of Global Fund for Women grantee partner, Romedia Foundation, was broadcasted on TV stations all over Hungary and received numerous awards. After an episode uncovering the death of 28 Roma due to the worst lead poising in Europe’s history, the Roma refugee camp was closed and around 3,000 people relocated to a safer, nevertheless segregated, neighborhood.

“Things are changing and we are part of that change,” said Katalin, today the executive director of Romedia Foundation, where she uses film to change how people perceive Roma communities. Not an easy job, as hatred of Romahas been woven into Europe’s cultural fabric for hundreds of years.

A History of Social Exclusion

At 12 million, Roma are the largest and most discriminated minority in Europe. Roma communities are isolated in ghettos and have trouble getting jobs because employers don’t want to hire Roma workers. Roma students are segregated into substandard schools and often sent to institutions for children with mental disabilities. There is such an inequality in health care that infant mortality rates are doubled and the average lifespan for Roma is around 10 years lower than the rest of the population, according to an OSCE study.

On top of all this, Roma women experience high levels of violence and in many traditional Roma communities a woman’s job is only to support her family. When they do exist, data on Roma women show that they are less educated and fare worse economically than their male counterparts.

Katalin Bársony, Executive Director of Romedia Foundation.

Roma Women Rise Together

Despite these statics, Roma women are the most powerful agents of change as they relentlessly challenge the “customary” ways women are treated in Roma communities and in the society beyond. Global Fund has doubled our support for Roma women’s rights organizations over the past three years and we’ve seen some major wins.

Roma women activists advocated for and won the European Court of Human Rights condemnation of the Czech authorities’ practice of forced sterilization. In Macedonia, Roma women’s organizations are going beyond providing services to local communities by connecting with like-minded groups so they are better positioned to fight for social justice together.

Funding Change

Global Fund steps in with general support for Roma women’s organizations because often times, local authorities in Eastern Europe are unwilling to spend or be seen as spending on the Roma community and “women’s issues.” At the same time, spending on housing, education and health care, which should improve the situation of both the majority population and Roma women, often stops where the Roma neighborhood starts.

“If you just throw money at the problem, but neglect changing society, then nothing will happen,” said Gabriela Hrabanova, Policy Coordinator at European Roma Grassroots Organizations Network and RomaReact.

A New Future

One of the only ways to fight prejudice is to change cultural norms - change the way people perceive and relate with their Roma neighbors. This is a serious undertaking that requires work across generations. Knowing this, Katalin and her colleagues train Roma girls to use media so they can become advocates of a different vision for their community.

“You have to keep moving, even when it seems that the work is leading nowhere, the impact will come later,” said Gabriela about what motivates her. “You have to sacrifice to make life better.”

For Women, UN Arms Trade Treaty is Just the Beginning

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:28:08 +0000

By Shalini Nataraj, Director of Advocacy and Partnerships

For women around the globe who have struggled for decades to live free from the violence of militarism, the UN General Assembly vote to approve the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) came as a victory of sorts.

While the treaty is not as comprehensive or concrete as human rights advocates would wish with regard to ending the scourge of arms and armaments freely flowing around the globe, it is a start. It is a beginning towards codifying, in international law, policies and mechanisms to afford some level of transparency and accountability to the peoples of the world. It is a beginning for the millions of women whose communities and countries are torn apart by conflict every day.

The ATT prohibits countries that export arms to sell weapons if they could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights law. Most importantly, the ATT is the first treaty that recognizes the link between gender-based violence and the international arms trade. The ATT specifically makes it illegal to export weapons to countries or parts of the world where there might be a risk that the weapons will make women, men and children vulnerable to sexual violence.

The women in conflict situations and militarized societies can testify that the prevalence of weapons increases the occurrence of gender-based violence, as armed factions target women to “dishonor” and shame the other side. Also, highly militarized societies restrict women’s mobility and their ability to participate in the social and political issues that impact their lives.

Women’s organizations from all parts of the world such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the North-east of India, Colombia and the Balkan states developed sophisticated strategies to track the flow of small arms, document, and speak out about sexual violence as a result of conflict. Their goals are disarmament and reintegration of former soldiers, and they pressure their governments to bring perpetrators to justice. They demand transparency and accountability in national budgeting processes that place a higher priority on building war machines than on ensuring every citizen has the resources - food, clothing, shelter, education and jobs - to realize their full potential and live with dignity.

Although lacking in enforcement, hopefully the Arms Trade Treaty will cause some governments to pause, even a little, before putting profit and political interests first – above the lives of countless children, women and men.

Read about how Global Fund for Women works to build peace and end gender-based violence »

Your Signature Delivered to the UN

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:42:49 +0000

Global Fund for Women is excited to share that we delivered your signatures to the office of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

Thousands of people like you signed our petition, demanding world leaders make ending sexual violence a top priority. Secretary-General Ban and his colleagues heard your demands. This month, during the Commission on the Status of Women, the Secretary-General said:

"A new movement involving millions of people is taking shape before our eyes: saying no to silence, no to stigma, no to sexual violence in conflict, and YES to equality and empowerment. I am with them 100 percent.”

Ban Ki-Moon wasn't the only one listening. Under pressure from people in India and around the world, the Indian government approved a tougher sex crime law.

We are at a global crossroads, and now is the time to support local women's organizations so they can continue to advocate for new laws and work with their governments to implement them.

Hiking for Women's Rights

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:30:30 +0000

The three have crawled their way to summits, their backs pressed close to the ground by sharp winds. They’ve had wild moose at their heels and slid down wet trails in the rain.

Seven-year-old Sage and ten-year-old Alex have been hiking with their mother, Trish for most of their lives. From the peaks of Katahdin in Maine to Elbert in Colorado, they have hiked all over the US. Their next challenge: El Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route spanning nearly 500 miles.

For Sage and Alex, hiking is more than exercise; it fuels their campaign to raise money for the Global Fund for Women. After reading about our unique approach to women’s rights, the family knew they wanted to get involved by asking their friends and family to donate in honor of their journey.

“A lot of girls around the world need education and health,” said Sage, explaining her reasoning behind choosing Global Fund for her fundraising goal of $5,000.

It’s no accident that Sage and Alex have such a keen understanding of philanthropy at such a young age. Trish intentionally raises her girls with a social conscience.

“Hiking is not just something we do for ourselves,” said Trish. “We believe it’s important, whenever possible, to do what you can to support causes you believe in. If everyone did that, a lot of our problems would be straightened out in short order.”

With hours of training required for their two-month journey, Alex and Sage try to keep it all in perspective.

“It seems like it’s going to be a great adventure,” said Alex. “I used to be nervous, but now I’m really excited.”

Read more about Sage, Alex and Trish on their blog.

10 Favorite Quotes for International Women's Day

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:34:42 +0000

Happy International Women’s Day! What better way to celebrate our favorite holiday than sharing the voices and photos of women we are lucky to know, admire, and support. Check out and share these inspiring images »

Hillary’s Legacy: Women and Girls Take A Front Seat

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:45:04 +0000

By Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO of Global Fund for Women and Leila Hessini Board Chair, Global Fund for Women; Director, Community Engagement and Mobilization at Ipas.

President Barack Obama has made it official: women and girls and gender equality are priorities for this administration and the country. With the stroke of a pen on 30 January 2013, the President signed a memorandum that will strengthen and expand U.S. government actions across multiple sectors to better promote gender equality and empower women and girls.

While signing - in the presence of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - the President said, “promoting gender equality and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world remains one of the greatest unmet challenges of our time, and one that is vital to achieving our overall foreign policy objectives.”

For those of us who have spent the better part of our lives in the struggle for women’s rights and equality, this is a long time coming. We could be cynical and say, “We’ve been saying this for 30 years. What took you so long?” But we won’t. Instead we say, “Better late than never. Thank you” This would not have been possible without the tireless work of Secretary Clinton and Ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Veveer. Over the past 4 years, both women have raised the awareness about the strength and experience of women and girls as successful catalysts for change in ways never before seen in this country. We are also heartened by incoming Secretary of State John Kerry’s commitment to carry on with Secretary Clinton’s work.

The Presidential directive calls for an interagency working group on international gender issues chaired by the National Security Advisor, directs the Secretary of State to designate an Ambassador-at-Large reporting directly to the Secretary to head the office of Global Women’s Issues and acknowledging the importance of women’s voices and actions to development, ensures that the Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will continue to play a prominent role in advising the USAID Administrator on key priorities for U.S. development assistance.

Now the real work begins, we must live up to the spirit of the directive and walk the talk in everything we do here in the U.S. and abroad. For starters we hope that:

The U.S. gets its own house in order by passing the Violence Against Women's Act, which has been stalled in Congress because of Republican opposition to the act covering Native American women among other things
Ratify The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Without ratification, how can the U.S. be taken seriously when pressuring other countries to improve their women's rights records?
Pass the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), introduced by Sens. Kerry and Olympia Snowe (R, Maine) last year and also failed. IVAWA would provide funds for prevention and response work on violence against women outside the U.S.
The Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment has real authority to shape policy and opinion at USAID
USAID, government agencies and the White House are open to the perspectives of women's organizations like the Global Fund for Women to advise them on critical issues, offer solutions and connect them to women's organizations that can make things happen.

We stand at the ready to help and await your call.

Tale of Two Techies

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:36:02 +0000

By Lydia Holden, Communications Lead for Grassroots Girls Initiative

"I don’t want to lead a life like my mother, where she is dependent on others financially. I want to be independent and learn on my own," declared Shabham, a 19-year-old girl living in Delhi, India.

Shabham arrived from a rural village 13 years ago, where being an educated, self-sufficient girl is not only undesirable, it is shameful for the family.

"They think she will just talk back and do whatever she likes and won’t be obedient. My [extended] family in the village is constantly asking if my parents have found a husband for me because younger relatives are already married," said Shabham.

With great difficulty, Shabham was able to persuade her parents to let her finish high school. But after graduation, her father said "no more." Low-quality public education and her family’s financial situation only prepared her for low-paying jobs. Furthermore, her father and brothers had instilled in her such a fear of the outside world - under the guise of keeping her safe - that, "I was really scared talking to people and would break down and cry," said Shabham. "I always needed company if I went out anywhere."

FAT's new and improved technology center.

Overwhelmed with the boredom of sitting at home day after day watching TV, Shabham was feeling pretty hopeless until a friend told her to go to our grantee partner, Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT), for a six-month free course in computers.

Though India is ripe recruiting territory for tech companies, only 21 percent of IT industry workers are women. Of those, few reach decision-making positions. This is one of the reasons the Global Fund prioritizes tech funding for women's groups like FAT.

Though Shabham had never used a computer before, she liked that FAT strives to empower marginalized and economically poor girls in Delhi by closing the technological divide between men and women.

"Technology is here to stay and not something we can fight against," commented FAT Executive Director Gayatri Buragohain. "Technology controls government and development, so women’s voices are hugely needed in technology, but their voice is not present."

After three months at FAT, Shabham’s life changed drastically—for the better. She applied to university and found a telecom position to pay her tuition. The intrepid spirit Shabham developed at FAT really shone when her father refused to sign her admission form to university. "I told him that when you come for the signature for the marriage document, I will deny in front of everyone and not sign."

With shrewd determination, Shabham is not only studying, she gets high praise from her father, who now brags about his child at university. As Shabham comes into her own she continues to visit the FAT technology center, which recently received a face-lift thanks to a Global Fund supporter, Craig Newmark.

"I want to be a role model and teach other girls for free. In my village the girl relatives are talking about me and saying, ‘Shabham finished 12th grade, so why can’t I?’ I want to help those girls who can’t come out of their house."

Through a partnership with the Nike Foundation’s Grassroots Girls Initiative (GGI), Global Fund for Women and other leading grantmaking organizations are empowering adolescent girls like Shabham to effect social change.

Global Fund for Women Condemns Violence in Delhi

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 18:34:36 +0000

Indian woman, 2009. Photo by Brad Hall.

Global fund for Women joins millions of people in India and the world in the outcry against the gang rape and consequent death of the college student in Delhi, India.

Unfortunately, this incident is but the end of a spectrum of violence that Indian women face every day. On Wednesday a teenage gang rape victim from Punjab committed suicide after police there refused to even file a complaint. Adding further insult, police in the latter case suggested the young woman either marry one of her rapists or accept a financial settlement.

Each and every day, Global Fund grantees in India, like Bangalore based Vimochana are battling the rising tide of crimes committed against women – from “accidental deaths” of young women killed for more dowry, to women who venture out of the home to sexual harassment and rape. In Bangalore city, touted as India’s Silicon Valley, Vimochana notes “there were 97 registered rape cases in 2011 in Bangalore city which means 7 women victims each month.”

Despite ostensible gains for women’s rights in India, more women in positions of leadership in government, more women business leaders and more women than ever going out to work in India’s booming tech and call center industries, violence against women is increasing.

The issue at hand is not one of just ensuring the safety of women on India’s streets. There is blatant disregard for women’s rights at the very highest levels of governance in the country. All major political parties have fielded candidates for state elections that have included candidates who have declared on disclosure forms that they have been charged with rape. Six elected state legislators have charges of rape against them. Reports of rape by the police of women and girls in their custody across the country and by armed forces in regions of India like the northeast and Kashmir are commonplace. In 2011, rape rose nearly 10% over the previous year, with more than 24,000 reported cases, and with more than half of the victims aged between 18 and 30. Even its most benign form, the social attitudes that prevail have families insisting daughters go back to violent situations in their in-laws’ homes, and police and judges urging women reporting rape to “settle out of court” or marry the perpetrators.

Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, strongly called on world leaders to act and stop this senseless violence on women, “The rape of women is trivialized all over the world. Can this death and the uncountable daily deaths and suffering continue to count for nothing?” We say no.

Learn More About Our Position

"New Delhi rape brings global outrage" Global Fund's Shalini Nataraj writes about the rape in New Delhi in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Listen to Shalini Nataraj talk about rape and sexual harassment in India on National Public Radio's KQED Forum.

Game On

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:42:20 +0000

Women and girls around the world have a right to quality education. And every city, whether in the virtual world or the real world, needs adequate resources to break down the barriers that stop women and girls from going to school.

Unfortunately, that's not the case for many women and girls Global Fund supports. Forget about the lack of resources for school libraries and classroom projects, many women and girls can't even make it to school because of harassment and forced labor.

To help address these issues, CityVille 2 and Zynga.org have teamed up with Global Fund for Women to provide funding for women and girls' education. Now, when you purchase Cityville 2 decorations, proceeds go directly to Global Fund for Women. Read More »

Taking Flight: Annual Report 2011-12

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:53:15 +0000

“I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world.”

Read our annual report »

Remembering Marisela Escobedo Ortiz

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:55:46 +0000

"Tell me how you live with so much pain?” asked Marisela Escobedo Ortiz. "I can’t keep living this way. I don’t want to live anymore."

Norma Ledezma Ortega took Marisela’s hands in hers and said, "Marisela, pain is never going to leave. It’s going to be with you until the last day of your life so make it your ally."

Norma of grantee partner, Justicia para Nuestras Hijas, remembers the pain in Marisela’s eyes that day. "I saw a tired woman, but I saw a mother who was going to fight against adversity, against the same death that awaited her."

Marisela's last protest on the night she was killed. Photos credit: Official website of Marisela Escobedo Ortiz.

A few weeks later, Marisela was assassinated outside of the governor’s office in Chihuahua, Mexico, while she was protesting the release from prison of her daughter’s murderer, Sergio Barazza. Marisela became an ardent women’s human rights defender after the violent death of her daughter Rubi, whose body was found burned and dismembered in a garbage bin. Norma and Marisela met after judges freed Rubi’s murderer, in a meeting with other mothers who were seeking justice from government officials. The two exchanged phone numbers and Marisela decided that lawyers from Justicia para Nuestras Hijas would represent her case.

On International Human Rights Day, we remember Marisela Escobedo Ortiz. We honor her courage, love for her family, and commitment to justice.

"Remember her as the mother who died as she wanted to, fighting and demanding justice for her daughter Rubi," said Norma. "Remember her so that her death isn’t in vain. She will serve as an example of unconditional love, fighting against the worst enemy: injustice and impunity."

Seeking Justice

Femicide is one of the most serious problems facing women in Chihuahua. Since 1993, the city has seen a wave of unsolved murders. Victims as young as six have been raped, tortured, murdered, and abandoned. Hundreds simply vanish. Global Fund for Women supports women who are at the front lines responding to these horrific crimes, like Justicia para Nuestras Hijas, an organization of family members of women who disappeared or were murdered. The group locates missing women and girls and seeks justice for survivors and their families.

Since 2002, Justicia para Nuestras Hijas has carried out 50 investigations, litigated four cases against alleged murderers, presented three cases before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and won six convictions. As a result of their work, 30 forcibly disappeared women have been found alive. In 2005, Justicia convinced the state government to hire a team of forensic anthropologists to identify the remains of women in the state of Chihuahua; as a result the remains of more than 30 women were identified.

"The love for Rubi and the radical decision to not stop fighting for justice that she so yearned for has been an example to follow," said Norma, reflecting on Marisela’s impact on Justicia para Nuestras Hijas. “Marisela was the woman who died a fighter but she didn’t lose the war, she only lost the battle.”

Landing With Courage

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:50:27 +0000

When Trini found out the government had plans to take over her community’s land, she felt powerless. She remembered friends and family who came before her, who were born and buried in San Salvador Atenco. She imagined signs reading “Federal Property, Do Not Pass” littering her rural landscape.

This was in 2001, when Trini Ramirez Velazquez and the residents of San Salvador Atenco were about to embark on a fight for justice. They began protesting plans to build a new international airport on 10,000 acres of their land, spanning 13 villages.

“These are the lands of our sons and daughters and no one has the right to take them from us,” reflected Trini of Grupo de Mujeres del Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra. “I thought about my children and grandchildren. From that I drew courage.”

Photos by Grupo de Mujeres del Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra.

Trini needed that courage as months of clashes with authorities followed. The Mexican government responded to the protests with violence so the protestors armed themselves with machetes and took to the streets to protect their homeland. Responding to the need for community organizing and women's leadership, Grupo de Mujeres del Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra de San Salvador Atenco formed by courageous women like Trini. Combining human rights workshops and legal counseling, the Global Fund grantee partner was able to show the importance of community decision-making by defeating the government and running the airport project out of town.

Writing History

For more than thirty years, political structures in Mexico have led to economic and social crisis in rural areas like Atenco. Women not only face poverty and lack of land ownership, but also sexual and domestic violence. Women who actively defend their own land are subjected to political harassment by federal and local governments.

“This magnitude of oppression breaks our social fabric. The fear paralyzes us and stops us from having the full confidence to continue advancing,” said Trini. “However, there is a moment when you face the fear…and together we discover the importance of making our own decisions, seeking equality, and demonstrating our capacity to find solutions.”

Global Fund supports groups like Grupo de Mujeres del Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra because they work in rural communities that lack basic needs and cannot turn to their own governments for support. It’s been proven that when women are given the opportunity to develop their leadership skills to preserve their lands, knowledge, and ancestral practices, the quality of life for their entire community improves.

"We live in a system where there is much inequality and you can’t close your eyes anymore. You can’t deafen your ears to the screams of help from other brothers and sisters for legitimate demands for justice,” said Trini, who works everyday for change in the face of violence. “History is not written in a few hours or even a day, we write it day by day.”

Same Old Story

Unfortunately, 2001 wasn’t the last time citizens of Atenco would be targets for political violence. In 2006, police arbitrarily and violently arrested 145 people and inflicted sexual assault on 26 women all in the name of preventing flower vendors from selling their goods at a local market. More than five years later, these survivors are still awaiting justice. None of the officials responsible for their abuse have been held accountable.

“The consequence of the injustice I lived, the total disintegration of my family, my friends and my town, made me hit bottom. I decided to leave my depression and fear that was paralyzing me in these moments so I could fight for liberty and justice,” said Trini.

Missing But Not Forgotten

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:15:18 +0000

It’s 5 a.m. in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Young women in their late teens and early twenties are on their way to work at assembly plants, or maquilas‬. Unfortunately, some of them won’t make it, because they will have been tortured, murdered, and abandoned on the way. Hundreds have simply “vanished” yet Mexican authorities have done nothing.

“Every day I wake up and receive text messages, emails, and phone calls about something that happened the night before,” said Imelda Marrufo Nava, Coordinator of longtime Global Fund for Women grantee partner, Red Mesa de Mujeres. Imelda organizes and trains women from Ciudad Juárez‬ to lobby for government policies to protect women’s human rights.

Holding On To Her Passion

Known as one of the most murderous cities in the world, violence against women has been on the rise in Ciudad Juárez since the early nineties when maquilas were popping up everywhere. In 2001, the bodies of eight women were found in a cotton field, prompting Red Mesa de Mujeres to write a report to the International Commission on Human Rights about the situation in Juárez. Since then, 600 women have been killed and at least 3,000 are missing.

Imelda Marrufo Nava, Red Mesa de Mujeres.

"Despite these situations I have kept this passion, this commitment to work for women's rights in Juárez because I love my city,” said Imelda. “My love for the city, the people, and the history is what keeps me here."

Red Mesa de Mujeres dedicates a lot of its efforts keeping women who are fighting for justice safe. Due to increased violence against women in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, Global Fund general support grants cover basic security costs for women’s human rights defenders. In fact, just last year we sent an emergency grant to Red Mesa de Mujeres to help move sisters Olga and Marisela Reyes Salazar to a more secure location after their quest for justice put them at high risk.

"In Juárez, there are some faces such as the Salazar sisters who are very visible because they have lived injustice,” explained Imelda. “But there are also many women who, for their own choice, have not denounced the violence and hostility [directed] at them and their families. They have decided to do this to stay alive so they do not continue to be attacked.”

Changing Faces

Imelda and women like her demand that governments conduct serious, professional investigations into the murders. They march, demonstrate, sit vigil, and spearhead letter-writing campaigns to educate people and foster solidarity with the women of Juárez.

"I know [our work] makes a difference because I see it in the faces of the women we work with,” said Imelda. “Their serious faces and hostile expressions transform into smiles and loving expressions once we begin the process of intervention.”

The untold stories of women who live with the constant threat of violence due to the economic and political interest of a few is why Global Fund supports women’s groups that are challenging governments on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I know we are making a difference because we are a part of a movement much bigger than this city or this country, because when we meet with partners from Latin America and with organizations and foundations in solidarity with us, like Global Fund for Women, we know we are making a difference."

Story Behind the Reyes Salazar Family

Olga and Marisela Reyes Salazar come from a family of activists, many of whom have been assassinated for defending their rights. Their sister, Josefina Reyes Salazar, was one of the first women activists to denounce the femicides in Juárez and give support and voice to families of the deceased. She succeeded in detaining a man who raped and murdered two women and after, unknown assailants shot at her house while she and her children were inside. From that point on, the entire Reyes Salazar family became targets. Julio César Reyes was the first of six members of the family to be murdered. In 2010, Josefina Reyes Salazar was assassinated. In August of that same year, Josefina's brother, Rubén, was assassinated, after publicly denouncing her murder. That’s when Marisela and Claudia Reyes Salazar, Josefina's sisters, demanded justice. Later that year, the bodies of their family members were found, all bearing evidence of torture. Since then, family graves have been vandalized. Currently, twenty members of the Reyes family live in exile and other members are dispersed in different parts of the country.

Worth the Risk

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 21:47:29 +0000

Mónica Roa was in a meeting when the power went out in the Bogotá office of Women’s Link Worldwide. Someone fired shots through the window and shards of glass fell on her head. Though Mónica and her colleagues were not hurt, it was only the latest in a series of attacks against Women’s Link Worldwide for their efforts to implement the Colombian Constitutional Court’s ruling on abortion.

"It is very scary to stop and think about what’s truly happening to cause people to target me, to shoot at me and at the office, and to accuse me of promoting genocide in a country in which violence is part of the daily life," said Mónica, Director of Programs at Women’s Link Worldwide.

Mónica was a new lawyer when she decided to use the judicial system for social change and start Global Fund grantee, Women’s Link Worldwide. The death threats started afterwards and the State had to provide her with bodyguards. That was seven years ago, and she’s been living with bodyguards ever since. The Bogotá office has been broken into and computers stolen three times and on several occasions, human excrement has been left outside their office.

Why Is Women’s Link Worldwide a Target?

In Latin America, there is a clear offensive against the rights of women, particularly those related to sexuality and reproductive health. Abortion is still illegal in most places, except under very narrow circumstances. Global Fund supports groups like Women’s Link Worldwide because they work to change laws and policies that hold governments accountable.

“People now think of the law as a tool for change rather than a tool of oppression”
– Mónica Roa, Director of Programs at Women’s Link Worldwide.

In a historic decision this year, the Constitutional Court ruled to protect the right to information of the 1,280 women who, with the help of Women’s Link Worldwide, brought a constitutional challenge, known as a "tutela," against the Inspector General and other government officials. The tutela alleged that these public officials were violating the right to information of these women and girls of reproductive age by producing and disseminating incomplete and distorted information on sexual and reproductive health and rights, in blatant disregard for the verifiable findings of judicial, scientific and legal authorities.

Among such false information was the claim that emergency contraception, or the morning after pill, was an abortive agent, even though scientists from the World Health Organization, amongst others, have made it clear that it is a contraceptive and does not induce abortion. Additionally, the Constitutional Court ruled that because abortion is a right in three specified circumstances, the Department of Health is obliged to take action when institutions fail to provide abortion services. In spite of this, the Inspector General and his deputies denied that abortion was a right and told the Department of Health that they were under no obligation to remove barriers preventing access to abortion.

"As citizens, we have to be able to trust the information provided to us by representatives of the State, and even more so when it comes from the Procuraduría, which is the institution responsible for ensuring the full protection of human rights in Colombia," wrote Mónica Roa in a press release.

While the Constitutional Court’s ruling in favor of Women’s Link Worldwide is a huge accomplishment, Mónica and others experience increased security threats. So much so, that they have to raise money to hire security guards, buy security cameras, and pay for security risk assessments.

Women's Link Worldwide staff in Colombia.

"If women’s rights defenders don’t take care of the threats and don’t manage to vindicate their own rights, then we are sending a message to the women we usually defend that there’s no hope to make this a priority," said Mónica.

A Global Inspiration

The Constitutional Court’s ruling has become one of the most important processes to liberalize abortion laws and test the core principles of the Colombian constitution, according to Mónica. Women’s Link Worldwide now uses the lessons learned in other parts of the world, such as Sub-Saharan Africa. Monica says the activists she meets are learning about her case and questioning how they can do something similar in their countries.

"People now think of the law as a tool for change rather than a tool of oppression," said Mónica. "Most people get recognitions after they are dead. I am able to be proud and witness the impact on my country and in the world."

When Mónica is invited to speak about Women’s Link Worldwide and the importance of human rights law, she sees young people share her same passion. In fact, Women’s Link Worldwide trains young lawyers to be "radical activist attorneys." At 36, Monica is the second oldest lawyer on staff.

"One has to be proud of the work we are doing. There are a few people in the world who are strong enough and brave enough to take these risks for a cause that is greater than we are, and the results are going to effect so many people that it is worth it," said Mónica.

Living Her Motto

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 20:44:07 +0000

Supriya Pillai, Global Fund for Women's newest and youngest board member.

“My personal motto is to live every day inspired; to be inspired and to be inspiring,” said 37-year-old Supriya Pillai, Global Fund for Women’s newest and youngest board member.

Supriya accepts the invitation to join Global Fund’s international board knowing her participation is more than just a fiduciary responsibility.

“We are amassed as a group of learners and advisors,” said Supriya. “It is such an honor to be asked, but also a responsibility as someone who cares about the women’s movement.”

This Is My Life

Supriya’s parents moved from India to Chicago before she was born. She visited her family in India often and when she turned 19, Supriya spent the summer in the Himalayas at a rural women’s cooperative.

“Whatever this is, working with these women, this is my life,” Supriya remembered saying to herself at 19. “Learning about their struggles and seeing how they organized really sparked something in me.”

When she moved to New York City in the late nineties, she became a writer for a hip-hop magazine and worked in politics. But her activism jumped to the next level when she met young people, whom she now calls her US comrades, organizing around police brutality issues.

Like a true human rights activist, she didn’t stop there. When she finished graduate school, she went to rural villages and cities in Guinea West Africa to work with women on economic rights and development.

“I’m very politically left, so I had theory up the wazoo about post-colonialism, but to put it in practice was another thing,” said Supriya. “I didn’t see [my role] as I was coming to help people; rather, how can I as an outsider work with folks in the global south?”

A Changing World

Supriya answers that very question every day as Senior Fellow and previous Executive Director of the Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing, where she strengthens youth organizing and grassroots movements throughout the world.

“The world is changing and those most impacted by inequities are growing in numbers and they will be the largest voice,” said Supriya. “I hope that the many worlds I straddle will benefit the future of Global Fund for Women.”

Why Dr. Mukwege is Vital to the Women's Rights Movement

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 18:45:47 +0000

Dr. Mukwege, Congolese gynecologist. Photo by African Press Organization.

By Muadi Mukenge, Regional Program Director for Sub Saharan Africa

The news was startling and saddening – Congolese gynecologist, Dr. Denis Mukwege, who has performed surgeries on countless women physically damaged by indescribable rape, was attacked and almost killed at his home on October 25.

Dr. Mukwege leads a team of doctors working in Congo’s embattled northeastern corridor, where rape is used by armed groups to traumatize communities in their quest for political power and control of lucrative minerals destined for eager international markets. The Global Fund for Women supports women’s organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo who liaise with Panzi Hospital, where Dr. Mukwege performs 2-4 restorative surgeries per woman.

Since 2006, Global Fund has supported over 52 groups in the Congo, with over $1 million in operating funds for essential services and programs that advance women’s rights. Essential services include counseling and healthcare for rape survivors, shelter for those thrown out of their homes by families casting blame, and skills training to help them get back on their feet and earn an income. It also includes support to accompany them to report the crimes to police, file court claims, and prepare them to testify in court against perpetrators. Dr. Mukwege’s work and that of women’s groups are intertwined – the physical and psychological reconstruction gives rape survivors hope that they can get back to being the indispensable members of society that they have always been.

These brave women and men cannot be taken for granted. Dr. Mukwege is part of the human rights movement that has risen up to put some teeth into Congo’s 2006 Sexual Violence Law, criminalizing violence against women. While perpetrators of rape and other types of violence rule with guns, human rights activists’ work via messages of peace, reconciliation and mutual respect. Because of their efforts, women are entering leadership positions that were once closed to them, demanding accountability in governance and the legal system, and demanding justice for women. Because of their efforts, U.N. reports naming the countries that support armed groups are getting international attention and calls to cut off development assistance. Because of their efforts, in February 2011, the world witnessed the first-ever conviction of an army officer who ordered his soldiers to rape. It was the testimony of rape survivors, who were prepared in part by Global Fund grantees that sealed the fate of the officer. Thanks to human rights activists, local groups are holding communities together in the absence of government-provided health services and schools. The price of 16 years of war is steep. Globally, Congo ranks #1 in hunger, and is among the worst in maternal mortality and unemployment. Yet, who is accountable? The arms flowing into the Congo are not made there. There was a time when these sexual crimes did not happen.

There are many “Dr. Mukwege’s” in Congo, individuals and community groups working without fanfare. You can be part of the solution by supporting this movement and standing with us to end the senseless violence once and for all.

For more information about Global Fund's work in the Congo, read the impact report.

Rising Stars: Women Spark Small Business Boom

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:57:34 +0000

What do you get when you mix the deep knowledge and networks of Global Fund for Women with that of grantee partners and the financial expertise of MasterCard Worldwide? You get a solid business plan with probable high dividends.

In 2011, Global Fund and three grantee partners teamed up with MasterCard Worldwide to boost the potential of women business owners in the Philippines. The returns on this investment have been strong. In fact, in the first three months of the partnership, the Philippines had its first ever women-own women-run organic produce store.

Project Impact

432 women accessed credit, savings, and insurance services for their micro & community enterprises
108 micro-business received support in business incubation and financial literacy
339 women were trained in new business skills specifically related to entrepreneurship

As we watched the network of women business owners grow, we saw the face and focus of local economies in the Philippines change for the better.

"Business is like gambling. We take a gamble and we don't really know what will happen next. But if we learn the skills, at least we have an ace,” Pen Bullo, Coordinator, Unlad Kabayan Migrant Service Foundation.

Rising Stars: Women Spark Small Business Boom

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:57:34 +0000

Project Impact

432 women accessed credit, savings, and insurance services for their micro & community enterprises
108 micro-business received support in business incubation and financial literacy
339 women were trained in new business skills specifically related to entrepreneurship

As we watched the network of women business owners grow, we saw the face and focus of local economies in the Philippines change for the better.

We Delivered Your Signatures

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

(L-R) Miriam Freudenberg of WAVE, Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Elizabeth Schaffer, CFO of Global Fund for Women.

We are very excited to share that Global Fund for Women, in partnership with Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE), delivered your signatures to Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Your signatures made it all the way to Strasbourg, as parliamentarians from 47 member states met for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. There, the Secretary General heard your call to member states to sign and ratify the Istanbul Convention that provides a groundbreaking framework to prevent, stop, and sanction the crime of violence against women.

“Thank you for showing your support! Keep calling on decision-makers to take action until the Istanbul Convention is fully implemented in Europe and beyond,” wrote Johanna Nelles, Programme Advisor for the Istanbul Convention.

As resource mobilizers for women's rights at the local, national, and international levels, Global Fund for Women and women’s funds in Europe are uniquely positioned to advocate for governments' firm commitment to allocating budgets and implementing the Convention.

"The Global Fund is a partner who is just as dedicated to ending violence against women as we at WAVE are," wrote Miriam Freudenberg of WAVE. "It is great to have such a strong and dedicated partner to work side by side with."

Because of your signature, we are much closer to a just, equitable world in which women and girls have voice, choice, and the resources to realize their full potential.

"Knowing we have the support of so many people around the world is as important to those women working on policies and promoting women’s rights every day, as it is to those whose lives will be directly affected by it," wrote Miriam.

The President of the United States Will Decide Women's Choice Globally

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

By Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO

During the first presidential debate, neither President Obama nor Governor Romney addressed the issue that affects half the world's population: women's reproductive rights. As the two square off on foreign policy, women's reproductive rights must be addressed because whomever becomes president will not only determine U.S. women's personal, economic and educational choices, but also those of women worldwide.

Meet the Now Generation

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:02:37 +0000

Forget the next generation, meet the now generation. Global Fund for Women knows that we don’t have to wait for young women to change their communities. They are fighting for gender equality now. Read more »

Her WILD Adventure

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:29:57 +0000

by Michele Kumi Baer

“What do you think about women with disabilities?” asked Sarah, a Nigerian woman living with a visual disability.

Disability rights activist, Julien from Zambia, and Global Fund's Michele Kumi Baer at MIUSA 2012.

Now Generation Writes Back

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 20:26:31 +0000

You watched their video, read their stories, and told Sarah and Elvira why they inspire you. They were thrilled to hear your comments! Read their responses to find out how we are all connected in the global women's movement.

Seeds of Change: Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:55:14 +0000

Women are the backbone of agriculture and food production in Africa, working its arable land and feeding its population by producing 80% of its food. But African women farmers’ perspectives are excluded from conversations that determine agricultural policies and priorities, while discriminatory laws and practices deprive them of their land, their rights, and their livelihoods.

"Seeds don't care who you are, how tall, how poor or rich, or how much education you have." – Global Fund for Women grantee partner Daughters of Mumbi

The Global Fund for Women wants African women farmers front and center of debates on agriculture and food security, and we believe donors should fund their activities. So in 2011, we embarked on an initiative focused on supporting women's rights, agriculture, and advocacy training in Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Uganda. Watch the video to learn more about the initiative.

For more information on this initiative, please contact Margaret Youngs, Project Coordinator, at 415/248-4800.

This project was funded through a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Seeds of Change: Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:55:14 +0000

"Seeds don't care who you are, how tall, how poor or rich, or how much education you have." – Global Fund for Women grantee partner Daughters of Mumbi

For more information on this initiative, please contact Margaret Youngs, Project Coordinator, at 415/248-4800.

This project was funded through a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Meet the Now Generation

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Forget the next generation, meet the now generation. Global Fund for Women knows that we don’t have to wait for young women to change their communities. They are fighting for gender equality now.

Breaking Through: Gender Equality in Asia & the Pacific

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:49:20 +0000

In 2008, Global Fund for Women launched the Breakthrough Project –– a three-year, $2.2 million investment to catalyze strategic, breakthrough, actions to advance gender equality in Asia and the Pacific. A new, independent evaluation of the project documents impact and captures learning.

What injustices do women and girls in Asia and the Pacific face?

2.6 million

Girls and women in Asia each year who are never born due to prenatal sex selection or who die prematurely from abuse or maternal mortality.

48%

Of judges in India believe it is justifiable for a man to beat his wife. (Despite existing laws criminalizing domestic violence.)

0

The number of days off per week that most women domestic workers (i.e. live-in maids, cooks, nannies) are permitted.

How did Global Fund for Women catalyze change?

Grantmaking

Over $2.2 million in flexible funding
Long-term partnerships
Support for networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration
58% of grants to rural communities
Over 1/3 of funding for adolescent girls

Outcomes

125 high-impact organizations funded
71% increased organizational capacity and/or sustainability
71% expanded their networks
66% increased public visibility and/ or media coverage of their work

Impact

Benefitted 554,299 girls and women, men and boys
New laws against domestic violence passed in 3 countries
Increased women’s participation in local government in Nepal and India
Rural women increased access to land and financial services
Domestic workers secured basic rights at the ILO

Read the Report

Download PDF »

Read the External Evaluation

Breakthrough Evaluation: An External Rights-Based Evaluation of Grantmaking for Gender Equality by Brooke Ackerly

Download PDF »

Apoyando el Cambio en el Encuentro Feminista

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:30:06 +0000

A la luz de la desigualdad, la militarización, y la reacción conservadora contra los derechos humanos, con el reverso de logros ya obtenidos, los movimientos de las mujeres se están dando cuenta de la necesidad de innovar sus estrategias y acciones. Iniciativas de vinculación y organización de las mujeres son fundamentales no sólo como un medio de crear consenso, sino también como una forma de preservar y sostener los movimientos de mujeres en sí.

Supporting Change at the Feminist Encuentro

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:39:13 +0000

In the face of deepening inequality, militarization, and conservative backlash, with hard-won gains being reversed, women’s human rights movements find themselves needing to innovate their strategies and actions. Women’s linking and organizing initiatives are critical not only as a means of building consensus, but also as a way of preserving and sustaining the women’s movements themselves.

Free Your Gift

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:41:16 +0000

What is general support?

Not all grants are created equal. Giving general support means trusting grantee partners to make their own decisions about how to allocate funds. Whether it is used for paying the electricity bill, or organizing a campaign against domestic violence, general support gives groups the freedom to respond to their own priorities.

“The flexibility and significance of the general support grant from the Global Fund for Women cannot be overemphasized”
– Leymah Gbowee, Global Fund grantee and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Why do we give it?

Experience tells us. What we’ve learned in over 23-years of grantmaking is that general support has helped build a resilient global women’s movement. Our grantee partners are more agile, harnessing windows of opportunity that can lead to social revolutions. We help them build the infrastructure that makes their projects work.

Why is it better?

It’s the gift of freedom and flexibility. An independent researcher found that our general support grants give organizations the freedom to be themselves. Research also found that groups use general support funds more carefully and efficiently. Grantee partners tell us they are more honest about their challenges and accomplishments than when reporting on restricted grants.

Don't take our word for it. A 2011 study on funding for medical research found general support yields higher impact results than restricted funding. Economists discovered that these grants lead to “higher-impact research.”

Percentage of grants from the largest private and community foundations designated for general operating support

How you can help

Only 20 percent of grants from the largest private and community foundations are designated for general operating support. The result is a struggling women’s rights movement trying to keep basic operations afloat. Study after study proves that women are powerful catalysts for change. But these women need money and freedom to provide the solutions that change the world. Donate now to support these women and be part of their solutions »

Learn more

The way you grant can have as much of an impact as the grant itself. Download our position paper, Trust Women: Give General Support
A Nobel Victory for No-Strings-Attached Grants, Chronicle of Philanthropy, December 6, 2011

Mapping Our Movement Building

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:10:55 +0000

Learn with Us

Recently, we embarked on a project to utilize new data visualization technologies to explore our movement building impact geographically. We hope to understand the extent to which we have been successful in building strong networks and collective power in pursuit of common goals of women’s rights and social justice.

When you take a closer look, there is a high concentration of activity in conflict and post-conflict regions. The Balkans, parts of the Middle East, Colombia, and the Great Lakes region of Africa, including the eastern half of the Democratic Republic of Congo, all stand out as areas of more intense movement building activity. While relief aid is the traditional philanthropic response to conflict, Global Fund takes a different approach. By strengthening women-led civil society, including movements to protect women’s basic human rights and support women leaders, Global Fund uniquely meets a critical need in conflict regions.

We are learning that there’s a benefit to going beyond direct grant making and investing in developing networks of advisors and grantee groups. After decades of funding these networks, we now see the impact in the form of a robust, feminist movement with diverse populations and perspectives.

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Using data from the past 24 years of our grantmaking, we identified 19 indicators to measure the relationship between Global Fund’s grants, grantees partners and advisors.

Next, we weighted indicators based on the extent to which they were relevant to efforts to build strong networks and collective power in the pursuit of common goals. For example, Global Fund support to a grantee network, or to grantees that bring together a diverse population, is weighed more heavily than the length of time the Global Fund has supported a specific grantee.

Then, we pulled data toward these indicators on over 8,000 grants, 4,000 grantee organizations and 2,500 individuals in our portfolio. Working with a data visualization consultant, the data was adjusted according to the weights given to each indicator, run through an algorithm and plotted geographically.

And Still We Rise: Stories from our Annual Report

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:42:50 +0000

We are pleased to share with you our 2010-2011 Annual Report. From victories at the International Labor Organization to the Arab Spring, collective work for women's human rights is bringing change. Our annual report tells the stories. Thanks to you, we continue to rise.

Celebrating the Life of Wangari Maathai

zblumenfeld@globalfundforwomen.org (Zoe Blumenfeld) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:46:42 +0000

The passing of Wangari Maathai is shocking and untimely. Only two weeks ago we expected her here in the San Francisco Bay Area and little did we know that we would never see her again. Wangari’s contribution to global consciousness on the environment, women’s role in providing solutions through tree planting, and her leadership in making a difference to the political as well as social systems of Kenya will never be forgotten. The Global Fund for Women joins the world in the mourning of a heroine, and we celebrate her co-founding of our grantee and sister organization Nobel Women’s Initiative, whom we have had the privilege of supporting and partnering with since 2006.

"Mrs. Maathai, one of the most famous and widely respected women on the [African] continent, wore many hats — environmentalist, feminist, politician, professor, rabble-rouser, human rights advocate and head of the Green Belt Movement she founded. She was as comfortable in the gritty streets of Nairobi’s slums or the muddy hillsides of central Kenya as she was hobnobbing with heads of state. In 2004, she won the Nobel Peace Prize, with the Nobel committee citing 'her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.' It was a moment of immense pride in Kenya and across Africa."

Attend a tribute screening of Taking Root, a film celebrating Maathai's work

Read "Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dies at 71" in The New York Times.

Listen to a 2006 interview with Wangari Maathai on KPFA radio.

After the Floods: Women Rebuilding Pakistan

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:39:43 +0000

An interview with Kavita Ramdas, former President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, describing her recent visit to Pakistan and the conditions in areas ravaged by the floods in 2010.

Historic Victory for Domestic Workers

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:45:53 +0000

By Erika Guevara Rosas and Christine Ahn

Today millions of women workers from across the globe made history. On the 100th anniversary of the International Labor Organization (ILO), domestic workers secured the passage of the ILO Convention on domestic work for governments to ratify into law.

Juana Flores, a domestic worker with Mujeres Unidas Activas in San Francisco says that with this ruling, “domestic workers, for the first time, will no longer be invisible and unrecognized.” Under the Convention, domestic workers will have the freedom to associate and to collective bargaining. It abolishes all forms of forced, compulsory and child labor, and protects migrant workers by requiring employers to have written and enforceable contracts. Governments must now take measures towards ensuring that domestic workers receive equal treatment as regular workers, such as overtime pay, breaks, and a minimum wage. “Domestic work will be recognized as work equal to any other,” says Flores. “We all deserve a just wage, vacation and sick days.”

This victory at the ILO is also quite significant in other ways.

“Domestic work will be recognized as work equal to any other. We all deserve a just wage, vacation and sick days.”

For one, it was the result of incredible organizing by the most exploited women workers today who suffer multiple oppressions—as low-wage workers, as women, as racial and ethnic minorities, as indigenous people, and as migrants. Their work is generally viewed as unskilled work, a natural extension of women’s work in their own homes. Thus, many domestic workers endure very poor working conditions—many work long hours in difficult and unsafe conditions and are underpaid with no social security coverage. Many are vulnerable to trafficking, sexual, physical and psychological abuse, especially migrants. Despite their isolation, they organized at the local level, built alliances with other domestic workers within their countries and across regions, and then formed the International Domestic Workers Network to take their demands all the way to the ILO.

National Domestic Workers Alliance celebrate their victory. Photo by Jennifer Fish

Also significant is how with the ILO convention, domestic workers have succeeded in gaining the recognition of their contributions to the economy and to society. They have sought recognition as workers—not “maids” or “daughters of the family”—who have the right to the same protections as those won by the working class.

Domestic work is among the oldest and most important occupations for women worldwide. It is an industry that has roots in the global slave trade, colonialism and other forms of servitude. In today’s globalized economy and feminized international migration, several factors make domestic work indispensable for the economy outside the household to function. More women are joining the labor force and working longer and more intense hours. Fewer governments have public policies that help workers reconcile work and family life as more and more child and family care services have been slashed, posing serious problems for rapidly ageing societies. All these factors have increased the demand for domestic workers who maintain vital household routines, thereby allowing millions of others to go out to work.

The recognition of domestic work as labor is the result of over three decades of organizing by domestic workers associations, networks and coalitions, particularly through the Americas where there are more than 10 million domestic workers. In 1988, domestic workers groups from 11 countries met in Colombia to form the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Household Workers. Since then, they have lobbied their governments to improve labor conditions for domestic workers. The most successful so far has been in Uruguay, which currently has the most advanced legislation on domestic employment. The law, passed in 2006, puts domestic workers' rights on an equal footing with those of the rest of the country's labor force. Uruguayan domestic workers have been able to negotiate wage increases and improvements in working conditions and rights. In 2009 Chile passed a law to regulate and gradually make domestic workers' wages equal to the national minimum wage and recently mandated that domestic workers have days off on national holidays. Guatemala also created a special program to protect women employed in private homes and to provide domestic workers with maternal and health care for their children and hospital care in the case of accidents. Although nearly every country in the Americas has a minimum wage for domestic workers, it tends to be lower than the minimum wage for other workers, and in most cases it is not even implemented.

Even in the United States, domestic workers have won significant victories. According to Robert Shepard of the U.S. Department of Labor, “the majority of domestic workers are women and girls—oftentimes from predominantly migrant populations who work in isolated workplaces… are vulnerable to many forms of exploitation, from nonpayment of wages to trafficking.” In 2010, the Domestic Workers United in New York led successful advocacy efforts to pass a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in New York, the first such U.S. law. Their success has sparked similar efforts in other states, such as in California.

As effective as the international campaign led by domestic workers to adopt the ILO Convention has been in changing the legal framework, the impact of the process of organizing and alliance building has been equally important. Domestic workers across the globe have successfully organized to create their own spaces of popular resistance to their conditions of oppression, exploitation and violence. They have inspired millions around the world that indeed, despite the multiple barriers they face, women can achieve social, economic and political transformation through collective movements.

Erika Guevara Rosas is the Regional Program Director of the Americas and Christine Ahn is the Senior Policy and Research Analyst at the Global Fund for Women.

The IMF: Violating Women since 1945

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:45:31 +0000

By Christine Ahn and Kavita Ramdas

As Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the world’s most powerful financial institution, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), spends a few nights in Rikers Island prison awaiting a hearing, the world is learning a lot about his history of treating women as expendable sex objects. Strauss-Kahn has been charged with rape and forced imprisonment of a 32-year-old Guinean hotel worker at a $3,000-a-night luxury hotel in New York.

Crucial Meeting for Women's Rights Defenders

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:11:30 +0000

On March 8th in Geneva, GFW advisors and grantee partners from the Americas will meet the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders to discuss how to improve the security of women human rights defenders. With rampant government and law enforcement corruption, women human rights defenders are at great risk, facing marginalization, prejudice, violence and threats on their lives. Learn more (PDF) »

Standing in Solidarity with the People of Egypt

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:50:41 +0000

A new dawn is rising in Egypt. Approximately two million people have gathered in Tahrir (Liberation) Square in Cairo to demand the end of the Mubarak regime. Among them are Global Fund for Women advisors and grantees who, together with their people, are raising their voices against injustice in their call for freedom, equality, and democracy. The revolution has swept across all Egyptian provinces and cities, even little villages, where on a daily basis for a week, women and men have taken to the streets in protest. The Global Fund for Women stands in solidarity with the brave women and men who are risking their lives to create a new country, one that respects human rights, justice and equality for all.

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This revolution has been long in the making. Over the past few years, we have been receiving reports regularly from our grantee partners, like the Land Center for Human Rights, of strikes and protests in multiple districts across Egypt. They have informed us that the entire society—from workers in textile factories, to farmers and day laborers, to bloggers and students—are not only speaking up and demanding their rights, but enduring being arrested and beaten in the process.

Hundreds have been killed and over 1,000 people have been brutally injured by the police in response to peaceful demonstrations. Sadly, this savage response to peaceful protestors has been the Mubarak regime's approach since the 1970s when it imposed an emergency law to crush any dissent and political organizing. In recent years, the Mubarak regime has intensified its repression and torture. The government recently passed a law restricting the work of civil society organizations. Nadim Center, one of our grantees, has been documenting the torture of political dissidents, bloggers, and union organizers in Egyptian jails. Last July, an Egyptian youth, Khalid Said, was tortured to death in a police station. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented how the regime's brutality has intensified under the global war on terror. Furthermore, Mubarak’s rule has been marked by rigged elections, widespread corruption and human rights violations, including harassment and violence against women, which many of our grantee partners, including Nazra for Feminist Studies, the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights, and the Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement, have well-documented during their election monitoring in 2010 and in years past. Many western and Egyptian-government media are diverting attention away from the peaceful protests by focusing on looting. To the contrary, our advisors and grantees are reporting that people are quickly organizing into neighborhood committees to protect public and private property, even forming a human shield around the National Museum. What is not being reported by these news outlets is that many caught looting and inciting violence are actually Mubarak's secret police and hired thugs who have in the past rigged elections and attacked demonstrators. The media is also spotlighting the Muslim Brotherhood and extremist religious groups, when in fact the Muslim Brotherhood only recently joined the protests and only constitutes a segment of the opposition. What they are missing is that youth, including young women, are on the streets calling for a democratic non sectarian government and chanting for unity for a brighter future for all of Egypt's people.

The Global Fund for Women calls upon the United States and Egypt to fulfill the demands of the people calling for change and end to violence and retaliation. We believe that calls by the Obama administration for political and economic reform is too little, too late and is being interpreted as an endorsement of Mubarak and his policies, and against the Egyptian people's calls for democracy. People in Egypt are united under one slogan: THIS REGIME MUST END.

We call upon the US government to stand on the right side of history and support the Egyptian people's right to true democracy and freedom. The U.S. aid to Egypt (second to Israel in the region), including military weapons, has been used in the past and during the last few days against peaceful protestors. We as a nation must no longer support repression.

As supporters of women’s rights, we can play a significant role. We can:

Spread the news to overcome the information blockades and mainstream messages;
Write to our government representatives, newspapers, blogs, and other media venues, telling them we refuse to have our money used to back a dictator and suppress people's legitimate grievances;
Protest in front of Egyptian embassies worldwide;
Extend a hand of support to Egyptian civil society organizations to ensure that democracy and equality are the order of the day in the near future in Egypt; and 5. Support the Global Fund for Women’s capacity to continue to provide critical movement building support to women's groups in Egypt. Click here for information about groups we have funded since 1989.

As events unfold, we will continue to monitor the situation and extend our support and solidarity to our advisors and grantees in the country. We will remain committed to our ongoing human rights work and investment in sustaining the women’s rights movement in Egypt.

20 Years of Transition: How are Women Faring?

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:28:47 +0000

Listen to an inspiring feminist podcast featuring Betsy Hoody, GFW's Program Officer for Europe and Central Asia (ECA), and Masum Momaya from the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID).

Produced by Preeti Mangala Shekar

Statement on the Murder of Marisela Escobedo Ortiz

lshapiro@globalfundforwomen.org (Laura Shapiro) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:30:53 +0000

In response to the December 16th killing of human rights defender Marisela Escobedo, Global Fund grantee Justicia para Nuestras Hijas (Justice for Our Daughters), whose work Marisela was supporting at the time of her death, made the following statement about this recent murder and the larger context of discrimination and violence against women in Mexico.