Where are the women at the G20 Table?

Women are 52% of the world’s population, but only occupy 10% of leadership in the countries that control 85% of the Global Economic Output.

If you type in “women at the G20” in your search engine, you will most likely see headlines that include “Sizzling G-20 Wives” and “Forget the G-20, what are the spouses wearing?” As leaders of the world’s 20 largest global powerhouses descend upon London for the annual G20 Summit to discuss critical economic, social and political issues, the voice of women worldwide may still be absent from the dialogue at the table; widespread media gossip about spouses’ attire and etiquette will not illuminate the economic inequities that exist for women worldwide. Considering that 70% of the worlds 1.2 Billion impoverished people are women (according to the UN Millennium Development Goals Report), women’s issue should not be cast into the shadows beneath petty headlines---but unfortunately, they are. The media focuses so much attention on the shopping skills of the women behind the G20 leaders, that they miss the issues that these women champion---if they would dig deeper they would find gifted individuals: a mathematician, lawyers, activists, trained musicians, educators and mothers---who reach out to others as caregivers in addition to their roles as diplomats and liaisons. If only these women would be invited to join their partners at the table…

Of the 20 leaders at the table during the G20 Summit, only two----President Cristina Kirchner of Argentina and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany are women. Although, President Obama and other world leaders may have deep respect for women’s rights and issues that affect families, the question remains, will they convey the same perspective that a room full of women would? Although strides have been made in many countries to bring gender equality to elected leadership (In 2008, Women were elected to fill 45/80 Seats (56.3%) in the Rwanda lower house----far exceeding the 30% national quota for women’s representation in the National Parliament), it takes much effort to get world leaders to take issues of women’s rights and basic human rights seriously.

Even though there are organizations like the U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the U.N. Division for the Advancement of Women, women continue to be exploited for political gain, as exemplified in the recent decision of Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, to sign a law that essentially legalizes rape in marriage; the most disconcerting clause in the bill states that “women cannot refuse to have sex with their husbands, and can only seek work, education or visit the doctor with their husbands' permission.” Although the UN and even the US Secretary of State Clinton has stated that this action is a human rights violation and that "This [women’s rights] is an area of absolute concern for the United States…Women's rights are a central part of the foreign policy of the Obama administration,” there is obviously much work to be done if we are to completely obliterate such wide sweeping and unprecedented actions against women. "Rhetoric with no teeth will shamefully perpetuate slow progress in ending gender-based violence and inequalities (Taina Bien-Aim, Executive Director of the New York-based Equality Now states)."

A coalition of over 300 women’s organizations and advocates in over 50 countries, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, are in support of creating the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR), a new women’s agency within the U.N that would play a more powerful role in shaping women’s rights globally. The agency estimates that it will request $1 billion dollars to fund the initiative. A small sum when you consider that the US will spend $534 Billion on the DOD Defense Budget in 2009. The question remains, will the United States and the world’s most powerful political leaders play an influential role in advancing women’s issues forward at the G20 Summit and into the future.

If Susan E. Rice's (the new American ambassador to the United Nations) recent support of moving the United States to join the United Nations' Human Rights Council is any indicator of America’s future support of international treaties like CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), we may be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, until we breach that point, it will be the burden of women who are in privileged positions to put pressure on International leaders to support the wives, mothers and “women that support them”. That is, until we are equally represented at the table of global power.

•The Straight Facts on Women in Poverty: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/10/women_poverty.html
•International Population Center: http://www.unfpa.org/intercenter/beijing/intro.htm
•Pressure on Hamid Karzai to Scrap Afghan Women’s :aw: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/01/afghanistan-womens-rights-hamid-karzai
•Development: Global Coalition Backs New U.N. Gender Body: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46320
•Global Database of Quotas for Women: http://www.quotaproject.org/displayCountry.cfm?CountryCode=RW
•U.N. Flunking on Gender Empowerment: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45903
•Q&A: Time Has Come for a New U.N. Women’s Agency: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45955
•In Reversal, U.S. Seeks Election to U.N. Human Rights Council: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/world/01nations.html?_r=2
•G20 Must Bailout Women’s Hardships: http://southasia.oneworld.net/opinioncomment/g-20-must-bailout-women2019s-hardships

BOOK REVIEW: "Women Making History"

A book review to start the week out....compliments of my friend, Jo Freeman.

You can visit her webpage and blog at: http://www.JoFreeman.com and http://www.seniorwomen.com/authors/authorpageFreeman.html
___________________________________________________
Women Making America
by Heidi Hemming and Julie Hemming Savage
Silver Spring, Md: Clotho Press, 2009
xviii, 378 p.

Out just in time for March is Women’s History month, Women Making America covers women’s history from the Revolution to the present day. Chock full of colorful images, it swoops high and low, sometimes mapping the forest and sometimes looking at a tree.

Organized into nine chronological chapters, this is a book of visual soundbites. Each one covers such general topics as Paid Work, Beauty, Health and Education. You will read about women missionaries, quilters, astronomers and servants.

Numerous sidebars tell the stories of individual women. Have you heard of Matilda Joslyn Gage, Virginia Minor, Mary Beard, Ida B. Wells? How about Nancy Lopez, Wilma Mankiller and Louise Boyd?

In this book you will learn that
-Matilda Joslyn Gage was one of the most radical of the founding suffragists.
-Virginia Minor was one of about 150 women who tried to vote in the 1872 election. The outcome was a major legal case, which went the wrong way.
-Mary Beard was a social activist and scholar in the Progressive Movement who created the field of women’s history long before there was an audience to appreciate it.
-Ida B. Wells was an African-American suffragist, journalist and crusader against lynching.
-Nancy Lopez was a professional golfer. In 1978 she made more money than the men.
-Wilma Mankiller was the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation.
-Louise Boyd was a wealthy woman who used her money to finance her explorations of the arctic. She created charts that the US used during World War II.

There is a lot about what women did in wars.

The section on the Civil War ranges from Varina Davis (wife of Jefferson Davis) to Jane Perkins (a Confederate soldier); from Dr. Mary Walker (a Union Army surgeon criticized because she wore trousers) to Violet Guntharpe (ten-year-old slave). Most reform minded women wanted to keep the US out of World War I. In 1915 Jane Addams, Carrie Chapman Catt and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, all well known reformers, founded the Women’s Peace Party. When the US went to war anyway, the peace promoters went in different directions. Ironically, the war was good for both women and minorities, because it opened up jobs vacated by white men when they went into the war.

And a lot about changes in social conventions.

In the 18th Century courting couples were allowed to spend the night together, in bed but fully clothed and separated by a board. This was called bundling. When dating emerged in the 1920s as the new form of courtship, it shifted control of the encounter from the girl’s family to the boy. "A date was a invitation into the man’s public sphere, where he acted as host and assumed control."

Fashion and beauty have changed radically, but not always in the same direction.

In the1890s a well-dressed woman wore a corset with lots of layers on top. Only immoral women wore lipstick -- to advertise their services. Respectable women highlighted the beauty of their breasts through physical enhancement. Big hats were a necessity. Plump was positive. In the 1920s clothes were shed. Well dressed women wore free flowing short skirts. Big breasts were out and thin was in. Hats were small and hair was short. By the 1950s the girdle had replaced the corset. Big breasts were back, but they were supposed to be pointy rather than rounded. Make-up was a must. In the 21th Century women wore less, but still enlarged their breasts, only they did it with surgery rather than cloth pads.

You will learn a lot of facts you didn’t know, such as
-The numerous victories of US women in the Olympics are a direct result of Title IX (of the 1972 Education Act). Aimed at the elimination of sex discrimination in higher education programs which often had quotas on women, its biggest impact was on college athletics.
-"During the 1920s one-third to one-half of Hollywood’s screenwriters were women,"
-A woman finally joined the Harlem Globetrotters in 1985.

And at least one that isn’t true.

The authors say that "The government’s GI Bill, which sent thousands of returning soldiers to college, did not include military women." I don’t know where they got that from since there are no source citations, but that statement certainly shocked me. My mother, who served in the WACs during World War II, earned her Master’s degree on the GI bill.

Errors aside, it’s a fun book to browse.

Stopping War Crimes against Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo Starts Locally---one cell phone at a time.

“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” Albert Einstein

The blossoms on the flowering spring trees are so beautiful, beautiful like the soul of a woman. New, full of energy, vibrant, singing the joys of re-birth into yet another season. Last night, I saw the beauty of the trees in blossom, but also the sting of full raindrops on their fragile petals. Heavy raindrops that cinched the edges of the leaves to brown and left them heavy with condensation----wetness that tore the edges and destroyed the pristine quality of their beautiful blossom. Last night, I also heard the stories of the women of Congo, who like the beautiful flowers of the Spring Trees, found their bodies destroyed by the brutal pillaging of their sexual organs through massive rapes that they could not stop.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as it is known today, is a country that has endured tremendous challenges since the inception of war in 1996. A war incited by many factors, including a fight of power between seven foreign armies to gain control of the country’s abundant reserves of precious natural materials that include oil, gas, rubber and metals. As over 80% of the world’s coltan and nearly 1/3rd of the world’s tin---the two materials commonly found in every cell phone and laptop---is found in the DRC, increasing worldwide consumption of these products has resulted in a war that has been prolonged for over 10 years. By participating in the mass consumption of consumer electronics, we are indirectly contributing to this “African World War”, and the ramifications of our everyday decisions have a devastating effect on the communities and people of our global family.

Although the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are plastered in the Western news every day, we rarely hear about the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, even though it has been the deadliest war since World War II. Violence, rape and sexual assault is widespread and devastating; over the past ten years, 5.4 million people have been killed and more than 200,000 women raped by paramilitary soldiers and even some of the peacekeepers that have been sent to distribute aid.

Although all death and suffering is a tragedy, the sexual exploitation of the Congolese women has been perhaps the most disheartening crime committed of all. Just as the hills and rivers of Congo are being stripped of their natural richness, the women of Congo are being raped of their femininity by massive acts of inhumane sexual violence, leaving them literally and figuratively naked, physically and emotionally perpetrated, and with no where to run. This sexual violence takes the life of many women, and leaves many other mothers, daughters and caretakers with impending medical conditions, including fistulas (a rupture of the walls that separate the vagina and bladder or rectum), permanent incontinence.

Why does this happen? Denis Mukwege, the Director of Panzi Hospital---one of the few places in the DRC where women victims of rape can go to receive medical care---assesses the situation by saying that "The perpetrators are trying to make the damage as bad as they can, to use it as a kind of weapon of war, a kind of terrorism. Instead of just killing the woman, she goes back to her village permanently and obviously marked. I think it's a strategy put in place by these groups to disrupt society, to make husbands flee, to terrorize.”

Like the beautiful blossoms that were damaged by the rain, the women of Congo lose their souls to sexual exploitation, and only time and a re-birth will help them heal their wounds and re-blossom into a new season of their lives. One such healer and change maker that is wielding the power of women’s voices worldwide to raise awareness of the injustices against women in Congo and supporting rape victims so that they may experience re-birth is Sylvie Maunga Mbanga. Working with such organizations as the Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO), Church in Action, and also the Life and Peace Institute, Sylvie has provided holistic intervention programs to assist victims of sexual violence through psychological counseling and medical care, legal services and access to judicial system, and economic support in the form of income-generating activities. Despite her own vulnerability, Sylvie has courageously moved forward with her peace-building work on women’s issues and ethnic conflict resolution. Her spirit and activism is something that should inspire us all to use our own voices to raise-up the voices of women and all citizens of our global community.

Preventing even more women from being subjected to these war crimes against humanity will entail major intervention and shifts and behavior by major global coalitions. You can begin to make a difference by sharing information about the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo with your circles of networks and keeping informed of ways to use your voice to influence the conflict by reviewing some of the international organizations listed below.

• Biography and Information on Sylvia Maunga Mbanga
http://peace.sandiego.edu/programs/WPM/womenpeacemakers2008.html
• The International Rescue Committee
http://www.theirc.org/special-report/ending-violence-against-women.html
• Amnesty International
http://www.amnestyusa.org/all-countries/congo-dem-rep-of/page.do?id=1011136
• Enough Campaign to “Raise Hope for Congo”
http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/
• Congo's Wounds of War: More Vicious than Rape. Newsweek. June 1, 2007. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15704030/?print=1&displaymode=1098

Being the "breast" we can: Cancer survivor, Congresswoman Schultz to launch the "EARLY Act"

“Some people might say I was lucky… I found my tumor early because of knowledge and awareness…We need to ensure that every young woman in America can rely on more than luck. Their survival depends on it."
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz during her statement about her recent personal challenge with breast cancer on March 23, 2009.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is…...

• The youngest women elected to the Florida State House of Representatives (first elected at the age of 26)

• The 24th Most Powerful member of the U.S. House of Representatives according to the 2008 Congress.org "Power Rankings"

• A mother of 3 young children, and
• A breast cancer survivor at the age of 40

Although only 5% of all breast cancer is found in women under the age of 40 (American Cancer Society), the recent news that Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, age 40, survived breast cancer, reminds all young women that it’s never too early to begin early detection. Performing a monthly self-breast exam and talking to your doctor about your family history are the first steps to “knowing your body”, and being most prepared to detect breast cancer in its early stages.

To facilitate awareness of early detection of breast cancer among women ages 15-39, Congresswoman Schultz will be introducing the “EARLY Act”, and I encourage you to keep your eyes open to find ways to support her effort. in response to her motives for the “Early Act”, Congresswoman Schultz remarks to the Miami Herald, 'I wanted to be able to not just stand up and say, `I'm a breast cancer survivor.' I wanted to find a gap and try to fill it.”

BREAST CANCER FACTS:
• Breast cancer incidence in women in the United States is 1 in 8 (about 13%).
• About 90% of breast cancers are due not to heredity, but to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general.
• About 40,480 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2008 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.
• As of 2008, there are about 2.5 million women in the U.S. who have survived breast cancer

Resources for more information on Breast Cancer:
BreastCancer.org: http://www.breastcancer.org/
Susan G. Koman: http://ww5.komen.org/

-Breast Cancer Fact Sheet for Young Women: http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedfiles/Content_Binaries/806-352a.pdf

-Breast self-exam (BSE) guide: www.komen.org/bse

American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp

Information on Congresswoman Schultz:
Wasserman Schultz To Pitch Breast Healt Bill http://cbs4.com/local/debbie.wasserman.schultz.2.965002.html
Wasserman Schultz Statement On Cancer Awareness http://cbs4.com/misc/debbie.wasserman.schultz.2.965443.html

WATER We Thinking: How can 4,500 children die a day & 50% of girls in developing countries drop-out of school because of unsafe water and sanitation.

"When each of us learns to live without wasting a drop, our planet may have a chance at survival."
Prof Dr. Ahmet Saatci, Vice-Secretary General of the 5th World Water Forum

Flushing toilets and safe water from a running faucet are a BIG DEAL! In honor of World Water Week--March 22-28, 2009, I wanted to write about why we need to pay more attention to water and what you can do to improve access to clean water worldwide.

Most of us go about our daily lives without assessing how lucky we are to have access to these modern day amenities that keep our cities clean, our bodies healthy, and our daily routines quite stress free. Just as we need oxygen to breath, and nutrients to sustain our energy, we need water to live; even with many modern advancements, 40% of the world’s population continues to lack access to safe sources of water. It is estimated by UNICEF that nearly 1.6 million young children die every year due to waterborne illnesses (approximately 4,500 children a day).

Growing up, I was surrounded by the world’s largest source of fresh water---the Great Lakes---a political “ace card” that gives the region a “hand” in the global game of water access. Although I knew that the Great Lakes were a special asset to our region, it was not until I visited Colorado Springs and saw the dried up tributaries of the Colorado River, and recently read that there were “water cops” patrolling outdoor water usage in Las Vegas (World Forum Looks to Replenish Ideas As Era of Abundant Water Dries Up in March, 2009 Edition of The Washington Diplomat), that I reexamined how critical geography and political dynamics were to acquiring access to the luxury of fresh water. It is easy to believe that water is an inherent entitlement for all when you have 24/7 access to potable running water, hot showers, sprinkler systems and indoor plumbing, like we do in the United States. Unfortunately, many around the globe do not.

Over 1 billion people do not have access to water, and even more---2.5 billion people---do not have access to sanitation. Imagine having to walk through the pitch black of night to an outdoor latrine to urinate, or walking 3.728 miles to retrieve 5.2 gallons of fresh water; this is how far the average women or girl in a developing country will travel each day to haul drinking water according to UNICEF. In stark contrast, the average American will consume between 80-100 gallons of water a day---with most of that water wasted when we habitually pull the handle to flush the toilet.

Unequal access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation facilities often has a disproportionate affect on women, as they are most adversely affected: more hours of time spent collecting water equates to less hours available to go to school, resulting in higher rates of illiteracy(nearly 2:1 ratio to men), and more impoverishment than men. A 2009 study released by the Women in Europe for a Common Future on gender and sanitation notes that the “Lack of adequate toilets and hygiene in schools is a key critical barrier to girls’ school attendance and education.” In rural Pakistan, for example, more than 50% of girls drop out of school in grade 2-3 because the schools do not have latrines; the 50% dropout rate for girls is replicated across the board in many developing countries.

At the 5th Annual World Water Forum last week, Turkish President, Abdullah Gul told delegates, "Humanity has entered a new era of challenges. Water is no longer considered to be an issue of the environmentalists as it used to be in the near past. Now it is everybody's concern. In this critical age, water should be a bridging force for the nations of the world." I agree with President Gul, and think that it is time for individuals, and the US government and the international community to devote more attention to this issue. The loss of 4,500 children every day to waterborne illnesses is NOT acceptable, and I’ve included information on how you can take action to bring awareness to the need for clean drinking water and systems for sanitation below.

TAKE ACTION: March 22, 2009 is “World Water Day”. Will you do something to help?
1.) Sign the “Declaration on U.S. Policy and the Global Challenge for Water” to encourage the US to invest $1 billion dollars each year for global water assistance over the next four years. SIGN the Declaration by CLICKING HERE: http://www.csis.org/gsi/declarationform/

2.) Call or Email your Member of Congress and Senators to ask them to join Senator Dick Durbin in supporting the establishment of the Office of Water within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and bringing clean water to 100 million more people in by 2015. Read Senator Durbin’s Press Release at http://www.durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=310110.

3.) Protect Women’s Rights to resources such as clean water and sanitation by asking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to support The Conventional on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

SIGN A PETITION to get CEDAW passed in the United States: http://www.freechoicesaveslives.org/campaign/cedaw
CEDAW is the most important legally-binding international instrument for the protection of women’s rights. CEDAW mentions in its article 14(2) (h), that States parties shall ensure women “the right to enjoy adequate living conditions, particularly in relation to housing, sanitation, electricity and water supply, transport and communication.”

Although President Carter signed the CEDAW in 1970, the United States Congress has yet to approve the provisions of the CEDAW, even though 185 other countries have already ratified the bill. Stand up for women’s equality by supporting CEDAW today. More about the UN CEDAW: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/index.html

LEARN MORE: Visit the websites of organizations working to ensure gender equality in access to fresh water and sanitation.
• Gender and Water Alliance---www.genderandwater.org
• Women in Europe for a Common Future---www.wecf.eu
• Interagency Task Force on Gender and Water (UN)---www.un.org
• Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)---www.wsscc.org
• Women’s Environment and Development Organisation---www.wedo.org
• International Water and Sanitation Centre(IRC)---www.irc.nl
• UNICEF on Water, Sanitation & Hygiene--http://www.unicef.org/programme/wes/news/nline.htm
• Water Advocates: http://www.wateradvocates.org/

WEEKEND EVENT: 3/22-3/23 "The Vagina Monologues"--Donations support My Sister's Place

There are LOTS of great events going on this weekend, and every day of the week (check out my comprehensive calendar for more events), but I've highlighted one in event in particular, a reading of "The Vagina Monologues" in celebration of 

V-Day. 90% of the proceeds from the event will be contributed to My Sister's Place, a Washington, DC community that is committed to

 eradicating domestic violence.  

And, while we're on the subject of women and their rights in situations of domestic or sexual abuse, I would like to introduce the "Stand Up for DC Women" Campaign, an initiative of the DC Younger Women's Task Force.  According to the Census Bureau and the National Institute of Justice, 20% of women in Washington, DC will be raped at some point in their lifetime. If you would like to get involved in our effort to raise awareness about the injustices in the treatment of sexual assault victims and ensure that they receive adequate care, please join us at our next planning meeting on April 18th (details will be updated on my calendar as they become available).

Have an inspiring weekend, and see you soon.

Ellie

______________________________________________________________________________________

The Vagina Monologues: A Community Staged Reading in DC

Sunday, March 22 at 3 PM and 7 PM

Monday, March 23 at 7:30 PM

Location: 1810 16th St NW DC (16 & S), Washington, DC

Contact: Katie Liberman

E-Mail: vmindc@gmail.com

Recommended donation: $8 for V-Day and My Sister's Place, a local women's shelter

Reserve your ticket now by emailing vmindc@gmail.com.

This year marks DC's second annual community staged reading of "The Vagina Monologues" by Eve Ensler. Please join us as we raise awareness to end violence against women.

"The Vagina Monologues" is part of V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. Further information about V-Day can be found at www.vday.org. All proceeds will be divided between two worthy causes: our local beneficiary, My Sister's Place, and this year's V-Day spotlight campaign, the women of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

My Sister's Place (MSP) is an interactive community committed to eradicating domestic violence. MSP provides safe, confidential shelter; programs; education; and advocacy for battered women and their children. MSP's goal is to empower women to take control of their own lives. 90% of our proceeds will go to My Sister's Place.

This year's spotlight campaign is a new global campaign to call attention to the wide-scale atrocities committed against women and girls in Eastern DRC and demand an end to the impunity with which these crimes are committed. 10% of our proceeds will go to this campaign.

COMMENTARY: "Founding Sisters"

A Commentary by CEDPA President Carol Peasley

March 16, 2009 from http://www.cedpa.org/content/news/detail/2155

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month throughout March, we need to remember that the origins of these events go back to long-ago protests in Europe and the United States for the political rights of working women. Those political roots are important, especially for those of us who care about history and want to learn from the past. Certainly, in the United States, our public media has been filled with recent celebrations of our history, including remarkable insights about Abraham Lincoln on the 200th anniversary of his birth and about John (and Abigail) Adams during the brilliantly produced HBO television series. They certainly provoked me to go back to my history books and to read more about our founders. One of my favorites was “Founding Brothers” by Joseph Ellis. That book was a wonderful reminder of how fortunate the United States was to have such exceptional founders – people who put community and nation first, people who knew how to compromise, and people who had the highest standards of integrity.

Now, why would the CEO of an organization known for training and empowering women promote a book titled “Founding Brothers”? The answer is simple: I hope future generations around the world will be reading about the “founding sisters” in their countries.

There are many women around the globe who are writing the initial chapters of those books. While most are unseen by the elites in their countries, these grassroots activists are providing services and pushing for reforms in their countries. These “sisters” abound with the unique characteristics of those founding brothers in 18th century America – i.e., intelligence, integrity, commitment, collegiality, energy, the ability to compromise and a willingness to sacrifice for the larger whole.

The challenge for all of us, as we celebrate women this month, is to find new ways to expand the voices and profiles of these women. Certainly we at CEDPA, and those in our sister organizations around the world, are committed to helping a new generation of women leaders emerge so that they can become their country’s “founding sisters.” We want them to emulate women like CEDPA board member, Phoebe M. Asiyo, a former commissioner of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission and current chair of Kenya’s Caucus for Women’s Leadership. Phoebe has had a remarkable impact in Kenya and on all of us who have had the honor to work with her at CEDPA. What are some of the steps we need to take to help build more “Phoebes”?

1. We need to strengthen women’s leadership training around the world and do it the right way. Only highly motivated participants who are committed to replicating their training should be selected; trainees should be challenged to develop and then implement action plans to apply their training; and they must have the chance to learn from one another and to network with others. When done right, the results can be remarkable.


2. We need to build coalitions of individuals and organizations that can advocate for change and achieve concrete goals. Such coalitions can have substantial impact, as reflected by CEDPA’s experience with women’s advocacy networks in Egyptian governorates. Those networks led to thousands of new female registered voters, health improvements and new microenterprise opportunities.


3. We need to mobilize women voters and ensure that women participate in all aspects of the electoral process: as candidates, activists, poll workers and election monitors as well as voters. Again, CEDPA has seen first-hand the important role women’s groups can play in fledgling democracies such as Nigeria over the past ten years. Five Nigerian women’s coalitions launched voter education activities in 1998 and mobilized more than 750,000 new registrants for the country’s critically important 1999 election. In later years, these coalitions took on even broader roles, moving beyond voter education to active roles in monitoring election posts and in securing greater confidence in the democratic process.


4. We need to elect more women candidates. Women hold less than 20 percent of all parliamentary seats worldwide and are underrepresented in other community and national decision-making bodies, thus limiting their influence on the policies and resources that govern their daily lives.


5. We need to hold public officials accountable. Some successful strategies have included the formation of local advocacy groups; the collection of data and monitoring by “watchdog” groups; use of report cards for public officials; and work with journalists. When local groups are persistent and when they take the time to adequately document government performance, they can bring about change. Certainly we saw this in Kaolack, Senegal where community activists convincingly pointed out government shortfalls and thus increased the funding for reproductive health, including the free provision of medical kits for delivery and caesarean births.


6. We need to advance peace and security. When countries emerge from conflict, a window of opportunity opens to advance women’s leadership, foster democratic systems and create new policy frameworks, governing structures and institutions. We need to ensure that women are represented at all stages of the process of securing and maintaining peace, whether in mobilizing communities to end hostilities; providing support to victims; strengthening community institutions that bring people together; serving as military observers; designing and implementing demobilization plans; training the security forces to address gender-based violence; or leading and participating in political processes to develop new governing structures. We have certainly seen the success of this approach through our work with the WomenAct coalition, a group that has ensured active female participation in Nepal’s constituent assembly and constitution-writing process.

As we move forward on all of these steps, we can be sure that we are paving the way for that next generation of “founding sisters.” I can hardly wait to read that book.

WEEKEND EVENT: 3/15 "Taking Roots" Screening

Hello Friends,

With the bursting of the season's first daffodils and the emerging buds of Washington, DC's infamous Cherry Blossoms, I encourage you to think about how you will grow this Spring. Will you decide to decrease your environmental footprint by taking to the street on your bike, begin volunteering with a local organization, or simply find the time to do something you've always wanted to do? With the goals we set, also arise the challenge of maintaining the will to stay committed, and reliable friends and some "food for the soul" make staying focused easier.

As inspiration for our journeys through 2009 and beyond, I hope you'll join me at the DC Jewish Community Center this Sunday, March, 15th for a screening of "Taking Root"....a compelling film about Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai and how her simple act created an entire national movement. You can find all details and RSVP for the film screening below.

Enjoy your weekend and see you on Sunday!

Ellie

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The Washington DCJCC Community Cinema Cafe Presents:

"Taking Root"

Sunday, March 15, 3:00 pm

Ina & Jack Kay Community Hall

(Located at 16th & Q Street, 

NW)

"Taking Root"

US, 2008, 80 minutes, documentary

English and Swahili with English subtitles

Director: Lisa Merton and Alan Dater

The dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement. This charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration for safeguarding the environment, protecting human rights & defending democracy.

Free film and discussion. Reservations recommended.

Click here or call (202) 939- 0794. 

Space is limited.  Visit http://www.communitycinema-dc.org/ for more information.

Community partners presenting this program are the Washington DCJCC, ITVS [Independent Lens] and WETA TV26.

PROFILE: "Paper to Pearls"

Photographs taken at the DC Green Festival on November 7, 2008 by Ellie Van Houtte.

I often find dynamic organizations that mentor, train, empower or simply mobilize women to action. These organizations, small and large, deserve more recognition for the work they are doing---too frequently people do not even know that they exist. To highlight some of these inspirational organizations, I plan to post written profiles of select entities on my blog, and also create a directory so that you can reference them in the future. If you know of someone or an organization that would be a great addition, just email me the name of the group, their webpage and why you support the organization.

Today’s profile will be of “Paper to Pearls”, an organization that empowers women in the Refuge Camps of Northern Uganda through a unique entrepreneurship program. Using recycled sheets of colored paper, the women hand craft beads that are designed into elegant and quite amazing pieces of jewelry. When the beads are covered with resin, they embody a beautiful shine that is bright as “pearls”. I now own several Paper to Pearls necklaces, and friends and strangers alike frequently compliment me on my unique and colorful accessories.

What makes the Paper to Pearls organization even better, is the fact that almost all of the proceeds from the jewelry that is sold online and at stores across the Washington, DC region is returned directly to the women for training, education for their children, and other programs that improve the political and social opportunities for these women in their communities.

You can learn more about Paper to Pearls at www.papertopearls.org, or visit the Voices of Global Change store at 505 Wythe Street 
Alexandria, VA 22314 (703-549-7077 ext. 202
voices@vfgc.org).

Happy International Women's Day: Some Food for Thought.

GENDER FACTS
Sunday 08 March 2009 

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/facts.asp

Networking ...
•Women use 20,000 words a day while men only use 7,000

Global Issues ...
•Females in developing countries on average carry 20 litres of water per day over 6 km
•Globally women account for the majority of people aged over 60 and over 80
•Pregnant women in Africa are 180 times more likely to die than in Western Europe
•530,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth each year
•World population hit 6,872,741,131 on 1 January 2009
•Of 1.2 billion people living in poverty worldwide, 70% are women
•80% of the world's 27 million refugees are women
•Women own around only 1% of the world's land
•AIDS sees women's life expectancy of 43 in Uganda and Zambia
•5 people are added to the world's population every 2 seconds
•Women are 2/3 of the 1 billion+ illiterate adults who have no access to basic education

Innovation ...
•Globally women comprise 42% internet users (Italy 37% ... US & Canada 51%)
•In OECD countries women comrpise only 30 per cent of degrees in science and technology
•Women's representation in computer and information sciences workforce is around 30% globally
•Female inventors still only account for around 10% of the US inventor population

Business / Finance ...
•Women control $14 trillion in assets and this should grow to $22 trillion over next 10 years
•Women comprise 21 of the 37 million people living below the poverty line in the US
•Only in Japan and Peru are women more active in starting a business than men
•Women spend more time researching before they invest than men do

Media / Arts ...
•Only 21% of all news subjects (people interviewed or whom the news is about) are female
•Women less than 1% department heads, editors, media owners but third of working journalists
•80% of UK purchasing decisions are made by women but 83% of 'creatives' are men

Work ...
•Women do two-thirds of the world's work but receive only 10% of the world's income
•Women's education is the most powerful predictor of lower fertility rates
•One year out of college women earn 20% less than men and 10 years later 31% less
•Women on average are away from workforce for 14.7 years compared to 1.6 years for men
•The biggest EU gender pay gap is in Cyprus and Estonia at 25% then Slovakia at 24%

Government ...
•56% of women who voted supported Obama compared to only 49% of men voted for Obama
•Until 20 years ago there had never been more than 5% women MPs globally
•Benazir Bhutto was the first woman prime minister of a muslim country (assassinated 27/12/07)
•From the 27 EU member states, UK ranks 15 for women's representation in national Parliaments
•From 1945 to 1995 the percentage of women MPs worldwide increased four-fold

Cookies Inspire the Perfect Ingredients: Courage, Confidence and Character

As the fragrance of Spring arrives, so do the legions of energetic Girl Scouts with boxes of Samoas, Shortbreads and Thin Mints in tow to sell for their annual cookie program. It was a welcome surprise to be greeted by the jingle of some very happy (and may I also note, ambitious) young girls at the Crystal City Metro over the weekend, reminding me of my own Girl Scouts memories. 

Although it’s been over 15 years, I can still distinctively remember the fond times that I had with my Girl Scout’s Troup Leader, Mrs. Burton, and a cluster of giggling “brownies”. Whether learning about global cultures at the Toledo International Institute, attending Camp Libbey, or simply baking new foods in the church kitchen where we gathered in friendship to learn, serve and collect our sew-on badges for our vests, my experience as a Girl Scout was a formidable part of my youth. 

I am encouraged by the continuing strength of the Girl Scouts program nationwide, and strongly believe that the skills that participants acquire in relationship building, peer mediation, and social consciousness are invaluable in fostering civic engagement and leadership. In fact, a post-election survey by the Girl Scout Research Institute shows that over 71% of 13-17 year-old girls surveyed said that they intend to register to vote when they are eligible. What is even more impressive is the fact that 55% of Girl Scouts think they have a chance at becoming President. You can review full survey details at http://www.girlscouts.org/news/news_releases/2009/elections_impact.asp.

The next time you see a Girl Scout standing at your local shopping center or METRO Stop, I hope you will buy a box or two of cookies and congratulate these young entrepreneurs for continuing to be confident with who they are.

Quick Facts from the Girl Scouts of the USA web page:
• The Mission of Girl Scouts is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. 

•The first Girl Scout Troop was founded on March 12, 1912 in Savannah, Georgia by Juliette Gordon Low. 

•Girl Scouts of the USA was chartered by the U.S. Congress on March 16, 1950. 

•Today, there are 3.7 million Girl Scouts—2.7 million girl members and 928,000 adult members working as volunteers. 

• An estimated 50 million women enjoyed Girl Scouts as girls.

To learn more about the Girl Scouts Cookie Program, and to find out where you can purchase cookies, click here: http://www.girlscoutcookies.org/.

ACTION: Share your "Defining Moment"

I recently saw this posted on one of my Linked-In Groups, and thought it would be something interesting to share with others.

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A Call for Papers!  Get Published in my Next Book!

Susan Rae Baker

CEO at Future Endeavors

A Call to Share Your Defining Moment.  

This is an opportunity for all women from all walks of life to share their defining moment in life; a time when you could finally say, "I Have Arrived"!  What was it that made you who you are today?  In the early Spring of 2008, my first book titled "The Last Box: A Women's Guide to Surviving Corporate America" was published.  Right behind it will follow "Defining Moments: A Collection of Women's Journeys".  If you have a story to tell and would like to see it in "Defining Moments", I am accepting submissions through April 1st, 2009.  There is no limit to the number of words as every journey is unique. All submissions must be thoroughly edited and sent via email to Susan@future-endeavors.net in PDF format.  You will receive acknowledgment in the book and a signed copy of "Defining Moments" along with a discount of 25% for up to 6 books purchased.  

Please tell other women you know about this exciting opportunity!

Susan Rae Baker

www.future-endeavors.net

Life and Business Coach, Expert on  www.thestreet.com, Award Winning Auther, Motivational Speaker, and Columnist for Phenomenal Magazine.

Today's "Great New Gals"

Every little girl has dreams of growing up to be a princess, and with the first female presidential candidate with widespread support in the 2008 elections, perhaps the first women President of the United States (I do want to give fair recognition to pacesetters like Shirley Chisholm who helped pave the way for Hillary Clinton). Yet, when we take mental snapshots of the U.S. Congress, our state legislatures, corporate boardrooms, and professions such as architecture, engineering and law, men continue to disproportionately dominate the space and the conversation. As little girls grow up to be women, they become aware of their uneven representation, and for all too many, confronting this inequality appears to be an impossible task, and as psychologists may tell us, what we think, often manifests itself as reality.

In a panel entitled, “Big Strides, Diverse Paths: Women’s Journeys to Political Leadership”, hosted by the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Women in Politics at the National Archives on March 5th, a distinguished collection of current and past elected officials gathered to share insight into the vexing question of “why” so many qualified women (and a more diverse electorate) are absent from the important power centers of politics.

Jennette Bradley, Ohio’s first African-American Lieutenant Governor, noted that most women have a strong “fear of failure”, and that they allow their perceptions of themselves to hinder them from following the call to public service. Another member of the panel, Congresswomen Marsha Blackburn felt that women were risk adverse, and unlikely to think about running for office in the first place---primarily because they assumed their “qualifications” weren’t valid for the job. Echoing the previous point about women’s insecurities in comparison to that of men, Congresswomen Mazie Hirono candidly stated that “men don’t let their incompetence stop them [from running for office].” Speaking with sincerity and a bit of humor, Congresswomen Blackburn, a mother of two children reassured the crowd that “If you’ve ever organized a 5 year-old’s birthday party, then you can run a campaign.”

With all of these barriers, you might wonder “how” the five panelists overcame them and made the decision to run for office. Each of these women had unique journeys to office that were motivated by a combination of passion, a personal commitment to serve, and a venerated role model. Universally, these women began their careers with a will to “win” and the personal stamina to be “thick skinned” in the face of adversity, or even failure the first time or even the first couple of times they ran for office. Without a direct invitation to run for office, people like Governor Madeleine Kunin were empowered to seek public office when the realized the impact they could make by transforming their anger into action. Governor Kunin enjoyed the positive feedback that she received when she made her community a safer place for her children by moving local legislators to action, and realized that “if you stick your neck out, you might just get something in reward.” For others, like Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, running for office seemed like “common sense”, as citizens without power and money needed a voice. Although Napolitano had the odds stacked against her(according to many): a working-class background, only a high-school education, and a woman of Hispanic ethnicity, she took “the life she was given, and made lemonade from lemons”.

So, what types of advice did these encouraging women offer to other aspiring leaders and office holders? Governor Kunin eloquently summarized some repeated pieces of advice:

1.  Overcome your stereotypes of power and politics as something “dirty”. “Power is the act of empowering others.”
   
2. Don’t wait to be asked to run for office. Sometimes, women need nudging, so also invite other women you know to take leadership roles (elected or otherwise).
3. Don’t think you’re not qualified. Most likely you’re more qualified than you think.
4.  Train yourself to run for office. Learn to read, speak, listen, write, and to develop your voice, as they are valuable tools for your journey. Volunteering on other campaigns or attending trainings for women interested in running for office is great way to “learn the ropes” and overcome fears. 

Regardless of how women take on leadership (whether the halls of Congress or the halls of their own households), these women reminded other women to remember what makes you uniquely you and to hold on to your idealism---even when colleagues, constituents and the media are coming after you “with everything, including the kitchen sink”. Collectively, these women leaders believed it was important for them to find time to be mentors, as “leaders should raise up other leaders”. 

Although we can’t instantaneously change the numbers of women in office in 2008, we can band together to help each other take our place in the circles of leadership, one woman at a time. As Congresswoman Blackburn says, it’s time for the “Great New Gals” to bring some balance to the “Good Old Boys Club”.

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Two of the panelists, signed copies of their books at the event.  I've included info on their books below. I plan to write a review of Eleanor Clift's book, and would love to share notes:

Interview for Inspiration: Ruby Dhalla

In follow-up to yesterday's posting to challenge women to think about running for office, I've found a great interview with Ruby Dhalla who became a member of the Canadian Parliament, despite overcoming obstacle that would have deterred many from even trying.  

For further inspiration, please join me tonight for "Big Strides, Diverse Paths: Women’s Journeys to Political Leadership", a panel discussion with some of today's leading ladies in elected office and leadership. Details below:

"Big Strides, Diverse Paths: Women’s Journeys to Political Leadership"

Thursday, March 5

7:30 p.m.-9:00pm

William G. McGowan Theater 

(Enter via the Special Events Entrance on 7th and Constitution)

Eleanor Clift, weekly panelist on The McLaughlin Group and author of

Madam President, moderates a panel of women who have come from a

variety of backgrounds, represent different levels of political

activity, and have played leadership roles in politics.

Panelists include:

Mazie Hirono, U.S. Congresswoman, D-HI

Grace Napolitano, U.S. Congresswoman, D-CA

Madeleine Kunin, former Governor of Vermont and author of Pearls, Politics, and Power

Jennette Bradley, former Lieutenant Governor of Ohio

Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Congresswoman, R-TN

Presented in partnership with the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston’s McCormack Graduate School. Generously supported by the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc.

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Q&A: "Women Leaders Have to Be Tougher and Stronger Than Men"

Nergui Manalsuren interviews RUBY DHALLA, Canadian MP Ruby Dhalla 

Credit:Nergui Manalsuren/IPS

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45990

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 5 (IPS) - Ruby Dhalla, a Liberal member of Canada's Parliament, is also a community activist, doctor, and one of the leading progressive voices in North American politics today.

Born and raised in Winnipeg to a family originally from Punjab, India, she has championed the causes of women, young people, immigrants and Native Canadians, as well as her country's role in the global arena for democracy, peace and humanitarian relief efforts.

Dhalla is part of the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics (iKNOW Politics), a joint project by the U.N. and other international agencies with the aim of increasing the participation and effectiveness of women in political life by creating an online workspace where women connect with one another.

"iKNOW is an incredible forum to bring together women from throughout the world to share experiences, to share knowledge, to be able to identify, to mentor, and recruit women, and, I hope through this network women can connect with each other, and continue to believe, to achieve, and to succeed in their goals," Dhalla said in an interview with IPS correspondent Nergui Manalsuren at U.N. headquarters, where she is attending the 53rd session of the two-week Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Excerpts from the interview follow.

IPS: You’re the first South Asian woman to be elected to federal parliament in the western world and were subsequently re-elected twice. What does that mean for you?

RD: I was very blessed to have a great generation of women leaders and men that have broken many barriers for someone like me. There are many challenges that one continues to encounter. There are many struggles and sacrifices, many other barriers that I know are broken down every day.

When I see a young six-year-old girl from a cultural community, a young girl of colour, I look at her when she says to me that she wants to be a prime minister one day, I know that all the barriers, struggles, hardships that I happened to go through are worth it and the most glorifying experience is to be able to hear and to see these young children believing in themselves.

IPS: What obstacles have you faced as a woman?

RD: In my case, being a young woman, being a female, and being from my cultural community are fitting into three minority groups. Women’s participation in politics traditionally is not something that a woman of culture, a woman of colour is brought up to believe in.

I was very blessed to have a very supportive mother who really encouraged me to break down those types of traditional stereotypes that people have of what women should and should not do. I really hope moving forward that the issues that impact women are no longer going to be marginalised, every issue whether in regards to foreign policy, the economy, and strategies on how to deal with violence and terrorism, these are issues that are important to women just as issues of child care and health care. The issues, challenges and barriers that women face in politics are many, but you must be strong, you must have a vision, and you must always have a thick skin.

IPS: In your opinion, how does sexism affect women leaders’ performance? And how should they deal with it?

RD: Women have to be tougher, women have to be stronger, and women have to believe a lot harder in their vision, and it is incredibly important to surround yourself with pillars of strength whether it’s your family or close friends. Also, to really have that belief and confidence in yourself that if you have a dream regardless of whatever the barriers are that we going to go out there and you’re going to do it because if there is a will, there’s always a way.

IPS: Based on your experience, what is the best way to get ahead in politics for women?

RD: Work hard, work hard, work hard. Make sure you have a great team. The benchmark of women achieving is a lot higher than it is for men, that’s why you put your nose to the ground, and work hard from the bottom up.

IPS: What do you think the United Nations should do to bridge the gap between men and women on decision-making positions?

RD: I would hope that moving forward, the U.N. has a tremendous role to play in bringing women together throughout the world because even though women from different parts of the world, different communities, villages may share different journeys, may have different stories, there’s a common vision and a common goal and hope to strive for equality.

And to empower women, empower those who are struggling to be heard. And, it is incredibly important to unite the common sense of purpose to establish mentorship programmes, to establish programmes that will bring women together, but also to identify, train, and recruit, and to mentor women.

And to ensure that political parties do the same as well, to get more women candidates, to get more women elected, because when women are at the table - whether you’re elected or not - I can tell you it raises the level of debate and the outcome of the decisions.