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This has been like no other year for bringing the issue of women and
power to the attention of the American public. Hillary Clinton's
competitive bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, followed by
John McCain's strategic selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate,
has made crystal clear the power and influence of women in the
political arena today.
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.
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