Empowering Women Globally – Part 4

In this last of a 4-part series looking at the speakers from the AAUW-CA convention’s international plenary on April 6, 2008, we highlight:

Paola Gianturco and “Women Who Light the Darkness”



Gianturco’s defining theme: Local women all over the world are tackling the problems that make life dark for them and their families: disease, discrimination, disabilities, domestic violence, child rape, lack of pure water, sex trafficking.

Paola Gianturco has spent the past 12 years as a photojournalist, documenting women’s lives in 40 countries. Her latest book, Women Who Light the Dark (September 2007) is her fourth published by powerHouse Books. Her Celebrating Women (2004) was the subject of the first exhibit ever curated by the International Museum of Women, San Francisco, and is on exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago, March-September 2008. Gianturco’s books are philanthropic projects, with the royalties donated to carefully-selected non-profits. Profits from Women Who Light the Dark will go the Global Fund for Women.

Gianturco’s presentation was an inspirational slide show of women in different countries around the world, showing their amazing creativity and strategies to “light the darkness” for their communities, often in the face of unimaginable violence, poverty and hardships. She emphasized that we can all help, and that it will take all of us, working together, to create new hope and possibilities for our world.

Resources:

• Women Who Light the Dark Look for the “Shine Your Light” section with its map of key issues, plus hundreds of ways to understand women in other countries via their creative work (e.g., books, films, music, food, crafts) and to support their important work (volunteer, contribute, advocate, etc.). Also go to the CONTACT US link for a list of links to local women’s groups,
• Global Fund for Women

If you weren't fortunate enough to attend the AAUW-CA convention's international plenary and hear Gianturco speak, you can see her on YouTube at a Women@Google event (October 2007).

As a coda to this series on Empowering Women Globally, we offer this action idea:
Attend the IPJ Women's PeaceMakers Conference in San Diego, September 24-26, 2008.

Empowering Women Globally-Part 3

Susan Geear and “Global Women’s Leadership Network”

Susan Geear's defining theme: By empowering women leaders we can create a world built on human rights, gender equality, sustainable development and global integrity.

Susan Geear is an internationally acclaimed consultant, coach and social justice advocate, committed to collaborating with women in leadership to support wide-ranging initiatives for personal, social, and organizational change. She previously served as Co-Director of Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN), and now serves as faculty and coach working with women around the globe to foster commitment to global citizenship, social consciousness, and personal responsibility. She has recently returned from Dubai where she helped train women entrepreneurs from throughout Afghanistan.

At the April 6, 2008 international plenary session at the AAUW-CA convention, Geear emphasized that women are the voices of peace in the world, and that collectively we can make far more of an impact than any one individual acting alone. She spoke about how the Global Women’s Leadership Network seeks to empower women and transform society from the inside out through leadership training. Geear also described the work of the Business Council for Peace (“Bpeace”) to help women living in regions of conflict or post-conflict to start up businesses.

Her action points:

• Live authentically – speak your truth, express your passion.
• Take action – commit to make a better world, seek the wisdom of elders, volunteer, contribute, take a stand, advocate, get involved, vote.
• Share your story and the story of your global sisters.
• Take a stand for women’s right globally: Women’s rights are human rights!

Resources:
Global Women’s Leadership Network
Business Council for Peace
Advancing Leadership Institute
International Museum for Women

Empowering Women Globally – Part 2

Dr. Soheir Stolba and "The SHARE Institute"

Dr. Stolba's defining theme: Education and training that focuses on women positively impacts families and communities.

Dr. Soheir Stolba is a medical anthropologist with 29 years experience in maternal/child health, family planning, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS counseling. She has worked as a project designer, project manager, trainer, strategic planner, evaluator, and researcher in many Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries. Born and raised in Egypt, she brings to her work a developing country perspective and an ability to liaise effectively between international organizations and people in developing countries. She has designed training centers, trained physician trainers, and worked with medical and nursing faculty in many countries.

At the April 6, 2008 AAUW-CA convention's international plenary session, Dr. Stolba spoke eloquently about the plethora of good causes in the world and the need to find the one that speaks to you personally to help you find the way to channel your energy into making a difference. For her, it was literacy programs and other educational programs that target girls and women.

Investing in literacy for women and girls improves their standard of living and also that of their entire communities. Likewise, investing in the education of female health practitioners enhances health care for women. Dr. Stolba sees the ideal model as a marriage of government and non-government agencies (NGOs) to provide this education and training. She therefore established the SHARE Institute to work collaboratively with local and global organizations to improve the health and well being of women and families. It provides mini-grants to NGOs in the areas of health advocacy and education.

She reminded her audience that we don't all need to go out and create new organizations, but if we are drawn to helping others it is important to look for non-profit organizations that are transparent in their operations and to support their educational programs.

Resources:

The SHARE Institute

World Education Girls' and Women's Education Initiative

Empowering Women Globally – Part 1

On April 6, 2008 those attending the AAUW-CA state convention had the opportunity to hear a panel of four women from different walks of life describing how to empower women around the world through education. In weekly blog postings during this month, we will introduce each of the speakers from that event and the projects they described at the state convention. It is our hope that this encourages a dialog about what each and every one of us can do to empower other women around the world, or, as the convention plenary’s title put it, “Empower Women Globally – Put Education Into Action.”

Whether or not you were able to attend the convention’s panel, your comments, insights and questions are welcome as comments to this posting as a part of our dialog in how each one of us can make a difference in our world.

Part 1: Jane Roberts and “34 Million Friends”

Jane Roberts' defining theme: Girls and women’s equal access to education, health, and human rights is crucial for people, the planet and the future of both.

Jane Roberts, an AAUW member from Redlands, CA, is the co-founder of “34 Million Friends,” which was established after the Bush administration blocked funds to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 2002. At the time, the amount denied to UNFPA was $34 million, so Jane and co-founder set about encouraging everyone to send in $1 to replace those funds. Today the total of blocked funds stands at $195 million.

UNFPA helps the most vulnerable women in the world plan their families, give birth safely, and protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. It promotes the rights of women by encouraging equal access to food, education, and healthcare. UNFPA works worldwide to eliminate gender-based violence including female genital cutting and rape used as a weapon of war.

Roberts spoke passionately about how the presence of basic healthcare and education make all the difference in the survival rates of mothers and infants, and access to family planning is imperative to break cycles of poverty.

Some of Roberts’ main points:

• Gender inequality worldwide is the moral question of the age.

• The countries where women have the lowest status are often those with the most poverty, misery and violence.
• A worldwide commitment is needed from governments and the grassroots to support women and girls in their fight for equality in all realms.

Resources:34 Million Friends

Millenium Development Goals

Earth Policy Institute

Action Idea: Support International Women's Health Services