WCI Liberia is off to an active 2011! We have run a staff retreat, began trainings in the regions, and of course: VOTER REGISTRATION!

The elections are a hot topic in Liberia now; voter registration has begun and candidates are petitioning to run for office.  WCI has been working with the National Election Commission and our regional offices to schedule campaign skills training for interested candidates.  Our estimates are not yet confirmed, but we are hoping to have 30% female participation in the election campaigns. This would mean close to 500 women running for office.

At the staff retreat, the WCI Liberia team completed our six-month work plans for each region and provided training in social media and photography.  As with the rest of the world, SMS text messaging has been a very effective way to communicate with each other and Liberia is no exception.  The WCI Liberia staff developed a ‘Liberia Text Message Dictionary’ and have begun ‘tweeting’ messages back to the main office in Philadelphia.  We hope these messages will extend to our partners so we can update them on the activities and successes in the Liberia regions.

Just two weeks after the retreat, WCI Liberia began training throughout the country and conducted trainings in all five regions, even reaching the women in Grand Kru, one of the most remote counties in Liberia.

WCI Liberia implemented the first agribusiness workshop in Gunnigar’s Town, Grand Bassa, and the second workshop in Beatoe, Gbarpolu County.  The members of the women’s groups are dedicated, hardworking, and motivated to expand their vegetable crops and cassava processing.  To accomplish this, WCI Liberia has begun training the group on financial management, time management, allocating responsibilities, accountability, and marketing their products on a larger scale.  The groups will receive a modern tool to increase production in the next few months and should be able to double their production within six months.

Simone was the first to speak. She rose slowly out of her seat to introduce herself. It was, after all, 9:30 in the morning on a Saturday and she is a teenager, a time in life where sleeping in on a Saturday is sacred.

Simone, deep in thought

In eloquent and compelling language, she told the audience about how tired she was that morning. About how much she wanted to keep sleeping. How easy it would have been to keep sleeping. But, she said, “I had to ask myself, ‘Am I committed?’” She thought hard about it. Because, as she noted, you have to be committed in order to roll yourself out of bed at 7 AM on a Saturday to get to the workshop on time. And now, she was here. Because, she concluded, “I AM committed. I’m committed, and if I want to make a change in the world, it has to start now.”

Thus began WCI’s second-annual leadership institute for young girls in Philadelphia, our Global Awareness and Leadership Series (GALS). With Simone’s voice ringing in our ears, the young, female students from Freire Charter School sat upright in their seats, took detailed notes through Executive Director Kerri Kennedy’s presentation on women’s issues around the world, asked poignant questions, and dove in to their work towards change.

Over the next four months, these girls will work in groups to identify issues in their communities that need attention and possibly change. From here, the students will craft advocacy campaigns to address these issues. These campaigns can include a host of activities and interventions, including producing short PSAs, making presentations that they can share with local schools, creating buttons and other tools to raise awareness about their issues, and whatever else their creative minds devise and implement. Here is an example of such a campaign created in the first year of GALS, 2010:

Throughout this important program, the students will be exposed to leaders from all walks of life, people who have struggled to make change, who are pioneers in their field, and who are experimenting with new methods of engagement. Our hope is that in these discussions, the GALS students will connect with the leadership skills they already possess but have not yet learned to name. That is, we hope they will each be able to look at themselves and say with confidence that yes, they are committed. And yes, they can and have made a change.

As WCI joins CEDAW in looking back at the progress of the committee, we see both gains and challenges yet to be overcome. As you can see in the CEDAW reports and our program updates, a lot of exciting work has been done since CEDAW’s creation. For example, since ratifying CEDAW in 2003, the Afghan parliament now has 25% representation of women.  WCI’s related efforts currently focus on working to build the capacity of Afghanistan’s newly elected female parliamentarians as they take on this exciting new role.  Most recently the CEDAW committee examined efforts put forth by seven countries:  Bangladesh, Belarus, Israel, Kenya, Lichtenstein, South Africa and Sri Lanka, as well as areas of concern.

Although the discrimination of women around the world continues, WCI continues to work towards helping women find their voice by creating a platform from which they can be heard and seen within their own political systems.  It is in this way that the objectives of CEDAW which have so poignantly influenced our foundation remain an integral part of our mission.



WCI Pre-Election Training in Afghanistan

WCI Officially Launched Leadership and Economic Development for National Rural Women

WCI has partnered with USAID Liberia and the Liberian Ministry of Gender and development to conduct a 3-year Leadership and Economic Development for National Rural Women Program. The program builds the leadership capacity of rural Liberian women, develops and strengthens their networks and improves their economic empowerment in post-conflict Liberia. Nancy Wallace, WCI’s Liberia Program Director launched the program with an open house. Ms. Wallace describes the Open House event to kick off the program:

The crowd fell silent as Mama Tormah, dressed in a beautiful traditional Liberian dress, stood up to officially open the event. For the Executive Director of the Traditional Women United for Peace in Liberia this meant singing, only as a Liberian woman can:

WOMEN O’ WOMEN

The crowd responded:

WOMEN!

DON’T SIT DOWN; DO SOMETHING POSITIVE, ALONG WITH THE MEN.

WCI hosted an open house in mid-November to officially launch our program in Liberia.  Although it was scheduled to begin at 10am, our first guests arrived at 8am.  Liberians have a habit of arriving for events a ‘bit’ late due to incredible traffic, cars breaking down on the ‘challenging’ roads or the torrential rain – and often a combination of them all!  So I was shocked to arrive at my office at 8:15am to meet six Liberians who had traveled an hour to attend our event.

As the crowd began to assemble, we had more than fifty people in our beautiful new office in Mamba Point, Monrovia.  We were honored to have representatives from USAID including Pamela White, Mission Director of USAID, and our counterpart Dinah Zeltzer, the Deputy Minister and other representatives from the Ministry of Gender Development along with representatives from WCI partners including CHF, IREX, and New Narratives.  We were also fortunate to have representatives from UNDP, UNIFEM and many Liberian civil society organizations including Liberian Women in Democracy, Women’s Aid Inc. and Society for Women and AIDS in Liberia.

WCI’s Finance Officer, Lorenzo Kerlie, began the program as our Master of Ceremonies by welcoming everyone and introducing our staff.  After Mama Tormah’s traditional Liberian welcome, she then thanked Liberia and the US Government for bringing this program to the country to provide more opportunities for Liberians.  She presented a plate of kola nuts, rice and an ancient Liberian coin to the Ministry of Gender and Development.  They then presented it to WCI to welcome us and wish us fortune and success with the program.

The rest of the day was full of informal discussions, people browsing through our program materials, questions about WCI’s business training materials and schedule and of course, enjoying the view of the fishing boats coming back in from their morning adventures.

I hope all of our activities are as well attended with the same support and enthusiasm.

WCI USA Team Arrives in Liberia

Two WCI staff members Cathy Zurbach, Director of New Initiatives and Partnerships, and Program Officer Monica Gadkari, are currently in Liberia. For the next two weeks they will conduct the first set of workshops in a three-year series on leadership and economic development with WCI’s Liberian staff. WCI and the Ministry of Gender and Development will host the 3rd Annual National Rural Women’s 4-day Conference with more than 350 rural women to share information and learn new skills. WCI is excited to announce that Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will open the WCI and Ministry of Gender and Development conference on December 14.

Pledging to Liberia

WCI is so thankful to those who have pledged to support our current program in Liberia. Our recent “All the Difference in the World” Gala Event raised vital funding for this three-year initiative. If you attended the Gala and did not have a chance to turn in your Liberia program pledge card, please contact the WCI office at 215-387-2601 or e-mail Nickie at nickie@womenscampaigninternational.org. For those who now feel inspired to give, please call the office or mail checks to:

Women’s Campaign International

International House

3701 Chestnut St., 6th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19104

WCI thanks all of our donors for their continued support

and wishes all of you a happy holiday season!

ALL THE DIFFERENCE

IN THE WORLD

Gala Event!

November 30th, 2010

Metropolitan Club

New York, NY

WCI would like to give thanks to you, our generous supporters.

Between now and the day before Thanksgiving…

A donation made in any amount to WCI through our website ‘Network for Good‘ will allow your name to be entered in a raffle to win one free ticket to our Gala.

The drawing will take place at noon on Wednesday, November 24th.

IN THE WORLD

NOVEMBER 30th, 2010

METROPOLITAN CLUB

NEW YORK, NY

COCKTAIL RECEPTION AT 7PM & DINNER AT 8PM

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE E-MAIL MONICA GADKARI (MONICA@WOMENSCAMPAIGNINTERNATIONAL.ORG) OR CALL 215.387.2601

PURCHASE YOUR ONLINE TICKET HERE

KEYNOTE SPEAKER & HONOREE

DR. PAUL FARMER

Co-founder of Partners In Health (PIH)

Chair, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Chief, Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

United Nations Deputy Special Envoy for Haiti

2010 HONOREES

HELENA HOUDOVÁ

World renowned fashion model and humanitarian

President & Founder of Sunflower Children

UN Goodwill Ambassador

Her work focuses on Maternal, Newborn & Child Health.

JILL ISCOL

Activist

President of the IF Hummingbird Foundation

TINA BROWN

Editor- in-Chief of The Daily Beast

Author of the New York Times bestseller, The Diana Chronicles

ARDMORE CERAMIC ART

Producer of South Africa’s distinctive collectible ceramics – vibrant works that reflect

the energy and creativity of its Zulu and Zimbabwean sculptors and painters

CELEBRITY ENTERTAINMENT

TO BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE

Sponsorship Levels

PLATINUM SPONSOR    $50,000
30 event tickets, VIP Seating for 10
Platinum Recognition Package

GOLD SPONSOR    $25,000
15 event tickets, VIP Seating for 5
Gold Recognition Package

SILVER SPONSOR    $15,000
10 event tickets
Silver Recognition Package

TABLE SPONSOR    $10,000
10 event tickets
Reserved Dinner Table

INDIVIDUAL TICKET    $1,000
1 event ticket
Includes Cocktail Reception & Dinner

Outlining Women’s Campaign International’s interest and aspirations for the First Ladies’ Legacy Initiative, WCI’s Executive Director, Kerri Kennedy, states “WCI is dedicated to empowering and supporting the women leaders throughout the world. First Ladies, in particular, have a unique platform from which they can enhance the quality of life for women and transform communities throughout their respective countries. This initiative will help First Ladies achieve their vision and create a sustainable legacy in their countries.”

The Initiative will draw upon WCI’s long-standing commitment to increasing the political participation of women around the world and extensive experience training and working with women leaders internationally matched with RAND’s outstanding record and dedication to the improvement of policy and decision-making through research and analysis.

WCI will conduct a series of trainings that will allow each First Lady to create a sustainable ‘Legacy Campaign.’ WCI will then provide a mentor and technical assistance to help in the realization of the campaign. RAND Corporation’s fellowship will assist First Ladies, key advisors and staff in developing skills for establishing and managing an effective First Lady’s Office, in addition to instruction in practical policy-analysis techniques for improving decision-making. Over a two-year period, First Ladies and fellows will identify, develop and implement a discrete plan aimed at addressing one of their office’s, and nation’s, top challenges, mainly in maternal and child health, women’s issues and/or education.

RAND’s first fellowship session, to be held Sept. 27 – Oct. 1, 2010 in Washington, DC, has enrolled First Ladies and/or fellows from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia. WCI plans to host its first training January 24- 31, 2011, coinciding with the Annual African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Initiative was launched this week in New York around the UN’s Millennium Development Goals Summit and the Clinton Global Initiative meeting and attended by Valerie Biden Owens, Bobbi Brown, Tina Brown, Marjorie Margolies and Diane von Furstenberg, as well as First Lady of Malawi Callista Chimombo Mutharika, First Lady of Namibia Penehupifo Pohamba, and the Wife of the Prime Minister of Kenya Madam Ida Betty Odinga.

Despite the hopeful promises made by Karzai and foreign leaders, the future for Afghan women is still very unclear. While the Afghan government’s goal of reconciliation with the Taliban was barely touched upon in Karzai’s remarks, it is well known to be one of the government’s chief goals. Many Afghan women leaders worry that women will be overlooked in the peace processes with the Taliban, and that engagement of the Taliban will lead to a loss of the minimal progress that local women have made in gaining traction and influence. Afghan women are also worried that the U.S.’s goal of rearming local militias will jeopardize women’s rights.

In reference to Karzai’s goal of peace with the Taliban, The New York Times speculates that “the sparse commentary seemed to signal that there was still little agreement on exactly how to proceed after months of meetings and consultations within the Afghan government and with American, United Nations and NATO allies.” Hillary Clinton has tried to dissuade local women’s fears by reiterating that she views defending women’s rights as a “personal commitment,” and that no plan for Afghanistan’s future can “come at the cost of women’s lives.” But it remains to be seen if and how local women will be included in the next steps of the peace-brokering process. Without their direct involvement, Afghan women’s rights will surely be at risk.

To learn more about the Kabul Conference, see http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/world/asia/21afghan.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=all.