In this extraordinary time, forget the jewelry, the lingerie, the mall altogether. Women all over the world understand the daily erododing of women’s rights around the globe.
Whether it be back to the stone age in Iraq or sex slave trafficking in Eastern Europe or GENOCIDE and rape in Durfur, women know other women are under siege. IF YOU WANT TO SHOW HER YOU REALLY CARE, THIS HOLIDAY SEASON DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. More below the foldwhHO
The Global Fund For Women
I discovered The Global Fund for Women several years ago. I was impressed then with their unique model, and I have become committed to this organization and their work since. Simply put they are the leading international 4 star charity (which means the money gets to where it needs to go) completely run by women and commited to the right of all women to live safely, free from oppression and harm. They also work on behalf of all women to implement, through grants at the local level, the ways and means to help themselves through small business loans, legal services and outreach.
Their business model is to give small but healthy grants to women’s organizations on the ground in the worlds hottest spots around the world for women’s rights abuses. So this Christmas, rather than buying my friends gifts they may or may not like, I am buying them something far more precious -the knowledge that they have donated to helping women under siege around the world. I am donating in their names to the
Global Fund for Womens major initiatives and I encourage you to do so as well.
Here is a very small sampling of the work they do. The following is taken from their 2005/2006 Annual report which is a public document available at their site. Markos - this is public info - don't have a heart attack.
KHARKIV CENTRE FOR WOMEN'S STUDIES, Ukraine
Development and implementation of efficient mechanisms for the prevention of domestic violence in Ukraine. The ultimate goals of KCWS's activities in this field are to increase the efficacy of the Law of Ukraine On Prevention of Domestic Violence, to facilitate constructive cooperation between governmental institutions of all tiers, law enforcement structures and non-governmental organizations working to protect children and women from domestic abuse, and to provide methodical and consultative support to institutions responsible for implementation of the said law.
International Women's Rights Action Watch, Malaysia
The International Women's Rights Action Watch is a right's based approach to the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the women of Malaysia.
IWRAWA acts as a motivator for to women become more motivated and community minded through the establishment of personal safety first. After this is in place, IWRAWA works to link domestic activism with international advocacy. it is also necessary that IWRAW Asia Pacific take on new roles to maximise our potential to trigger changes in law and policy. As such, the next phase of our work will build on the existing knowledge base to develop a new set of tools that further strengthens women's rights activism.
Empowering the Women of Nepal
The future for the rural woman of Nepal is far from bright and promising. The majority of these overworked women are uneducated and under privileged. They sorely lack self-confidence and due to the attitude of the prevailing cultural society do not consider themselves on par with men. They carry the weight of the caste system, the pressure of the dowry system, and the guilt of being a burden to their family.
In too many cases these women may be victims of both physical and mental abuse. Many women are bound to lives that are detrimental to their well being and that of their children, perpetuating a cycle of ignorance and dependence. Deprived of an education and discriminated against in the job market, the rural woman has little choice but to work in the fields. Her future options are bleak.
We wish to provide an alternative for women who yearn to break out of the role that society dictates. Uneducated women with the hunger to learn, under privileged women with the desire to better their lives, and all women who strive for independence find refuge here. These are strong women, who given the chance and a little support, will change the world.
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women - Thailand
The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) is a network of non-governmental organisations from all regions of the world, who share a deep concern for the women, children and men whose human rights have been violated by the criminal practice of trafficking in persons. GAATW is committed to work for changes in the political, economic, social and legal systems and structures which contribute to the persistence of trafficking in persons and other human rights violations in the context of migratory movements for diverse purposes, including security of labour and livelihood.
GAATW addresses the diverse issues arising from the trafficking in persons as currently defined in the Palermo Protocol. Within this framework, it addresses the core aspects of trafficking in persons: forced labour and services in all sectors of the formal and informal economy as well as the public and private organisation of work. Furthermore, GAATW promotes and defends the rights and safety of all migrants and their families against the threats of an increasingly globalised and informalised labour market
Pakistan Women Lawyers' Association Pakistan
The horrendous conditions of women's lives moved women lawyers to form the Pakistan Women Lawyers' Association 'PAWLA'. It was initiated by Mrs. Rashida Muhammad Hussain Patel, an eminent lawyer, a public figure, a writer. Realizing the critical needs of women in the legal spheres she banded together like-minded concerned women lawyers to form this Association 'PAWLA'. Initially the emphasis was on Legal Aids to serve women who had little knowledge, no finance or means to seek legal redress.
It has developed into a movement for wider goals and activities. PAWLA's task has been enormous since its inception. It has far exceeded the purposes initiated at the time of its formation
AWN Afghans Women’s Network
The effects of poverty on Afghan women and children are some of the world in the world. The combination of poverty and other social issues disproportionally effecting women and children, such as the lack of access to education and health services, has left entire generations of Afghan women in children in crisis. Afghanistan has the highest rates of maternal mortality outside of Sierra Leone and Angola with the northern province of Badakshan having the highest recorded rates in history. Over a fifth of Afghan children die before the age of 5. Of these, a third die soon after birth and more than half within the first year
Both maternal and child mortality rates are due to lack of food, poor sanitation and low literacy. Afghanistan has the lowest female literacy rate in the world, 70% of the rural population and 40% of the urban population have no access to clean water and more than 50% of women suffer from some form of gender based violence.
Poverty is destroying and claiming the lives of an enormous percent of Afghan population. AWN and its member stand today and the people of our country and our international partners:
• We request that the international community and government take swift action to address literacy, ignorance, food distribution and shortage and capacity building.
• We request that the international committee help Afghanistan empower themselves so that our people can find solutions to poverty.
• We request that Mohd Zahir Tanin, representative of Afghanistan to the UN, tells the world about Afghan poverty as advocates for assistance and change.
• We request that the combination of civil society and the UN take serious action and implement programs to decreasing of poverty.
Iraqi Women's Rights Coalition (IWRC)
The organization is a network of various women’s rights activists and organizations aiming to influence the policy-making of the new Government in Iraq. It aims to ensure that women’s equal rights are secured and a secular constitution is established. The IWRC is proposing the complete separation of Government and religion in Iraq, to establish the only possible chance of secular rule, which is inclusive of all Iraqis, regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, and political opinion.
Defense of Iraqi Women's Rights (DIWR)
DIWR aims to investigate into the status of Iraqi women with a focus on Kurdistan of Iraq where the absence of supremacy of law resulted in giving way to ancient tribal practices against women encouraged by recent Islamist influences
On the global fund website you can read about these and many other grantees. You will also read the bios of the outstanding women who run this organization and hail from many countries and disciplines. Doners include orgainizations including American Exoress, womens magazine groups to individuals.
Check it out.
www.globalfundforwomen.org
http://www.globalfundforwomen.org