Q&A: 2016-2017 Prospective Global Champions for Change - Business Development Group
Dear Prospective Champions,
This is the e-discussion thread for Business Development Group. If you have a general question, please add it and discuss it in this forum. We would like to encourage support to and collaboration with other contestants. Only with working closely together, we can all win.
May you have a fun and educative rally!
The Empower Women Team
have a look at this video that talks about the discrimination against women who are not married by the time they are 25. Truly a great video
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X8DH6VR
I think you may have already received the email. Here's the list and congrats!
https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/who-we-are/news/2016/12/empower-women-announces-the-2016-2017-champions-for-change
For example in UK, from April'2017 there will be nowhere to hide as every large employer will have to publish their gender pay gap and gender bonus pay gaps. Until then, and to get the ball rolling, the minister for women and equalities J.Greening has unveiled a tool to help us find out the size of the gender pay gap by occupation.
The online tool, created by the government and the Office (ONS), shows that construction and building trades, and financial managers and directors have the highest gender pay gaps.
For construction and building trades supervisors the gender pay gap is 45.4 per cent in favour of men. For financial managers and directors that figure is 36.5 per cent. On average women are paid 7.2 per cent less than men in journalism.
The April regulations will affect almost 8,000 employers with around 11 million employees and shine a light on workplaces practices that could be preventing women from reaching the top in their organisations.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/work/gender-pay-gap-industry-new-government-tool-find/
That is very good to hear. I must say i am liking the progress there.
I also read recently from the National Curriculum UK and letter from the Education commiitte to the Secretary of State ( http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Education/Correspondence/Chairs-letter-to-Secretary-of-State-re-PSHE-status-29-11-2016.PDF) on making SRE (sex and relationship education) compulsory in schools to stop sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools, whose consequences include, i quote, physical and emotional harm including teenage pregnancy and STDs, girls feeling unable to fully participate in educational and extracurricular opportunities.
I applaude the initiatives.
"Getting Muna back on her feet" https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2016/12/getting-muna-back-on-her-feet
I love reading so feel free to type away: 1) Has education always been a priority for girls in your area and why?
2) can educating girls lessen their chances of ending up in an abusive relationship
3)why are some societies still ignorant about violence towards women and girls
4) do we have enough resources online to offer girls in need the education they need
5)how are you working on improving gender equality in your area?
#BreakTheGlass
1.Education is a priority in my area now,many parents are allowing their daughters go to school and the government too is trying with free education.
2.Yes,when you are educated you are informed and knowledgeable to understand life.It will give her the opportunity to define her grounds and seek quick solution in any abusive relationship.
3.Reason is this;culture,tradition, religion,under-development and lack of guidance fromwell exposed persons .
4.We cant say the resources online are enough until we access them,also as for the girls in rural areas online education is still a challange because they lack basic computer knowledge.
5.I am doing a reading campaign for girls to help them understand their place in the soceity, i have created a primary school program to educate them on gender equality which involves the boys too and currently i am working with local religious bodies to make sure women are treated equally;because religion is a strong tool in my country.
Good survey.
1. Education is and has been a priority in my area to most of families, because they have long embraced the 50:50 opportunities to their kids regardless of sex and it has become a way of life and not just in education but also when it comes to inheritance.
However, there still remains a part of society that has been resisting change, to mean they have now and then actually been approached by Womens Associations and the government but still remain adamant. To them, they give away their children in marriage at early ages and so what is the point of educating a child for the benefit of the other family. The belief that a girl child is an investment from which they one day will have to gain from and also that a womans role in society is procreation has hindered empowerment of women and gender equality.
2. To acertain extend educating a girl does lessen chances of being in abusive relationship. i am assuming there is no financial dependency yes.
But there a thing called love i want to bring out, i have seen many educated women, financialy dependent, aware of their rights to live peaceably, aware of their of choice to choose to leave or divorce but they holding on because they love the person. Hence, it is cases like these that support initiaves advocating for involvement of men in the fight against GBV
3. Well i think for one, it is a matter of perspective, to some societies what we call violence is a normal way of life, women should be disciplined. Two maybe women and girls do not speak up, they have no voice to air the challenges they face. So i feel culture and societal values comes to play here.
4.i think there is quite a lot of online resources though i think there is no limit to how much could be put up. However, i feel the challenge is in access to technology and knowhow on how to use technology especialy in some very remote undeveloped areas.
5. and the million dollar question, my work has been in encouraging friends, family, students, part of my duties is recruiting and mentoring students on attachment at the company i work for and on recruitment we follow a gender equality policy to employ as many competent women as men. I also assist my friend, a single mother with fees for her girl child in school and with projects she will be doing to raise income. i am also a member of Zim Women In Engineering but i still feel i can do more in improving the lives of women, hence my participation in this forum
I hope you will find them interesting and very enriching on this discourse about gender equality and women empowerment.
Did you know that only around 17% of notable profiles on Wikipedia are of Women?
Source : BBC
Soo, 100 Women are partnering with multiple global outlets at the BBC and the Wikipedia community held a 12-hour edit-a-thon on 8 December, to close the gender gap. 15 events in 13 countries happening in multiple languages to grow the number of female editors and to add women who you think deserve to be recognised.
Both women and men can take part in the event, either on your own computer, or at the BBC's London headquarters in New Broadcasting House, where you will be trained in editing by volunteers from Wikimedia UK.
How to become a wikipedia editor ?
We could take for example small grains right from their production to consumption.
How can we innovativEly address nutrition/ relevant capacity building at each level of the value chain?
Any insights??????
Women are compassionate even in the business industry. I saw women working hard to make sure that they have a few dollars to take back home. This does not serve to undermine men but this is to show the differentiation on how women are becoming the bread winners based on their social and geographical setting.
For one women are becoming more empowered, we see more women represenattion in industry than before and some even occupied leadership positions such that their contribution to thefamilies become even more significant.
Also the continued economic challenges we are facing, and increase in rate of unemployment, the number of street vendors and cross border traders is escalating everyday, 90% of them being women working hard to provide for their families ,help reinforce their husbands low salaries. In other cases the husbands are completely out of a job, to proud to work say in vendoring. However, with women there is no ego holding them back, they are not embarassed of not doing a white colar job like man, what is more important to them is survival of their families.
Prompting this is also increase in divorce cases and run away dadies, leaving women as primary breadwinners for their families.
I will like to share a current true life story of a 10 years old girl who got pregnant with her first ovulation ( menstral cycle).This girl lives with her mother and younger siblings.She just entered secondary school last september.I was so woried when i heard her mum beating her and shouting at her for bringing disgrace to the family.I realized one thing-Mothers have a very big role to play in the lives of their daughters. The following are my finding;
1.In most deeply rooted african homes,parents especially mothers dont discuss sexual education with their daughters as they are growing up.
2.Most of these girls feel so insecure to discuss their challanges from the opposite sex with their mum,out of fear they keep quiet.
3.Some traditional practices forbids a girl to raise any sexual molestation to the community,she will be termed as being disprespectful.
4.When women refuse to bring the young girls closer as a mother,they end up learninng from the outside world which most times mislead them.
5.Many girls are not taught thoroughly and informed about sexual orientation in school,especially in public school where they are overpopulated .
6.The young boys have been totally left out of the picture of things,because when they too are not guided they become the trap for our young girls.
Mothers are scared to talk to their daughters,many of them dont even know how to go about it..but deep down them they are worried.We have to encourage a mother-daughter bond.This will go a long way to address any impending problem.
There is need for our girls to be educated ,guided and informed.Many of them in rural areas dont even understand their body makeup,basic health information and general well-being. When this is lacking,we end up having a soceity filled with teenage pregnancy,sexually transmitted diseases and many young girls who cant complete their education.
I think our culture shouldnt be so strict to the point of imprisoning us and denying us the freedom we desire,to speakout and allow justice to take its course when a victim is identified.
This particular case is one out of thousands we have out there.
Our young girls need guidiance and it is our duty to give it to them.
I can add situations as mothers who watch their daughters rapped by their fathers, stepfathers but still keep quiet about it and worse also bid their daughters to keep quite out of fear of communities reaction to it or fear that their husbands will leave them. Women in difficult economic situations forcing their girl children into prostitution, the mother becomes the pimps and her own daughter the whore.
I believe women empowerment starts with us women empowering each other.
Nicaraguan Women are requesting Access to Land not Just on Paper .
A group of women farmers who organised to fight a centuries-old monopoly over land ownership by men are seeking plots of land to farm in order to contribute to the food security of their families and of the population at large.
Members of a cooperative of women farmers in Nicaragua build a greenhouse for thousands of seedlings of fruit and lumber trees aimed at helping to fight the effects of climate change in a village in the department of Madriz.
Matilde Rocha, vice president of the Federation of Nicaraguan Women Farmers Cooperatives (Femuprocan), told IPS that since the late 1980s, when women trained in the Sandinista revolution organised to form cooperatives, access to land has been one of the movement's main demands.
According to Rocha, as of 1997, the organisation has worked in a coordinated manner to fight for recognition of the rights of women farmers not only with regard to agriculture, but also to economic, political and social rights.
Femuprocan, together with 14 other associations, successfully pushed for the 2010 approval of the Fund for the Purchase of Land with Gender Equity for Rural Women Law, known as Law 717.
They also contributed to the incorporation of a gender equity focus in the General Law on Cooperatives and to the participation of women in the Municipal Commissions on Food Security and Sovereignty.
For Rocha, this advocacy has allowed rural women to update the mapping of actors in the main productive areas in the country, strengthen the skills of women farmers and train them in social communication and as promoters of women's human rights, to tap into resources and take decisions without the pressure of their male partners.
"For rural women, land is life, it is vital for the family; land ownership and inputs to make it productive are closely linked to women's economic empowerment."
So are the women of Iceland who went on a peaceful sit down strike both at home and at work in 1975 and demanded for equality. Later one Monday after their month's pay the women employees of Iceland,stopped working and went home demanding an increase of their salary.
The struggle continues,we all have a role to make this world much better than we found it and women empowerment is key in the attainment of this noble vision.
HELLO ALL!
Since all of the participants from Mexico agree that we still have a long way to go in gender equity, we also agree that it has to start in schools.
The fist step we could take is to go to schools and have talks and conferences with parents and teachers of students. It is a must that we start in elementary school and tehn work our way up to Universities.
Among us we can start a brain storming virtual session and develop a plan and involve teachers who want to support us in this sense. Would you like to participate? Please leave a message here . We could make a Facebook group! Sincerely, Juracy
Let's start a group and then we can add more women interested! Juracy
I'd love to be a part of your project! Although I'm not from Mexico, I'm also Hispanic and have experienced the machismo that is so prevalent in Hispanic countries. Feel free to add me on Facebook or Linkedin and keep me updated with your ideas!
Hello Juracy, great initiative!
I'm completely agreed with you, the change that we want to see, needs to start at school from the basic education to university.
I suggest that first it is necessary to have a talk with the kids and try to explain that gender is not a situation that could define your way, what I'm want is try to break up with the perception that we have about genders.
But also it is necessary to give talks about women violence, and try to help to understand the community that violence against women is not normal, and everyone need to be respect.
Also I think that is important to give talks but also crate programs in the communities, because as we know the most vulnerable women are in this part, so it is necessary to make workshops where we could help families to respect women and promote the tolerance between us. In my opinion, I think these two ideas are so important to implement because we are facing a big problem because of our culture and ideologies.
I'm very happy to find a person who has the same beliefs than me, thank you very much.
The best,
Jessica Muñoz
I am happy that this past weeks has been very engaging,eventful and encouraging.I have seen people from different countries all with the same vision and mission.I have read stories from you all on issues relating to women and girls .Many of us took out time to ensure we work towards being selected .We stretched ourselves and went beyond our limits.
I have some mind searching questions to ask us;
1.If you are not selected are u still going to promote the vision for women empowerement?
2.Will you be ready to bring in this kind of zeal and energy in the course you are championing?
3.Are you going to be making the positive impact in this forum and outside this platform in terms of sharing and learning from each other?
I ask these questions because i sat down and told myself that as long as i have decided to tow this path for women emancipation,nothing will stop me...I may or may not be selected.But one thing is very sure,i must continue to fight for girls and women in my community.This is the truth i have told myself .I wish one day we all will look back amd smile because we turned our communites,countries and the world around for good.
Thanks to this wonderful community of people,i will wish to meet as many as i can one day. There is no height that is small,no effort is too little and no help is underrated.The future we desire starts today.
Best Wishes,
Ugomma
You will definitely see me here, you will still read from me, and I will be complementary to this vision,
Happy Rally and Best Wishes
I have received an email saying that
The selection committee will review the contributions and will evaluate each applicant. On 10 December 2016, Empower Women will announce the finalists, the 2016-2017 Champions for Change.
Keep empowering and promote gender equality in your community. Continue to be active change makers online and offline - drive the developments and be always stay connected!
Does it mean that the rally ended and the assessment started? Very exciting!! It was awesome to me to become a part of this community, even though I'm very busy with my projects at my job, I felt very inspired every evening to log in to EmpowerWomen and read many valuable posts:)
Best wishes,
Sibel
Hi Sibel, I did get the same message too! I am also very very excited! Let's keep up the good work we do! Juracy
All the best Sibel
Happy Rally and Best wishes
I have had challenges getting information from organisations here in Uganda during the research work.Unfortunately,even with organisations with websites don't have all the required information on their websites.How has it been with you?
I have the same problem as you, I have a lot of problems to obtain information about number of employees, and the contact information.
What I was trying to do is to give the most complete informaton, because even the rganization didn't have all informaiton it work is really important, so I thought it was necessary to up load this institution.
The best,
Jessica Muñoz
https://royalesharon.wordpress.com/2016/12/06/she-let-go/
Keep on keeping on,
Hello Munshae
I had read some of the stories, thanks for sharing us this! It was really inspiring.
The best,
Jessica Muñoz
I wanted to share an interesting article illustrating a recent trend in companies.
"In the midst of ongoing global expansion and a worldwide shortage of critical talent, companies are stepping up efforts – at very different speeds and levels of investment – to recruit and retain a workforce diverse in both demographics and ideas".
Article: https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/human-capital/articles/global-diversity-dividend.html
One purpose, one vision, one goal, one heart, one love, one mind, one mission, ONE RESULT!
CATCH YOU ALL ON THE REBOUND
WE ARE ALL WINNERS!
LET'S START WHERE WE ARE
WITH THE LITTLE THAT WE HAVE
ONE STEP AT A TIME
TO HEAL THE WORLD
WOMEN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, HERE WE COME!!!!!
Have you heard of the alt- right news site Brietbart? The site posted articles titled, "Why Equality and Diversity Departments Should Only Hire Rich, Straight White Men." Recently, online ad publisher AppNexus banned the website from using their ad-serving tool, citing violations of its rules against hate speech. With that being said, companies like google are still using the site to track down users and keeping the site afloat.
I am not against freedom of speech but I find it disheartening that innovative companies like google are backing sites such as Brietbart.
If interested in participating in a small act of resistance today by petitioning Google to ban Brietbart from using its ad serving tools, please follow instructions below.
This takes less than 1 minute, but the consequences for Brietbart could be massive if enough people reach out to Google.
Here is the info if you want to participate.
From your laptop or phone, follow these directions and pass it along.
(1) Go to Breitbart.com (I know, ugh, but keep going).
(2) Find a Google AdSense ad. It will have a teal triangle and an x in the upper right corner. (I had to try a couple different ads to get to the google page - Amazon ads take you to Amazon, for some reason)
(3) Click on the triangle.
(4) Click "Ad choices"
(5) On the Google page that loads, Click "learn more" in the text toward the bottom.
(6) A page loads called About Google Ads.
Scroll down and click to "Leave feedback on the website you just saw."
(7) You are given a choice between "the website" and "the ads". Choose "the website".
(8) Check the box saying that the website (Breitbart) promotes racial intolerance. If you like, add a comment. I did.
(9) Click submit!
If Google kicks Breitbart out of its ad network it will make a big difference to the company's bottom line. So tell Google to Dump Breitbart.
To do require that we step outside the programming of those external infuences and connect with our deeper values, passions, and motivated .but how can we do that?
I'm sure, more or less everybody is feeling same. This is really fantastic journey! Although I'am very busy for my business nowadays, I have not lost my motivation to the rally. I learned new organizations, project and ideas during this research as well. Thank you all for your contribution.
I totally agree agree. The research has been very enlightening and inspiring. It has also helped me discover which areas of womens empowerment require more activism.
That is true. It has been a learning experience having to reasech all these organizations for the rally. Great to discover so many of them doing an amazing job in my country. It will be great to contact them and learn more details of their work and impact!!
Good luck for everybody :-)
WHAT'S THE BIG PICTURES FOR WOMAN'S LIFE?
women's want to grow and develop themselves because they are unsatisfied with their life and direction it is heading.
To chenge it's course and create a satisfying. Life,understanding the growth and development process is essential. Our once this process is underway the results are endless.
You will find meaning and purposes in yourself that was a bent before. Life goals will become possible. You will use your full potential to benefit yourself and others. New skills and talents will be discovered. Old relationships will be strengthened and new one's will be easily formed all of which will give you a boost in your self-image and self confidence.
So dear women's and friends ,champions ;let growth be an unstoppable journey in your life! Keep growing.
Today is International Volunteer's Day !
Happy Rally to all of us !
We are all winners and this is not the end, but just the beginning of greater things,
Happy Rally and Best wishes
Happy Rally and Best Wishes,
Mine is 9. And what about you?
Best wishes,
Sibel
Happy Rally and Best Wishes
According to World Economic Forum:
Today, on International Volunteer Day, we face a paradox. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has made us more connected and globalized than ever before, yet it is also shaping an age of civic disengagement.
In his bestseller Bowling Alone, political scientist Robert Putnam identified a sharp rise in Americans’ civic disengagement over the last generation, with empty town hall meetings reflecting “a giant swing toward the individualist pole in our culture, society, and politics.” Although it is twenty years old, it is still starkly relevant today: a new study by two psychologists in a Public Library of Science journal has proposed that “the more someone uses a smartphone for information, the less likely they are to trust neighbours, strangers, and people from other religions or nationalities.”
Our use of technology is just one factor driving changes in the world of work, but this correlation is bad news for advanced democracies, because strong civic life is a good predictor of the quality of, and trust in, public institutions. Against increasing solitude and disengagement from public life, what are some antidotes to this modern malaise?
One possible cure is a return to the original social networks supplanted by smartphones - volunteer organizations. These can help members stay ahead of the developments that are already happening with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as the trends explained in this year’s World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report. The report asked the Chief Human Resources Officers of today’s largest employers to identify the core drivers of change in their industries up to 2020.
Happy Rally and Best wishes
Deadline for completing the form Thursday, 5 December at midnight EST. (it is written on the form, please check)
Cheers,
Sibel
I'm confused about this issue as 5th of December is Monday (today) so is the rally for our group ending today or Thursday?
What is the last day for the submission of the google forms? I am a little bit confused because on the forms it say Thursday 5 December but the 5th of December is NOT Thursday but Monday (today).
Please help urgently
I think that today is the last day to submit your google forms.
The best,
Jessica Muñoz
There are more and more women who are making change in this industry, but I continue concerned that those who do not reach the higher names and income for their entertainment careers, do not have the same level of empowerment. Technology has furthermore changed the industry and now is a good time see positive growth. My team and I are starting a campaign to promote business economic empowerment for women artist, musicians, actress, models, etc... (this message is particularly geared to the level of abuse of promotion of young Latina women at the local levels) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154795239793415&set=a.10150180126163415.326747.669338414&type=3&theater¬if_t=like¬if_id=1480909406526204
If you have stories of success and empowerment in your country in this topic. Please share.
How CEOs Can Put Gender Balance on the Agenda at Their Companies
https://hbr.org/2016/11/how-ceos-can-put-gender-balance-on-the-agenda-at-their-companies?utm_campaign=harvardbiz&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
Though a lot of obstacles will be encountered from socio cultural to religious beliefs, but with a collective effort of agencies, NGOs and the government, this can be achieved.
While these policies are an initial first step, we need to focus on educating girls and women. I believe with education, young girls and women will know that there have so many opportunities available to them, and they should decide on their future. Furthermore, with education women and young girls can learn about the impact of physical, mental and emotional impact of child marriages.
A few years back, I participated in some conference which discussed the impacts of drage abuse and alchohol consumption on drivers. For years to prevent this practice, there were many initiatives being used to educate youth in schools before they take to the wheel. However, the change in level of drink and drive practice was lower than they actually wanted to share. On the other hand in countries that boosted up the penalties in which those who are found guilty could face, saw a very quick reduction in people taking the wheel under the influence of alcohol/ drug . Similarly , I am wondering if countries do more to have stronger pentalities with imprissonment sentences for those that are found guilty, while strengthning their enforcement mechanisms (ie. having also police and legal systems that are not corrupt) and judges that can take swift action, couldn't have a much bigger impact to that of eduction in the immediate term.
The reason I highlight this is that I persionally don't think there is time to loose - these girls face terrible consequances for being sent off to married , We have the responsibility to protect them!
Best
Michal
"If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." —Margaret Thatcher
"A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts." —Nancy Rathburn
"A woman is like a tea bag—you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." —Eleanor Roosevelt
"I always wanted to be a femme fatale. Even when I was a young girl, I never really wanted to be a girl. I wanted to be a woman." —Diane von Furstenberg
"I'm tough, I'm ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay." ―Madonna
"A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men." ―Gloria Steinem
"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass." —Maya Angelou
"I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard...we cannot succeed when half of us are held back." ―Malala Yousafzai
"Feminism isn't about making women strong. Women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength." —G.D. Anderson
"Women are always saying, 'We can do anything that men can do.' But Men should be saying, 'We can do anything that women can do.'" —Gloria Steinem
"You don't have to be pretty. You don't owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don't owe it to your mother, you don't owe it to your children, you don't owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked 'female.'" —Erin McKean
"A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman." —Melinda Gates
"Women, like men, should try to do the impossible, and when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others." —Amerlia Earhart
"When a man gives his opinion, he's a man. When a woman gives her opinion, she's a bitch."―Bette Davis
"I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say, 'Yes, women can.'" —Dilma Rousseff
"Women are leaders everywhere you look—from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women, and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes." —Nancy Pelosi
"Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in."―Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
"I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity." —Angelina Jolie on her double mastectomy
"The question isn't who's going to let me; it's who's going to stop me." —Ayn Rand
"We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women's voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored." —Sheryl Sandberg
"It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent." —Madeleine Albright
"Women are the real architects of society."—Harriet Beecher Stowe
"I've never met a woman who is not strong, but sometimes they don't let it out. Then there's a tragedy, and then all of a sudden that strength comes. My message is let the strength come out before the tragedy." ―Diane von Furstenberg
"Women have always been the strong ones of the world. The men are always seeking from women a little pillow to put their heads down on. They are always longing for the mother who held them as infants." —Coco Chanel
"Feminism is for everybody" ―bell hooks
"I believe that the rights of women and girls is the unfinished business of the 21st century." —Hillary Clinton
"We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead."—Beyoncé
"I am a Woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal Woman, that's me." ―Maya Angelou
"Why has the word [feminism] become such an uncomfortable one? It is not the word that is important; it's the idea and the ambition behind it." —Emma Watson
"The idea of being a feminist: so many women have come to this idea of it being anti-male and not able to connect with the opposite sex, but what feminism is about is equality and human rights. For me that is just an essential part of my identity."—Lena Dunham
How is this possible? If we have anyone from Rwanda in this group I would love to learn from you,or anyone who can help?
In Botswana we have only 9.5%
Can anyone tell me,if we can include small and medium enterprises in the research?
Thanks in advance.
Hope your research is doing well. Can someone please tell me the deadline for the rally. As on the form it says Thursday 5th December. Whereas, 5th is on monday. Can someone please clarify. Thank you
The time is midnight according to Eatern Standard times (EST)
I have just the same question. @Deepa will take the advice.
Hello everyone, hope everybody is doing great at researching!!
We would like to share a project we are doing and welcome any suggestiong.
There are millions of women around the world leading great endeavors. However, even women being half of the world population, we are mostly bombarded with great stories of men - entrepreneurs, inventors, CEOs etc Taciana and I are doing a project that aims to shed a light in many women worldwide who are being trailblazers and building companies in various areas and going above and beyond to build their stories and leave their mark. (https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/community/stories/2016/08/funders-project-inspiring-women-to-leave-their-mark)
Our idea came from our observation while living in the US, close to Silicon Valley, that even there we would mostly see men in entrepreneurship-related events. Through researching we found out that among the main reasons women do not start business is the lack of female role models. We started our journey last July and we already interviewed in the USA, Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore and there will be many more during the next 12 months.
You can check some messages from women entrepreneurs we interviewed at our facebook/thegirlsontheroad and we would appreciated suggestions or comments!!
congratulations to this great interview series which resonates with all future women entreprenuers.
What about a monthly speed dating to match sucessful women entreprenuers to inspirating women MBA students, SEMT students in happy hour with sip of wine. The aspirant will be able to find a mentor, a role model in participating in
this speed dating practice.
i will be following your progress. Keep it up.
Thank you in advance
Some of the institutions I researched I was able to google the number of employees but as you mentioned, it is rare to find it, let alone number of female employees. What I am doing is complete as much as possible and If this number is not there, I just let as "not available" since in the next phase this info will be easily accessible by contacting them. I am using my time to research and find interesting organizations, mentioning why I judge it is important.
For the contact person, I am getting names and emails from their PR agencies that is easily found in their websites so it will be a start. Some of them mentioned people/email from communication/marketing but if not, PR.
And yes, we can include NGO as well.
Hope my comments helped!
http://upliftconnect.com/why-women-need-a-tribe/
We can work together with the villagers to track the success of our programs and report cases where there is a bridge.We can then bring in larger international organisations that will support our emancipation. Remember this wont be easy because many will kick against it,but i tell you many are looking for a solution and will also be ready to embrace it.
Yes to some extent us women we are our own enemy but I believe that our greatest enemy is the issues of cultural violence and structural violence.
This women grew up being taught by their parents that this is how they should behave culturaly and otherwise,so what they know to do best is to hold on to whatthey were taught and as the elders of today they safe guard the very culture which might disadvantage them because to them this is how things should be done.
I have found that dealing with issues of cultural change, we need to start conversations with the very gatekeepers of such practices and in this case women. It is a change which takes some time to come to fruitution but bit by bit we will see some changes.
Hi Nwanneka,
This is very true as we are from the same south-east region. This happens mostly with people that dwell in the rural area. Education and enlightenment plays a key role in changing their mindset. Many fathers in the cities now will their properties to their female children and when married, ensures that they are well settled by giving them their own share of inheritance to start their family. Many of them have come to embrace the female child as one who can be more successful than the male child. Everything still dwells with changing the mindset of parents towards their female children. Once the mindsets of parents and the society can change towards their female daughters, most of those unhealthy practices towards widows will be put to an end.
Thanks for sharing a bit about your culture.
It is sad to see how we, women, in many cases are the contributor to our own challenges. I agree with you that we have, since an early age, to educate and sensibilize children, boys and girls, that we should be treated and treated everybody around us with respect and give equal opportunity.
Taciana and I are doing a project related to women entrepreneurship in which we are interviewing women entrepreneurs in different countries. In many cases we heard that it was their own families the ones who did not support them or gave a different treatement related to their sons and daughters.
Even in developed countries such as South Korea, one of the entrepreneurs we interviewed told us her mon prays for her business to fail and so she can solely dedicate to find a husband and build a family of her own. When she was a teenager, she wanted to study abroad to learn english and her mom, although offering to her brother, told her she would not invest any more money on her because she would quit business once married.
Women have to be more unite and help each other and work to the advancement of all women, that is why we should keep giving our contribution so future generations will eventualy live in a balance society.
Cheers,
Sibel
Meral, during the webnar, told us to not aproach companies/organizations at this stage since we will do that in the next phase. For now, we should focus on internet research to find good institutions and contacts.
Most of the items we should complete is a short answer and I am mostly giving more detail for why such an organization was chosen and how I know it.
Hope this comments helped!
Yes, I have arranged meeting with the HR department. by the way, Hows your research going on? It's really interesting to know the meaning of gender equality for organizations.
My Name is Tim Immaculate Bih. I was born and raised in a community where technical education was considered a man's thing. It was very strange for a girl to do building construction. My first week in college, I was inspired by a girl who was doing building construction and my anxiety pushed me to do it as well. She was my role model.
Unfortunately for me, my role model diverted from this male-dominated field to a female-dominated field. Some girls who ventured into it did not end up in it as well due to lack of encouragement and mentorship. My enthusiasm and charisma in this field kept me going. I had a vision and that vision was to become a civil engineer.
Climbing the success ladder in this field was a tough one for me. I was being mocked by both some of my family members and community members for what I was doing but the spirit was not quenched. As young as I was in form five, I became a role model unknowingly - my name was being used in campaign during schools re-opening to attract student to the college, but some people did not still see a bright future in the field for girls.
Graduating from the university as a civil engineer, I became an entrepreneur in the construction industry where I founded ICON Co. Ltd. Being the first female entrepreneur in the North West Region of Cameroon, I decided to carry out most of the construction projects in my community in other to encourage more girls and reach infrastructure challenges to improve development.
Today, my work in the community is encouraging more parents to send their children to technical schools. To ensure that these girls do not get discouraged when pursuing studies in this field, I created a social impact department in my enterprise through which girls in engineering are being mentored, empowered, and primary school children are being sensitized on the importance of technical education especially for the girl child.
#UNWomen #empowerwomen #VVGrow #Techwomen #WomenInStem
That is an amazing story, we definitely need more role models like you to inspire and empower other women.
Loved that you shared your story. Taciana and I are doing a project called Founders Project where we are going to many countries interviewing women entrepreneurs to tell their story through a documentary.
Our idea and inspiration came from not seeing so many women in business as men. We went on to research reports and found out that one of the reasons women don't engage in entrepreneurship is the lack of female role models. They don't see women doing it. They don't know other entrepreneurs and so they believe this path is for men.
Great to hear that role model was important in your life and that today you are an inspiration to other girls!! Congrats!!
We definitely need more women like you :-)
I believe development and economic emporwerment is important for women in general. Rural or urban, when we empower women economicaly the whole society/communitity benefit. There are quite a few studies showing that women give a lot more back to their enviroment, compared as men, when they have their own business.
There is a very interesting report about women in different parts of the world, worth reading if you haven't yet, called GEM 2014 WOMEN'S REPORT. http://gemconsortium.org/report
the deadline on the form says Thursday, 5 th dec but 5th is this Monday. Was there any clarification on this? I'm assuming it's an error and they mean Monday, 5th Dec.
For the sake of simplicity, let us agree that agriculture refers to the way people either access food or ensure it availability, not only during periods of harvest or plenty but also throughout the year another fashionable world these day is 'food security .people have different ways to meeting their food need.
Happy Rally Ayul
I never heard about this! Sounds like a good idea in the US. Here is the full article.
My question to everyone is does your home country have similar funds? Have they been helpful?
This is great! I am from Brazil and never heard about such thing there. I believe this is probably a new trend, a good one, as in the past there were funds created to invest in environmentaly responsible companies, or clean tech companies and so on.
In Brazil, people are more and more aware of investing not only for the money but also in companies who are more social and environmentaly responsible.
Taciana and I are doing a project on women entrepreneurship, you can check us on Facebook as "thegirlsontheroad" and we have been encountering many organizations and one that got our attnetion was SheEo in Canada- http://www.sheeo.ca/ - They have a fund formed by women to invest in women entrepreneurs. It is not exactly what your article is about but is also a great way to foster women's economic empowerment.
We need more organizations that are willing to provide opportunities for women advancement!!
You would like to know that There's "Ministry for women and child development" in my country which is working for the analysing the current policy for women empowerment and make an amendment in it.
Happy Rally Isabelle!
#EmpowerWomenRally
#BreakingTheGlass
It is becoming increasingly clear that women are, and will continue to be, powerful drivers of development. When men and women become more equal, economies grow faster, fewer people remain in poverty, and overall well-being increases.
Yet the impact of women's economic empowerment goes beyond this. Research has shown that women are more likely than men to invest a large proportion of their household income in the education and well-being of their children. When women are empowered to make an income, accumulate assets and increase their economic security, they improve industrial capacity and spur economic growth by creating new jobs, as well as expanding the pool of human resources and talents available in a country.
Both women and men face challenges in setting up their own businesses, but for women, the barriers are often greater and harder to overcome. They are often confronted with a lack of government support in terms of policy, laws, and services, and in some countries have only limited access to formal bank accounts, which prevents them from accessing loans or credit.
By increasing opportunities for women to make life choices that go beyond gender-limiting cultural norms, as often seen in education, we can help to create an environment in which female entrepreneurs can thrive, therefore promoting gender equality.
Do you have such programmes in your country,and do you think it can be a solution to combating poverty in third world countries?
Interesting post. As a Brazilian I would say that, unfortunately, although in paper sounds an amazing program and indeed have benefited millions of people, it does not help in the long term to end poverty.
In Brazil, this kind of program has created a dependency of many families and because they know they will have a guarantee money, they many times will not look for jobs because if they get paid a certain amount of money they lose the benefit. So, instead of being a remedy for a short period, some families decides is better not work at all and this is bad for them, for the community and for the country to prosper.
As the old story, we should teach people how to fish and not only providing them with guaranteed fish for the rest of their lives. Empowerment, in my opinion, means to created opportunites, educate the women so they can progress by their own means, not depending only on government programs.
In essence, cash transfer programmes support humanitarian activities efficiency. It's easy to carry cash around, widely accepted as a legal tender and gives households dignity, they can decide the best way to use the cah, especially if well conscentised.
Happy Rally George
empower your daughter or wife today or any girl around you; could be your sister or classmate. Encourage them to press even harder and you will definitely see the outcome of their contribution.
#ConceptsOfWEE
Happy Rally Joel
To be honest our Govt education system here in Tanzania,does not prepare student to become an entrepreneur.So we encouraged them to start to think and not to blame our Govt.We tried to conduct seminars,workshops in various scholls,universities and now most of them are now getting momentum we hope.
Now we moved to rural area to protect our environment,to train youth and women.This is a good and a best idea to do because in Tanzania most of the people live in rural area.
our main focus is to make sure that women can make a big move.We collaborate with local bank.By establishing groups we cal them VICOBA wich allow 30 women and men to be together in a group.Those members are entrepreneurs.They sell and buy goods/products and every two weeks they meet to deposit/withdraw money by supervised by one of the supervisor from the bank.Throuth these meeting we train them like how to Set savings,by starting it immediately to save.Even other health topic and social media as well.
Awareness raising and follow up action are keys to women empowerment. Reaching out to rural areas ensures that none is left behind. We need to break the rural-urban divide if we are serious abut women empowerment. That's where the majority are located....
Happy Rally Neatness!
The village savings and loans group –community bank – exists to empower people financially to take charge of their lives. Members are able to buy shares priced at 100 malawian kwacha (mk) less than a dollar and borrow money which has to be repaid at 20% interest. After 6 months, the money is distributed amongst the members in proportion to the amount of shares bought. Those who have invested more, receive a larger return. Records are kept in each member’s share books.
Some members lament establishing shops/businesses which stocks nuts, oil etc.
The groups also have a social fund – all members are to contribute 20 Malawian kwacha (less than a dollar) which is used for members or their relatives who have fallen ill.
Happy Rally Tendai
So even in your country Malawi,all women must have access to these savings scheme but also supported with entrepreneurship development courses.
The only business that we can tell you that preferably hires women here in Mexico are the "textile factories" . Low salary and lots of hours of work. Sincerely,
Juracy
What do you think could be the best thing to do in that scenario?
Enjoy!
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/1990/12/20/more-than-100-million-women-are-missing/
Thanks for the article.Will find out how it can enrich the entire world body of women. It is indeed very imperative for us to continue sharing such information and knowledge. This platform creates an opportunity to advance both social capital and intellectual capital.Best!
As the same like others, I discovered self help women groups in my community Puebla, Mexico and all hardworker women in the organisations are really impacting the lives of many women, but they dont have websites because they dont have budget for that. So really sad.
But they are working a lot, so i hope very soon, all that women can create ther websites.
Have a good day guys and smiling always. We are Champions :)
I'm from Zacatecas, Mexico and I start a big research about women empowerment in my city, and yes, I have found some groups that support women empowerment, but they normally act in a really poor communities so they do't have website, the only propaganda that they use is the word of mouth, it is so sad because there exist a lot of woman that want to make a change but it results harder for them because they didn't have enough resources.
Best,
Jessica Muñoz
I searched trying to find Institutions/Business, etc that empower women or that they employ mostly women and I couldn't find any either for our Mexican Republic. Only the same as you, support groups. Saludos desde Ensenada! Juiracy
I raised that question during the webminar. There was no specific indication to the extent of details, and they are unable to give us feedback when we start submitting. I would suggest adding anything you think may be relevant I guess according to the titles they provided.
I haven't seen yet, but they promised they would add one example so we have some idea.
Cheers
Michal
Entrepreneurs are innovative, highly-motivated, and critical thinkers. When these attributes are combined with the drive to solve social problems, a Social Entrepreneur is born. A social enterprise as any enterprise that ranks social impact on par with, or above, profit concerns.
“Social Entrepreneurship” is a fairly new “Concept" Social Entrepreneurship combines the passion of a social mission with business disciplines, innovation and determination and is therefore strategically using Business Model Approaches in responding to Social Problems. The Social Problems largely include HIV/AIDS&TB, Poverty, Unemployment, Under-Employment, Drugs and Substance Abuse, Teenage Pregnancy, Prostitution, Crime, Environmental Degradation etc which have hit hardest on the people at the Base of Pyramid (BOP).
Social entrepreneurs and social enterprises share a commitment to furthering a social mission and improving society. Though the concept of social entrepreneurship is gaining popularity, it means different things to different people.The new language helps to broaden the playing field. Social entrepreneurs look for the most effective methods of serving their social missions.
Social entrepreneurs play the role of change agents in the social sector, by:
a) Adopting a mission to create and sustain social value (not just private value),
b) Recognizing and relentlessly pursuing new opportunities to serve that mission,
c) Engaging in a process of continuous innovation, adaptation, and learning,
d) Acting boldly without being limited by resources currently in hand, and
e) Exhibiting heightened accountability to the constituencies served and for the outcomes created
It sounds like a new concept but if we look closely it has been there for sometime,we just need to magnify it since nowadays people are becoming very self centred.
A good social entreprise should be able to sustain its self,
the key Grace Pisirai is planning and understanding the market.Once we identify the need/gap we sure should penetrate the market. In my country there are several funding stream from the government I think what is still lacking here is the willing of people or commitment to their entreprises
What challenges have social entrepreneurs in your areas faced and how have they overcome them?
Many communities have welcomed great projects with the hope that it has come to stay,but contrary to their desire these projects go down within a short period.My question is this,do we actually plan for a long term? are we ready to carry on for as long as we have identified the passion? Are we working towards building a working team that will take over from us when we are no longer there?
When a vision goes beyond you and can speak even long after you are gone,then one can be rest assured we are working towards sustainability.
Remember,what you do is not for your applause,it is a call to service and an invitation to build the soceity you desire to see.
Sustainablitiy is indeed a vital aspect and there are a number of reasons to expalin why many good prgrams have failed to fully mature , not necessarily that we do not plan for long term. to answer in part i would like to share https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/community/stories/2016/11/the-only-way-to-predict-my-future-is-to-create-it which also includes @Michal issues of funding.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts. I think you are right on. One of the issues I have seen with my work, is that often as an implementing agency (I/NGOs), particularly international organizations, are often driven by the sources of funding they receive. Instead of looking at their communities and what the community specifically needs (short and long term), they would look at what is the next call that is out there and how can we win the bid and get more money for the organization to conitnue operating.
Also the way in which funding is now being given, particularly by bi-leteral organizations (governments), it doesnt give an organization much space to develop its local community mobilizers , and all is now run by consultants. As such the ability of an organization to commit for longer term support of a local community has decreased significantly.
If an organization wants to commit for longer term support of a community there is a need for sustainability in presence and support while continuely evolving the type of support to the changing needs of the community.
Best,
Michal
Excellent analysis! i think you brought up a very good point... I am a true believer of gender equality but I also believe that equality between men and women can only be achieved if both genders are represented and responsive in all phases of the policy-making process. Integrating both genders in the process, (also known as gender mainstreaming) makes it much easier to promote gender equality and introduce changes.
I am an entrepreneur and realtor. Over the years, while working with an NGO, I was engaged in various health related projects in communities spanning across HIV /AIDS management and support for PLWHA, distribution of mosquito nets, healthcare centres to mention but few. Also, I mentor girls in high school on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
I look forward to networking with more prospects on this platform. It's been very educative being updated on various challenges and achievements encountered by women in five continents.
It will be an honour to connect with you to learn from you.
"Deadline for completing this form Thursday, 5 December at midnight EST." - that is what's written on the form, but the 5th of December is a Monday. And does that mean the midnight between Monday (5) and Tuesday (6) or before the 5th?
Is there a mistake with the date or the day of submission?
It advisable to submit filled-in-forms latest before 12 midnight EST, Monday ,5th December (time difference is crucial here).
Since 1998, I have been involved and further developed skills and provided technical services in health and community system strengthening programmes including: reproductive health, HIV/AIDS management and Non-profit institutional capacity building. My skills cover training/facilitation, RH and HIV/AIDS programme management, RH advocacy, gender programming, monitoring and evaluation, strategic review and process planning. I have in the past managed SRH and HIV/AIDS programmes funded by IPPF, JTF, EU Packard Foundation and The Global Fund; reaching a cumulative 2.1 Million men, women and children.
My greatest motivation as a development worker has been to gain experience and answers on how to move people out of poverty. Hence every step in my professional development and career has been dedicated towards finding answers to the poor state Africa is in. Despite receiving over 3trillion USD, Sub- Saharan Africa ranks first on the poorest in the world- I thought to myself, it means aid is not the answer to poverty, and the question is what then is?
Unfulfilled with handling grants and aid funds, in May 2011, I resigned my appointment as the Global Fund Projects Director for the organisation I was serving (without a clue on what i was going to do from there onwards! )Howbeit, I left with strong skills in proposal writing, community project design, planning and implementation and NGO management. It was during the challenging period of being out of job, that I began volunteering to help different individuals and community-based organisations put together community project proposals, business proposals/plans. In addition, I also co- founded a Non for profit (Centre for Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development- www.cesdev.org). During this period also i stumbled through personal experiences , secondary research, and inductive reasoning at some facts behind systems strengthening ; whether it be educational, healthcare, agricultural, economic, or community systems, the answer probably lies in economic empowerment of women.
Currently, I am involved in enterprise development with specific focus on women entrepreneurship. I manage and run a social enterprise (www.theresourcespace.com), where we provide business hub/ support services to start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises. In addition, I mentor over 25 women entrepreneurs and provide business management support to women owned enterprise and individuals. I also serve as an independent development consultant, and recently concluded a project on Strengthening Women Engagement for Community Change and Enterprise Development (SWECED)
My goal in the next five years (2016-2020) is completing a PhD within this period with a focus on researching and showing a correlation between women economic empowerment and financial independence through entrepreneurship, in strengthening community systems for sustainable development. Results from my research hopefully will bring about an adaptive framework that will enhance women economic empowerment in developing and low income countries.
Additionally, within same period I hope to successfully set up an indigenous women's investment fund that will provide a platform for raising start-up and growth funds for 3500 rural women to set up micro and small rural cottage industries: towards reducing inequalities, increasing household income and, contributing to the sustainable development goals (SDG 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10 and 12).
It is with excitement and great joy to be part of this movement and i do hope to draw lots of inspiration from members of this group.
Thank you so much in anticipation.
I'm Anesu Mhlanga, Executive Chairman of Elah Capital a Johannesburg based Private Equity and Advisory firm with an interest in investing in woman owned and woman managed businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa in Agribusiness, FMCGs, Housing and Education. Elah Capital also acts as Advisor to Governments and Corporates in Africa on Women and Agribusiness.
The focus of our rhetoric is a move from Agriculture to Agribusiness as a holistic approach to investment in the industry in Africa towards beneficiation.
As one of the few private equity firms with a focus on women in Sub-Saharan Africa we have found the landscape challenging. I recently presented a speech at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March in New York on "Private Equity and its Link to Women and Sustainable Development" it has been my personal experience that DFIs need to begin to actively show real commitment to supporting woman focused funds, as they take an anchor position I believe there will be significant development in women led private equity firms in Africa, which seek an impact investment tailored mandate for women's economic empowerment and the general sustainable economic development of African countries.
Thank you for your consideration.
Kind Regards,
Anesu Mhlanga
Lastly are you doing any work in Botswana?
Thank you for your responses. I will reply to you both collectively since your comments are similar.
Agribusiness and financing women continue to be a challenge which governments need to be more proactive about addressing in partnership with the private sector. Whilst I agree that too much of government regulation in the private sector leads to a command economy which hampers the free flow of markets in Africa governments must partner more with the private sector to facilitate finance for women through "Development Guarantees". Development Guarantees allow for banks to extend credit to rural women in agribusiness.
Tela I'm more than happy to help you after the championship please connect with me on LinkedIn.
Ikwo each country supports it's women entrepreneurs differently. Here in South Africa there are several financial instruments tailored for financing women. It will be important to understand the region of interest and I will be able to provide a more in depth response to assist you.
Dear Anesu,
Your focus is quite interesting especially when one considers the challenge of access to business capital faced by women entrepreneurs. I look forward to learning a lot from you, with regards to how women entrepreneurs can access much needed capital for their business.
Kind regards,
Ikwo
I am humbled to be a part of this rally and i expect to learn and share more on how to empower women.
Thank you
During this period I was searching institutions that contribute to empower women in Mexico, I found some that support this objective, but then I was surprised, because I have found many websites that help to prevent violence against women.
As a result I have concluded that in Mexico we are facing a problem higher than the promotion to support empower women; we are facing a problem of respect and tolerance to all individuals. Is incredible how many man hit her wife just because the think is the best “to control them”.
For me empower of women is the goal of women in my society, but first we have to go long way to fight against violence against women and with this ideology that man are superior to women (machismo).
I would like to know what has been done in your countries to try to reduce this phenomenon?
In advance I want tho thank you for your contributions,
Jessica Muñoz
Here in Botswana we do have several programmes from both the government,cooperate and NGOs.
Mostly from thegovernment we have funding,NGOs we have programs like psychological support, male engagement, survivors support.
Personally i thing it is very imperative to have pepertrators programs which seeks to engage with perpetrators of GBV and we need to effectively deal with both cultural and structural violence in our communities and countries.
Thanks for your comments, it make me feel identified with both of you, it is true that this is a fight that is around the world, and we must try to do something to break this cyrcle.
It is true that if the mother empower their children, probably in a future this problem could end, we must try to suggest a plan to encourage women to educate in different way their children.
Also I think it is important what Dhara said about the published article, it is true that if we start to give this types of sign maybe in a future the ideology could change.
Thanks a lot
Jessica Muñoz
My thoughts around GBV comes round back to the woman. Women have a lot of role to play in ending GBV- for one within the home they have their male children under them for most of their growing years and I think for those formative years the mothers should promote morals that support the fight against GBV, and inequalities. Inotherwords empower their children as advocates early in life. This I believe will eventually break the cycle of viloence with time.
I guess the situation is the same in almost all the community since ancient time. The main reason behind is customs and tradition. Within these two months many of our regional media published a article on "gender discrimination" and as per them UN and other International Organizations are trying to demolish our system. As per them It's duty of women to look after husband's parents and kids and to take care of house hold work and they should do it rather thinking about being financial independence.
So you can see that How they feel insecure, even when someone is doing work in the direction of empowerment...!!
I'm part of the Business Development Team and as since the deadline for the form submission is fasta approaching I was having issues getting access to the online for. I have tried to access the Form in the following link
https://goo.gl/forms/me0LzyA8gHulKJjr2
and it is not working.
Can somebody help me out sending me the correct link or the steps to have access to the online form?
Thanks in advance,
Sylvana
This link should take you staight to the form. I've had no trouble so far.
Regards
Deepa
https://goo.gl/forms/me0LzyA8gHuIKJjr2
Hi, I am Jummai Victor Tela from Nigerian. I am an agro-entrepreneur, am into organic vegetable and livestock farming. I am passionate about empowering youths, women and girls with entrepreneurship and leadership skills. I am glad to be part of the “Empower women” platform. I believe I will be empowered to empower more youths, women and girls in my community.
Entrepreneurship is not only about making money or for men alone, is about knowing what will push you forward to make positive change in your life and community.
Is it true that most women start business and don’t give much priority to developing leadership and entrepreneurship skills like men does?
From my primary school day, I have been having the passion of becoming a business women even when I am being asked what you would like to become. I will say a business women. My reason then was to start a business and make money. I went through primary to tertiary institution without studding anything that has to do with business management and development. Lacked encouragement and support from parents, teachers and guardians. Still the interest on business was still in me.
My quest for business still continues and started making snacks and local drinks for sales, but due to lack of knowledge on how to manage my business, success was futile. I got trained on making African tie and dye, yoghurt making, bead making, home bread and ice cream. None could I use to venture into business. Based on the above training, I engaged in training youth and women on entrepreneurship empowerment with women groups, youth organizations, etc. yet I could not continue.
Before I got married, I met my husband and I told him all the challenges I have been facing concerning becoming a successful entrepreneur. And I will never forget he said to me “Because you are connected to me you will become what you want to become by God’s grace”, since then he has been assisting me with all that I need to become successful in business. The passion for farming started when I got married. Behind my house I raised a garden and started organic livestock and vegetable farming for the family consumption and for sales till date.
Now I have stopped being anxious about starting a business for the sake of making money, rather I took my time to learn more about business development and good management. I got trained on courses on Business Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning, Branding Building, Marketing and Business Plan Strategies. I have gone on research about organic farming. The concept I now have on business is different from when I started business, I have business name registered, my business plan ready that will make social impact in helping women and girls with entrepreneurship and leadership training to become successful entrepreneurs and leaders of their own lives. I know I not where I want to be, but I have left where I used to be, there is a change within me that already exploring and ready to make lasting impact to mu life, family, community and my nation. In this women of change that am in, I know I will get connected to the right people who are passionate about seeing people maximizing their potentials and the UN Empow
This is a big challenge, as Mexico does not, in general, have Institutions that consider men and women as equal. We've got a long way to go. But we do have to start! and I am so willing to do this.
Hello Juracy!
When I read your post I feel completely identified with this issue, it is true that in Mexico is hard to find an institution that consider men and women as equal, but then I felt worried about Mexico's situation, the reality that we are facing is so hard and we have a lot to do in order to create more opportunities for women.
Sometime I feel that our culture and our customs are the cause of which we do not advanced in the support and respect to the woman.
Best,
Jessica
1) Do the institutions have to be based in or founded in the country of research?
2) If we want to contact institutes or organisations or companies to ask for details, do we have approval to mention that we are participating in this rally and we have to complete this research-based task?
3) When will the recorded version be put up so we could listen to the details of categorizing again? WILL it be put up in the first place?
Thank you in advance.
https://youtu.be/mum6LAZ0-Rc.
Any opinions on this article: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/male-suicide-masculinity-crisis-feminism-only-solution-a7442276.html
However, for a country like Kosovo, where data is not easily accessible or readily available, especially disaggregated by gender, working in women's economic empowerment requires a lot of work in research, to be able to pinpoint issues that need to be addressed. This is a big challenge, since there is no data, and we need to work on primary research to get at least usable data.
One other issue that I work on and want to raise awareness toward is the importance of the double shift. In Kosovo, the perception is overwhelming that women, even when they work in the market, are responsible for all the household and care work that is carried out. Moreover, this work is also not considered as as contribution to the household, when women are not employed. The contributions are only considered material.
So currently, these are two major issues I wanted to mention, if anyone has experience on how to deal with lack of gendered data, as well as in how to deal with lack of valuation of care work, I would love to know some of your experiences and how you dealt with them.
Lack of value for care work most times comes as a result of cutural or traditional practice,where the woman is assumed to to all these things as her rightful duties without expecting any appreciation of assistance.That is the more reason you are doing what you into now,when people like you have identified these problems and are on a course to find a solution i feel things will take shape.What i did during a village project i embarked on is this,i did a community outreach for the people to explain to them the importance of helping the women.I told them that when a woman is overworked,she can break down and not take care of her home.I also told the men their role in family is central and they must support their women.Though due to deep cultural practices it was hard for them to accept and swallow all i said,what i did was to create a periodic talkshows which helped butress our vision.Over time things started changing.
One lesson i got is this,in anything you are doing for your people,dont expect the results to be spontenoues,give it some time and ensure a sustainable plan to keep it going.
well, my point is that We can't reach to the any conclusion by getting idea of How many women employee are there and Is there any specific gender program or not..!! (I am extremely sorry for sentence I have written , My english is not so good. i urge you to please understand the thing I want to convey). If I talk about my city, It's tough task to find out the organization which has specific gender program and If they claim , Its more sensitive case to find out their policy or how they conduct..!!
I will try to put my best effort through this research form.
Thanks
i sure would like to connect with you as this sustainable mode of preservation of perishables will be of great use to the rural women that my organisation train in diverse fields. The link you posted is not going but I logged onto your page with www.claphijoe
Inwould like to connect with you. I am based in Enugu, Nigeria.
I feel the enthusiasm we all share and wanted to remind all of us the importance of self-care! I know we all want the ultimate change but remember it takes time and we need to take care ourselves! I found this article very helpful which basically claims some people do not burn out by using their emotional intelligence. I just wanted share it with you.
https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-some-people-get-burned-out-and-others-dont
Best,
Bahar
Thanks for share this article, it is very interesting!
And it is right, we have to learn how to control aour emotional intelligence.
Best,
Jessica Muñoz
Thank you for webinar. We are now clear with your views about business development group.
As a social entrpreneur, is it possibe to explore some business opportunies where I can use my technology knowledge?
I can see there are many business owners and entrepreneurs on this platform.
keep it up and strive to reach the peak of your career.Thanks