Dear All,

Kavita Ramdas is the President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women.

Global Fund Board member from Afghanistan, Sakena Yacoobi, President and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute for Learning (AIL) will receive the fourth annual Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership. 

Founded in 2006, the Kravis Prize carries a $250,000 award designated to the honoree’s organization, in recognition of extraordinary leadership in the nonprofit sector. Dr. Yacoobi was selected for her outstanding accomplishment of providing over 350,000 Afghan women and children with education and health care each year. The Kravis Prize will be presented to Dr. Yacoobi on March 31st  in New York City. Founded in 2006, the prize recognizes and celebrates extraordinary accomplishment and bold, visionary leadership in the nonprofit sector.
“It is important to understand that entrepreneurial spirit and leadership are just as vital to achievement in the not-for-profit world as they are in the private sector,” said Mr. Kravis. “We are pleased and proud to recognize and celebrate the significant and inspirational work being done by Dr. Yacoobi and the Afghan Institute of Learning.” Past recipients of The Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership are Roy Prosterman, the inaugural recipient (2006), founder of the Rural Development Institute; Fazle Abed (2007), founder of BRAC in Bangladesh; and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) (2008).

She will also be in San Francisco next week on February 10th at a luncheon hosted by Americans for UNFPA, an organization dedicated to building American support for the work of UNFPA and torestoring the United States’ moral and financial contribution to theorganization. 

Useful links:

Kravis Prize

Americans for UNFPA

Watch a YouTube Video about the Afghan Institute of Learning

The situation of Nobel peace laureate and human rights defender Shirin Ebadi continues to be intensely critical. In the course of the last two weeks, the organization she heads, Defenders of Human Rights Center, was shut down under the pretexts of false accusations of tax evasion perpetuated by the media. Her private law offices were raided and confidential case files were seized, and on January 1st, a mob of 150 demonstrated in front of her house in an orchestrated attempt to connect her to the Israeli actions in Gaza.

Protestors began kicking the door to her home and vandalized the exterior of her property in an attempt to further intimidate her.

We condemn the Iranian government's campaign against the country's most prominent human rights activist, and demand that they guarantee Shirin Ebadi's safety and her civil and political rights. Join the over eighty human rights organizations and activists who have expressed grave concern for Ms. Ebadi's safety and human rights. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also issued a statement expression concern.

Sign The Petition!

Information Courtesy: Women's Learning Partnership
Photo Credit: 2005 Global Fund file photo of Shirin Ebadi

The IWC further appeals to the Quartet, and in particular to the incoming US Administration, to press for immediate resumption of peace negotiations based on the Arab Peace Initiative as the only way of bringing an end to the occupation and achieving sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine, and in the region.

On behalf of IWC Members:

Palestinian Steering Committee
Wafa' Abdel-Rahman
Maha Abu-Dayyeh Shamas
Samia Bamieh
Lama Hourani

Israeli Steering Committee
Naomi Chazan
Galia Golan
Anat Saragusti
Aida Touma-Sliman

International Steering Committee
Sylvia Borren
Luisa Morgantini
Jessica Neuwirth
Simone Susskind

The International Women's Commission for a Just and Sustainable Palestinian–Israeli Peace (IWC) comprises Palestinian, Israeli and international women leaders. It was established in 2005 under the auspices of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) as part of efforts to implement UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.

For more information:

* UNIFEM IWC International Coordinator: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Tel: +32 2 213-1444.Fax: +32 2 213-1449.
* IWC Israeli Coordinator: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it   Tel: +972 54 225-6633. Fax: +972 2 563-7633. 
* IWC Palestinian Coordinator: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it : +972 2 297-4650

Shalini Nataraj, Global Fund’s Vice-President Of Programs reflects on her recent experience at the historic AWID Forum that brought together several constituents of our network – donors, grantees, board and advisors.

Last month a team of us from the Global Fund participated in the largest gathering of women rights activists, women’s organizations, academics, donors and opinion leaders -  the triennial Association of Women’s Rights In Development Forum, “The Power of Movements”, in Cape Town, South Africa. It has been really exciting and interesting to come to South Africa at this time – with Obama as President-elect and South African politics posing severe difficulties to the women’s movement here if Jacob Zuma, President of the African National Congress, is elected President.

To be in a place where the indefatigable spirit of resistance to brutal oppression finally triumphed, was a tremendously moving experience for most of us who were visiting this country for the first time. However, the loss of the iconic Miriam Makeba, who helped bring the South African struggle to the world stage with her music, was deeply felt, and one of the highlights of the AWID experience was an impromptu memorial to her legacy.  Another highlight that vividly illustrated the power of women coming together, was a march of women from all over the world with their South African sisters, to demand an end to violence against women in South Africa. Perhaps the most interesting development of all might be the catalyzing of the idea of a women’s party in South Africa to implement a feminist alternative to the failing, scandle-ridden political system in that country.
 
The AWID forum was also a vital opportunity for us to meet face-to-face with local grantees and other members of our network. Together with some of my colleagues, I visited grantees in Johannesburg before arriving in Cape Town, where we had pre-forum discussions and consultations on a range of issues such as feminist leadership with our grantee partners and peer organizations. On the eve of the forum, we celebrated the anniversaries of several women’s funds at a grand reception held at the African Gold Museum. The event, with amazing music and great food, was attended by over 250 people including all 28 women’s funds of the world, and Lynn Brown, the Mayor of Cape Town.

The AWID Forum brought together over 2,000 women. A well organized forum, it was however overwhelming to wrap one’s head around information from a plethora of panels on every conceivable subject related to women’s issues and rights.

The most valuable and energizing part of the conference was the networking, meeting with grantees and peer women’s rights organizations that were only names in e-mails before, and catching up with others we know well to catch up and share where we are with our organizations’ evolution. To know that the Global Fund for Women has played such a big role in the lives of so many women and organizations to find solidarity and build collective action through the forum, is truly gratifying.

After the conference, together with Muadi Mukenge, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, I traveled to Zimbabwe.  We felt that it was very important to show solidarity with our sisters in Zimbabwe who are facing unimaginable challenges that threaten to completely undo every gain for women’s rights since Zimbabwe’s independence.  We had an amazingly inspiring visit with the Girl Child Network, where the intelligence and courage of the young girls who are members of GCN’s girl’s clubs left us filled with hope for the future of the country.  We also met a range of grantees who attended a day-long meeting to share challenges, opportunities and strategies to deal with the continuing and new threats to women’s rights.

In the coming weeks, we will continue to update you through our web site with the strategies and plans of actions that emerge from GFW’s participation in this ground-breaking gathering of women’s rights activists and supporters.  The input we have received and the information we have gathered during the Forum and in our meetings with grantees will shape how we do our grantmaking not just for the rest of this year but for the implementation of our new strategic plan over the next few years.  We look forward to sharing what we’ve learned with all of you.

Shalini Nataraj
Vice-President of Programs

Photos Courtesy: Rucha Tadwalkar

We hope you will be inspired by our annual report celebrating 20 years of advancing women’s rights globally. We thank you, our partners, for making our work possible. We are delighted to share this report with you on the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, which was signed in San Francisco, December 10th, 1948.

This holiday season we find ourselves at a very unique moment of history, one that is both sobering yet full of potential. We are at the end of a year in which violence and terror was inflicted on innocent civilians as well as combatants – by national armies as well as by rebels and militias. No part of the world was spared – from the attacks in Mumbai, to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Gaza, Colombia, Haiti, Darfur, Georgia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and of course Iraq. Women paid a particularly horrendous price as rape and sexual assault became commonplace. It is painfully clear that, to date, the “war on terror” has served only to exacerbate hostilities.

Rising food and petroleum prices, followed by the rapid collapse of the global financial system have also raised anxieties around the world. Despite immediate responses including so-called bailouts from governments and multi-lateral institutions, it appears that a worldwide recession is well underway.

And yet, in 2008, we also witnessed a sea change in the United States, as America elected its first ever African American President, Barack Obama. Though faced with myriad problems, the new President has a mandate and an opportunity to demonstrate resolve and imagination in managing the end of two wars, an economic crisis, climate change, and regaining credibility for the United States in the global community.

Similarly, while growing militarism, violence against women, and the financial crises pose major challenges for the Global Fund for Women, we see this as a time to lead with courage and conviction. We are committed to keeping a tight check on our expenses, while diversifying our funding base so that we can continue to be a steady source of support for women and girls. They, after all, are hardest hit by current events. Now more than ever, it is imperative that women’s voices and perspectives be at the forefront of change. With your support, we will continue to be there for them – for we know that the only guarantee of human security is to end global inequality and injustice by advancing human rights for all. [Download Annual Report as Pdf]

In peace and solidarity,

Kavita N.Ramdas
President & CEO

Last month, Zung Che from the Taiwanese grantee group Collective of Sex Workers And Supporters (COSWAS) visited the Global Fund’s offices. COSWAS is a dynamic coalition of women’s groups working to protect and promote the rights of sex workers in Taiwan, and to press for the decriminalization of their work.

Every year, the capital city of Taipei continues to draw thousands of migrant sex workers from China, Vietnam and south-east Asian countries. Zung shared his insights on the challenges of organizing sex workers in current Taiwanese society where the challenges of economic liberalization are an increasing reality and are additionally disempowering marginalized communities like sex workers, who are additionally exploited since sex work was criminalized in 1997. 

COSWAS’ coalitions and activities provide a strong labor rights framework to organize and fight for the rights of sex workers. It is also one of the few groups in the country also including LGBTIQ rights in their organizing framework.While on a conference here in the US, Zung, a translator with COSWAS, was also was engaged in discussions with community activists and organizations working on Proposition K in San Francisco, a measure on the election ballot that seeks to decriminalize sex work.

A sunny Saturday morning at Stanford drew together an illustrious panel of global leaders to discuss and re-evaluate conventional notions of leadership in the 21st century. Moderated by noted journalist Tom Brokaw, the panel included Kavita Ramdas, President and CEO of the Global Fund, Jeff Raikes, CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, and Congressman Xavier Becerra among others. The discussion sought to examine the models of leadership we need in a 21st century plagued by wars and conflict; and economic and ecological catastrophes. 

Widely attended by Stanford alumni and students, the roundtable quickly gathered high interest and momentum when Kavita made a strong point in her introduction, in favor of collective leadership over conventional western models of individual leadership. “We need to recognize that we lead as collectives, and we need to detach the notion of a hero from a leader,” emphasized Kavita. Be it in the favelas of Brazil or inner neighborhoods of Chicago, there are extraordinary leaders everywhere, she noted. But they are extraordinary because they follow a collaborative, and a partnership model of leadership.

Watch the entire round table for an inspiring and a thought-provoking discussion of how we as a society need to re-evaluate and re-consider conventional notions of leadership. Also check out blogs by inspired members of the audience who walked away with much food for thought on leadership:

http://human-strategies.blogspot.com/2008/10/we-dont-need-another-hero.html

http://www.saketvora.com/2008/10/11/the-2008-stanford-roundtable/

http://valerievillarreal.blogspot.com/2008/10/californiahow-sweet-sound-and-question.html

Watch the roundtable

Women also are using the power of their purses to influence this election. On average, women earn 60 percent more than they did three decades ago, and, despite a gender gap in pay equity, tripled their giving to political candidates from 2000 to 2008. In this election alone, women have given a total of $429 million to presidential candidates.

Political candidates aren't the only ones benefiting from women's increased financial clout. According to U.S. News & World Report, in 2005 women surpassed men in their “civic generosity” by giving $21.7 billion in donations and philanthropic contributions compared with $16.8 billion given by men.

As president of the world's largest women's fund that has quadrupled in size over the past eight years, I've witnessed firsthand how women worldwide are choosing to invest in social change. At the Global Fund for Women, we hear from articulate and competent women from every continent who represent a wide political spectrum. We support women's organizations working on issues of economic development, education and health but also those crafting new definitions of power based on collaboration, community and inclusion.

According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, women's presence in parliaments and in ministerial positions significantly increases investments in social welfare and legal protection, as well as transparency in government and business. Last week, Rwandan women won 56 percent of contested parliamentary seats, setting a new precedent in Africa and for the world. In the United States, where women occupy a mere 16 percent of congressional seats, studies show that both Republican and Democratic women are more likely than their male counterparts to advocate for policies that champion social justice, protect the environment, advocate for children and families, and promote nonviolent conflict resolution.

What would power look like if all women – not just a handful – shared decision-making in their homes, in their lives, and in defining the political and economic futures of their countries? Imagine the transformation that could occur in U.S. economic policy, health care and foreign policy if more women held positions in Congress.

But this is not just an issue of numbers. The question for women in the United States and around the world is not whether we can be effective candidates or make a difference in terms of our votes or dollars. Rather, it is whether we are able and willing to face the world's current challenges with a new approach to power and leadership. Can we, in other words, dare to do more than simply outdo men in business as usual?

The daunting scale of world problems, from fast-moving health epidemics and climate change, to food insecurities and the current collapse of the global financial system, require major structural changes for their solution. It is not enough for women to aspire to have the same rights and access to power as men. Instead of simply demanding a place at the table, women must have the courage and imagination to chart a wholly different way of organizing economic and political systems grounded in principles of egalitarianism, human rights and ecological sustainability.

Pundits from both parties believe that women will determine the outcome of this November's election. Our task is to use our experiences and talents to envision new ways of leadership and new definitions of power in which women have voice, real choices and are able to contribute fully to the creation of a world that is secure and sustainable.

As leaders from business, media and civil society gather in San Diego this week for Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women Summit, there is no more urgent time to reflect upon how women choose to express their power.

This piece was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on October 2nd, 2008. 

Dear friends,
 
We have just returned from a very emotional final vote in the full session of the Supreme Court, where eight of 11 justices declared the Mexico City law constitutional! We are absolutely thrilled! On this monumental day in Mexican history, we want our supporters to be the first to know about the triumph, in which the Pro-Choice Alliance undeniably played a role.
 
A large number of the justices based their votes on the concept that although the right to life is protected in the constitution, it does not supersede other human rights, including a woman’s rights to life, health protection, equality, freedom from discrimination, self-determination, sexual and reproductive freedom, bodily integrity, and privacy. Several justices mentioned the social aspects of abortion, but the strongest arguments were those based strictly on the Mexican constitution and law.
 
Two of the justices who voted against the law’s constitutionality made infuriatingly misogynistic remarks during their arguments. The Chief Justice based his arguments on the claim that women have access to contraception; implying that those who face unwanted pregnancy have no one to blame but themselves. At one point, he stated that forced maternity does not exist. Another claimed that pregnancy and motherhood is only a “light” imposition on women!
 
The legal importance of this decision cannot be underestimated, especially given the proportion of the majority. As we wrote yesterday, four votes would have meant that the law is not unconstitutional. Six votes guaranteed the law’s constitutionality. Although eight votes were secured, legal jurisprudence was not established given a technicality in one justice’s vote.
 
These legal subtleties will be extremely important as we move into the Mexican states to expand abortion rights. With this vote, there is no constitutional reason for Mexican states not to include the decriminalization of abortion in their penal codes. In fact, the Supreme Court validated local congresses’ legitimacy to do so. We will carry out an in-depth legal analysis of the ruling’s implications to inform our upcoming work and we will also analyze it further when the official sentence is released in a few weeks.
 
Much work remains to be done. We are galvanized by this strong legal recognition of women’s human rights to life and health by the highest court in the nation, and are ready for the fight that awaits us to ensure this right for all Mexican women. We know, and want you to know as well, that this would not have been possible without the Alliance, and the Alliance would not exist without strong donor backing. Thank you for your invaluable past and present support. It is bearing wonderful fruit!
 
Today is truly a dream come true; one that we and thousands of Mexican women have waited years and even decades for.
 
In resounding victory!
 
María Consuelo Mejía, María Eugencia Romero, María Luisa Sánchez Fuentes, Raffaela Schiavon, Sandy García, Gillian Fawcett, Emily Barcklow, Jennifer Paine, Elsa Pérez, Sandy Poire and the rest of the staff at the Pro-Choice Alliance organizations
 

Last week, Mauritanian President Abdallahi, the country's first democratically elected leader, was overthrown in a military coup. Read a statement issued by The Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille [Association of Women Heads of Household] (AFCF), a Global Fund grantee.  Published by the Women’s Learning Partnership, this statement condemns the coup d'état and makes crucial demands for the return of democracy. Read their statement below:

WLP Partner in Mauritania, AFCF, Condemns the Coup d'état and Calls for Restoration of Constitutional Government in Mauritania
August 7, 2008

WLP Partner in Mauritania, L'Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille (AFCF) strongly condemns the coup d'état that took place in Mauritania on Wednesday August 6, 2008 in contempt of the democratic choices expressed by the people of Mauritania after a long period of dictatorship and instability.
AFCF:

• Demands a return to constitutional legality and the reinstatement of the democratically-elected president and his government;   
  
• Calls on all human rights institutions, activists and personalities to resolutely reject this coup d'état and to defend Mauritania's democratic constitutional order; and   
  
• Appeals to international institutions, notably the European Union, to use their influence to re-establish constitutionalism in Mauritania.

L'Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille (AFCF) is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to promote human rights and defend the rights of women and children. AFCF promotes the legal, social, and economic empowerment of women, especially those in rural locations.The organization advocates for the improvement of the 2001 Personal Status Law and strives to ensure that protections under the current law are accessible to women in Mauritania.

AFCF supports the participation of female heads of households in action for social change through training activities and provides services to women in crisis situations. Since 2005 WLP and AFCF have been working together to expand skills-building and leadership training to enhance women's participation in decision-making in the family, community, and in politics. 

The last weekend of June found LGBTIQ communities around the world celebrating pride with the enthusiasm that has marked pride marches historically. We are excited to share that at this year’s pride march in San Francisco, two of our grantee partners from the Serbian group Autonomous Women's Center participated and spoke at the Dyke March attended by several thousand members of the bay area’s queer community along with numerous allies.

Tijana Popivoda and Lepa Mladjenovic from the Serbian chapter of AWC, a Global Fund grantee in Serbia that works to end violence against women, inspired the audience with their moving speeches. They drew vital attention to the widespread homophobia that persists in several countries of the world, and especially in countries in Eastern Europe. “The question of visibility is a question of our lesbian existence. In the country where I live, Serbia, as well as in most other places in the world, visibility can mean that we risk our lives,” remarked Tijana.  They reminded the audience of the homophobia that lesbians in different countries of the world from India to Kyrgyzstan, continue to endure and resist fearlessly. Full transcripts of Tijana and Lepa’s speeches are available online.

Meanwhile, our grantee partner Queer Zagreb, part of the Zagreb Pride organizing committee, shared exciting updates about how the LGBTIQ community celebrated pride in Zagreb, Croatia. In an email, they highlighted how representatives from four parliamentary parties and a member of the European Parliament, in a historic showing of political support, participated in the ceremonies. In addition to Queer Zagreb, several other Global Fund grantees along with hundreds of people participated in the march from all over the Balkans. Check out clips from the rally online  and visit Zagreb Pride’s web site.

You can also visit Zagreb Pride's community on Facebook.

Seventh-grade students from Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto recently joined a growing and thriving community of a younger generation who come together, despite busy schedules, to raise money for the Global Fund.  As we recognize the efforts of students around the country collectively learning about and practicing philanthropy in their schools, we'd like to acknowledge and thank the students of Gideon Hausner for joining in these efforts to benefit our grantees worldwide!

Seventh-graders from the Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto received a hands-on lesson in philanthropy over the course of several months. Students researched nonprofit organizations and learnt how philanthropists choose the organizations they support, then worked together to pool their own contributions for these causes, generously sourced from Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations and activities such as baby-sitting and letter writing.

Their philanthropic project, which began in September, culminated a few weeks ago during their celebration of Tzedakah ceremony. At the ceremony, students presented a total of $57,000 to 46 groups, and among them was the Global Fund for Women. 

At the Global Fund, such remarkable initiatives inspire and make us additionally grateful to be doing this work. We commend this emerging young generation of philanthropists.  To read more about students giving to the Global Fund, please visit our May archive (link to blog archive).

"For all of us who get to be leaders, it is an incredible opportunity to do one's best. Everything shall be judged by history," shared Dr.Vaira Vike-Freiberga, in conversation with veteran journalist Sydnie Kohara of CBS News San Francisco. Dr. Vike-Freiberga was President of the Republic of Latvia from 1999 to 2007.

Last month, I had the opportunity to attend an event hosted by the San Francisco-based International Museum of Women (IMOW). It was the first of its Speaker Series with a talk by Dr.Vaira Vike-Freiberga, former President of Latvia, and the first woman head of state in post-communist Europe. The audience of several Global Fund donors, and Bay Area community members also included a delightfully surprising number of people of Latvian origin.

In the light-hearted but profound discussion, Dr.Freiberga shared stories from her extraordinary life of fleeing from Latvia as a child during the Soviet occupation and her life and work as a prolific scholar in Montreal, Canada. She also shared her passion for Latvian folklore called dainas, about which she has also written many books.

In addition to supporting IMOW, Global Fund has  also supported five groups in Latvia to the tune of almost $42,000. One example is the Latvian Young Women's Association, based in the Latvian capital Riga, working to increase minority women's political and civic participation in Latvian society.

In his op-ed “The Weapon of Rape” (NYT 6/15/08), Nicholas Kristof justly described sexual atrocities against women in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Darfur as “terrorism.”This strong language is overdue in a context where the use of rape for political gain and territorial expansion has continued unabated for 10 years in both these countries with almost no reaction from world leaders, especially in the case of DRC. Read more.

Kristof uses this week’s UN Security Council session on sexual violence, which will be led by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, as the hook to remind the world of its negligence when it comes to women’s human rights. The world has been silent in spite of the UN’s own condemning 2001 report on the exploitation of mineral resources as a driving force of the war in eastern Congo – the most violent since World War II and responsible for almost 5 million deaths. The world remained silent following Human Rights Watch’s 2002 detailed documentation of sexual violence as a regular feature of the conflict. 2007 and 2008 have finally seen the emergence of interest in the rights of violated African women – we’ve seen more media reports, more donor interest, more visits to the region by international NGOs. The Congolese activists and NGOs that have been ardently calling on the world to pay attention for the past decade must ask themselves why it took so long. These groups raised awareness about the overflow of weapons in Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda, which made it easy for armed groups to terrorize communities, making farming a dangerous endeavor for women who must grow their food, and subjecting women and girls to unspeakable acts of violence and humiliation. These groups also insisted that violence against women must be considered as crimes against humanity, and were critical to the passage of UN Resolution 1325 and the recognition of rape as a crime against humanity by the International Criminal Court. These courageous activists insisted that these crimes not be relegated to “internal matters” of sovereign states – immune from scrutiny by world leaders and international human rights procedures. The same groups are helping victims of rape access medical treatment and support systems to become economically independent.  In keeping with its mission and commitment to listening to women's voices on the ground, the Global Fund for Women has been proud to be able to provide both financial support and to stand in moral solidarity with some of these remarkable activists as they carry out their important work.

Is it a coincidence that as the end of the Bush administration approaches, Condoleeza Rice, the Secretary of State, a woman, leads the debate on sexual violence? Is it a coincidence that it took this long for this administration to prioritize or think about tens of thousands of women being traumatized as they were brutally raped, and, adding insult to injury, often in the presence of their families and neighbors? Over 70 Congolese women’s rights organizations sent a letter to the UN Security Council this week appealing that significant, meaningful steps be taken to end sexual violence. The world has repeatedly stated “never again” when it comes to brutal violence, genocide, and mass atrocities. However, when it comes to women's bodies being used as weapons of war, the pattern has continued, from Liberia, to Bosnia, Serbia, Rwanda, DRC, and Darfur – making “never again” seem like a farce rather than a forceful commitment of the international community. We don’t know where the next atrocities will take place, but we hope that the response of the world community will be much swifter and unequivocal so that thousands of women don’t again sacrifice their dignity and well-being for the sake of politics and greed.

Read Nick Kristof's article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/opinion/15kristof.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

Read More...     

During the past couple of months, the Global Fund has received several gifts generated by students, including a generous lump of pennies in the amount of $609 from students' coin drive at King Phillip Middle School in Connecticut and over $2,000 from the proceeds of a multicultural show put on by the Stanford undergraduate South Asian student group, Sanskriti. 

From students organizing conferences on women's rights - such as Stanford students' recent ThinkBig conference - to middle schoolers becoming practicing philanthropists even before their teenage years, students from coast to coast in the US are mobilizing both passion and resources to contribute to advancing international women's rights.Sanskriti, which in Hindi/Sanskrit means "culture," is an undergraduate South Asian cultural student group founded in 1989. Since then, it has grown to include over 600 members. 

By exploring South Asian history and tradition and promoting its performances to the rest of the Stanford community, Sanskriti seeks to strengthen campus awareness of South Asian culture. Each winter, Sanskriti organizes an annual multicultural show called Rhythms, the proceeds of which go to a different charity of their choice each year. Check out Sanskriti's trailer video for the show.

This year, in celebration of the concurrent student-led conference on women's rights, Think Big, Sanskriti generously donated the proceeds of its annual show to the Global Fund for Women. ThinkBig, is Stanford's annual conference run entirely by enthusiastic undergraduate students, focused on international women's health and rights issues. ThinkBIG, held this year at Stanford from February 1-3, aimed to inspire students to action by critically looking at the health situation of women and girls in poorer countries.

The conference engaged hundreds of students and community members through speeches, films, student group performances, such as Sanskriti's Rhythms, and information panels featuring guests such as Former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis, Former Minister of Health of Ghana Dr. Eunice Brookman Amissah, and Fiona Muchembere of The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), a Global Fund grantee.

ThinkBig writes, "The ultimate goal is to mobilize our generation-- from the diplomat to the doctor to the 'check-writer of tomorrow'-- to step up to the challenges of the future and work to improve the situation of women throughout the developing world.  You can download and view each of the conference panel's stirring opening videos, produced by Potentia Media. Download file (size 347 MB)

Examples of student-led activism and mobilization such as these abound across the country.  The Global Fund is honored to be the recipient of these recent student-led initiatives and delighted to be part of the philanthropic education of our youth.  For more information about how your school can get involved, contact Annie Wilkinson, Development Associate of Philanthropic Partnerships at annie [AT] globalfundforwomen [DOT] org.

By Annie Wilkinson, Development Associate for Philanthropic Partnerships

Read an article by Zeina Zataari, Senior Program Officer for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), on the ongoing war in Iraq and its enormous implications and consequences for Iraqi women. The article was first published in Project Syndicate last month:

BAGHDAD – Iraqi women’s organizations and international observers point to an escalating war against women in Iraq, aided by the widespread chaos and lawlessness under the US occupation. In addition to violence by US troops inside and outside of prisons, women in Iraq face daily violence from militants under the guise of religion and “liberation.”

In Iraq’s second largest city, Basra, a stronghold of conservative Shia groups, as many as 133 women were killed last year for violating “Islamic teachings” and in so-called “honor killings,” according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The methods are brutal evidence of a backlash by previously subdued tribal forces that have been unleashed by the occupation: women strangled and beheaded, and their hands, arms and legs chopped off.

With US forces in Iraq now funding both Sunni and Shia tribal leaders in an effort to stabilize the country, conditions for women grow deadlier by the day. Islamist leaders have imposed new restrictions on women, including prohibitions on work, bans on travel without a muhram (male guardian), and compulsory veiling.

According to the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), formed in Baghdad in 2003, women are harassed if they appear in the streets of most Iraqi cities and towns, educational institutions, or work places. Now there are even “no woman zones” in some southern cities controlled by Islamist parties and tribal leaders.

Honor killings of Iraqi women are justified by alleged promiscuity or adultery. In fact, the practice targets holders of PhD’s, professionals, political activists, and office workers. “Politically active women, those who did not follow a strict dress code, and women human rights defenders were increasingly at risk of abuse, including by armed groups and religious extremists,” Amnesty International said in its 2007 report.

Indeed, a top police official in Basra reported that as many as 15 women are killed every month in the city. Ambulance drivers in Basra, paid to “clean the streets” before people go to work, pick up many more bodies of women every morning.

Ironically, the forces leading this assault on women had little or no power under Saddam Hussein. But, following the US-led invasion in 2003, southern Iraq was opened to forces known as Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (PVPV) – militant gangs and individuals committed to archaic Islamic rule and suppression of women’s rights.

Some members of these groups now serve in government, others in militias or as self-appointed vigilantes or hired guns. The goal of the PVPV is to confine women to the domestic realm and end all female participation in public and political life.

To date, Iraqi officials have not been willing to deal with this escalating violence against women, or even to discuss it. But, as elected representatives, they are obligated to address these crimes. So must the US. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, the responsibility for protecting civilian populations in an occupied country belongs to the occupying forces, which, in this case, are clearly failing to protect Iraqi women.

Two measures are urgently needed. First, the Iraqi government must immediately establish “Protection of Women” security patrols in Iraq’s southern cities. These patrols must receive gender-sensitive training and prioritize women’s security over tribal or fundamentalist religious values.

Second, pursuant to its obligations under the Geneva Convention, the US must immediately take steps to protect the lives and freedoms of Iraqi civilians. Unless the US does so, it must withdraw from Iraq, because the occupation would merely continue to sustain a breeding ground for violence against women.

The timetable for action is not subject to debate. It must begin today.

Josie Hadden, a Global Fund donor and an avid supporter of our work, attended the recently concluded GFW-AWID conference in Marrakech, Morocco and blogged about her experience of meeting with our Moroccoan grantees and learning about the important work they do:

The Global Fund for Women-AWID conference in Marrakech ended. All the hugs and cheek kisses from new friends and sisters had been shared and good-bys made. The next phase of our trip would be site visits. 

But first, we spent a day in Marrakech doing a little sightseeing and exploring the Medina, the old city with its maze of alleyways, souks (shops), and crush of people, and emerging at Jamaa al Fna (the large market square) in the late afternoon to the chaotic, fascinating scene of produce venders, outdoor grills, monkeys, snake charmers (be sure to look down. I almost walked right through the middle of the snakes at one point), drummers, dancers, motor scooters and more people.

For the next week we visited Global Fund grantees in Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Rabat and Fez. We met with groups who are explaining the new, more liberal Family Code (Mudawana) to women all over the country. They use van caravans to reach remote villages to present skits demonstrating women’s rights under the new law, and working to get the new rights implemented. Others work at the advocacy level trying to get the police and judges to actually operate by the Mudawana, lobbying for broader coverage without restrictions, evoking CEDAW. Having rights codified is an essential first step, but society and culture do not change easily. Some groups use media and professional theater to effect change.

Other groups offer school for unregistered children, others provide literacy and vocational training for the women. Almost everyone provided “listening centers” where women who are victims of violence can talk about their experience and work through their feelings. One group is working with other gorups to build a 200 bed women’s center with a full range of services including longer term shelter.

I had made this trip with the Global Fund because I wanted to verify my positive impressions about the work the Fund does. I wanted to see how their peers reacted to them at the conference and to see how their grantees interacted with them. My instincts were completely validated. I support the Global Fund wholeheartedly and am delighted to be a dedicated and enthusiastic donor.

One of the conference participants, Nadeen, from Lebanon shared her thoughts about the recently concluded AWID-GFW Conference in Morocco:

When I first got to Morocco for the AWID/GFW conference on resource mobilization in the MENA region, I had prepared myself to be quiet on a lot of feminist issues. I even asked that my name and work on sexual rights be kept confidential. It’s the MENA region, after all, I thought, and the discourse would be old and stiff and boring. So the organizers somehow had this genius idea of gathering the young women participants for a pre-conference workshop, and I’ve been overwhelmingly impressed by the feminisms represented by these beautiful, strong, young women.

There was no ice to break. We bonded immediately, overcoming barriers in language, religions, and backgrounds, and what has been fostered in the days to follow has given me the greatest of hope towards real and radical change in our region.

Having this youth-only day had its visible effects on the rest of the conference (in which I am sitting now). Young women felt empowered, they found their voices and each other, they formed an alliance that stood strong on many issues raised in the workshops by the older generations of women’s activists. And yes, we raised sexual and bodily rights at the bigger conference.

Activism is boiling here, and we are all committed to carrying it through. Ours is a young feminism, an unwavering feminism, a radical feminism, and a vibrant feminism!