Category Archives: Resources

Nov8

Educate a woman. Watch the ripple effect.

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Check out Kiva and change the world one women at a time!

Kiva are a “non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.”

Here are some details from the Kiva website.

“Change a woman’s life with a loan.

When a woman has the opportunity to start a business, she earns and learns. That’s why Dermalogica is providing $100,000 in Free Trial loans so new Kiva users can empower women to get the training and experience they need to thrive.

Sponsored by Dermalogica

Dermalogica is helping women achieve financial independence through education and entrepreneurship with the joinFITE program

When you lend, she learns

As millions of children head back to school all over the world, we’re reminded that women are often the driving force behind their children’s education – and their future.

When a woman has the opportunity to learn, she is better equipped to help her children follow in her footsteps. And the virtuous cycle of change begins.

Learning happens in many ways, and Kiva and Dermalogica are helping women to learn through the experience of starting or growing a business. Whether it’s the financial literacy training she receives with her loan, or the lessons she learns by testing new products and strategies, she is gaining invaluable skills that will open new doors.

Consider the facts:

  • There are 876 million illiterate adults in the developing world – over 65% are women.
  • 76 million primary school-age children are not in school – 60% are girls.
  • Over 1 billion people live in extreme poverty – over 70% are women and girls.

But when she has the opportunity to learn, the story changes:

  • A child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five.
  • Every additional year of education for a girl can yield up to a 20% increase in her future earning potential.
  • Research shows that when a woman contributes to her family’s income, she reinvests at least 70% of her earnings to build a better future for herself and her children.”

Women around the world are turning to their own business and the numbers are increasing.  Whether it be through necessity, through donation to help them out of poverty like the Kiva initiative, or because they don’t want to participate in the corporate workplace, women are adding to the economic future of the globe.  This is Gender Economics in action!

REFERENCES
http://www.kiva.org/
Related articles
Aug3

RESOURCES – Minervas Women Changing the World

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Minervas Women Changing the World

“OUR VISION
We envision a world in which women help reestablish the skewed balance, by fully integrating yin and yang.

A world ruled by love, compassion, peace and joy. A world, in which men and women collaborate, share, respect and recognize their human oneness with nature. 
 MISSION
 Our mission is to empower women

so that the feminine perspective
can be put into actions
to build a
better world.”

http://www.minervas.org/

 

May13

Diversity Works

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May 13, 2012

Diversity Works, and it starts with you!

Whether you are a corporation,  a nonprofit, a LGBT certified business or ally, or just someone curious about how Diversity Works, we’re glad you’re here.

We are a marketing and communications agency that supports enterprises in developing and implementing creative approaches to tell their diversity story. Through innovative traditional and social media, videos, community events, and other opportunities, we help our clients get their creative gears in motion.

Then, our unique process, LGBT Brand Integration, moves entities into high gear, Turning Your Pride Into Profit. TM

http://diversityworksllc.com/

Feb6

International Womens Day 2012 – 8th March 2012

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International Women's Day 2012

The Changing Women Forum started in July 2010 and is currently only small but still with a small global following.  Our theme for International Women’s Day 2012 will be ‘Changing the Language’, looking at current terminology, words and language that we accept as normal but limits us in terms of equality and inclusiveness.

An example is constant discussion about childcare, leave for new parents and child support being linked to ‘maternity’ instead of ‘paternity’, where the former restricts the issue of child care only to women, to mothers, not mothers and fathers, or same-sex parents.  Further reinforcing the gender stereotype of women as primary caregivers.   By changing the term to ‘paternity’, the discussion becomes inclusive of men and the wider community.  During March, we will look at other examples and ways that we can change ourselves and our world as Changing Women by changing our language.

About International Women’s Day

When:  Thursday 8 March 2012
Where: Everywhere
What:   International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women’s Day is a national holiday.
Why:   Suffragettes campaigned for women’s right to vote. The word ‘Suffragette’ is derived from the word “suffrage” meaning the right to vote. International Women’s Day honours the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women’s success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed. The first International Women’s Day event was run in 1911. 2011 was the Global Centenary Year. Let’s reinvent opportunity for all women … more

Dec16

Start a Petition

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Start a petition about something that you are angry about.  Something that you think should not be happening or needs rectifying.  Or something that needs to be brought to the attention of others.

Go to www.change.org and register your petition and see the many victories already achieved.

Dec15

Freedom from Porn Culture – RESOURCES

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Blog by Lily Rose

‘Freedom from porn culture’ is a platform for our voice to be heard and to know we are not alone in our desire for a world and relationships free from ‘porn culture’ and sexism.  Read more

Dec12

RESOURCE: Make Every Woman Count

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Make Every Woman Count – Promoting the Empowerment of Women and Girls in Africa

About: (from the website http://www.makeeverywomancount.org)

“The Empowerment of African Women & girls is vital to the continent growth and  development. We can’t develop Africa if half of its population is left out”. Rainatou Sow Founder  & Executive Director of MEWC

 Founded in December 2010 two months after the launch of the African Women’s Decade, Make Every Woman Count is a young women-led organisation committed to actively promoting and advocating for the empowerment and rights of African women and girls and to raise awareness of the African women’s Decade. The  MEWC website aims to be a comprehensive online resource to support the empowerment of African women and girls.

Make Every Woman Count focuses on 6 priority areas that are vital to women’s rights and gender equality: Human Rights of Women, Women, Peace & Security, Violence Against Women, Political Participation & Leadership, Economic Empowerment, HIV/AIDS & Reproductives Health.

Mission


Make Every Woman Count’s mission is to provide accessible, timely and accurate information, resources and tools to support and strengthen the work of African women’s rights advocates, grassroots, and activists to effectively promote the economic, political and social rights of African women and girls; and to inspire and support young African women to be agents of social change in Africa.  [see more]

Nov25

Violence against Women now the most prevalent form of Human Rights Abuse in Australia

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Today, 25 November, was international White Ribbon Day – against the violence of women. Sadly, in Australia the reported figures of this type of violence is rising with now more than 70 women this year dying in her home from the effects of domestic violence.  That is more than one women per week! Violence against women has now become the single most prevalent form of human rights abuse in Australia (as reported by White Ribbon today).

Australia considers itself a first world country, but our record on Human Rights for women and our indigenous people is appalling. “Violence against women is a serious problem in our society. Statistics show that one in three Australian women over the age of 15 have reported experiencing physical or sexual violence at some time in their lives”, source http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/white-ribbon-importance

One in three women are subjected to some sort of abuse and still it continues and anytime a women speaks out they are branded as a feminist, or a “women’s advocate” and relegated to the role of insignificant fanatic.

You are not alone in your voice and the world is Changing by the power of the Changing Woman!  Promoting positive images and stories of real women embracing their inner power and strength to change the world one woman at a time!

How can you help?

  • Join us and contribute your story;
  • Join or support another proactive organisation promoting equality
  • Treat men and women with dignity and respect
  • Strive to see the beauty in those around you and take the “bitch talk” out of your everyday language
  • Value yourself and your role in society
  • Speak proactively with strength when asserting your right to equality and justice
  • Walk away from a fight you can not win to live another day in sunshine and peace

RESOURCES:

Human Rights Online Philippines

White Ribbon Australia

Violence against women is endemic to our sick culture – article by Melinda Tankard Reist

Nov3

Why Men don’t Listen and Women Can’t Read Maps – Allan & Barbara Pease

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Allan & Barbara Pease are Australia’s most successful publishing team. Their inspirational products boost personal and organisational growth around the globe.Click on Allan to see him in ACTION!

Some speakers teach.  Some entertain.  Some motivate.  Allan Pease does all three.

Known internationally as ‘Mr. Body Language‘ for almost 4 decades since his definitive book with that title became a multi-million seller and the communication bible for organisations worldwide.His keynote addresses, books, videos and audio programs, TV showsand advice on personal image are sought after by everyone from business executives and Prime Ministers, to TV presenters, Royalty and Rock Stars. His sales and communication systems have grown companies from one man bands to multi-nationals. Allan teaches your audience how to become great communicators and to win more business – and he makes them cry with laughter at the same time!

  • 9 No.1 Bestsellers
  • 15 ‘Top Ten‘ Bestsellers
  • Works translated into 51 languages
  • Sold in over 100 countries
  • Over 25 million books sold
  • Seminars in 55 countries
  • 100 Million viewers TV series and #1 Box Office movie
  • Hon. Professor at ULIM International University

Why Men don't listen and Women can't read maps

Have you ever wished your partner came with an instruction booklet?

Allan and Barbara Pease have spent seven years collecting research, interviewing experts and collating a comprehensive study of the profound communication differences between men and women to give us insight into why we each have a different reaction to the same thing.

http://www.peaseinternational.com/shopaff.asp?affid=286

Oct12

DearCupid.ORG relationship advice

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Tonight, I put this into the google search engine to see what came back “my husband goes off for days and then comes back like nothing has happened” and it lead me to the DearCupid.ORG relationship advice website.  It is a great site and has all sorts of advice for common and not so common relationship issues.

From what I saw as a result of my search, men going off sulking after a fight, during a fight or discussion or just because they can’t express themselves is very common!  This is scary and from my reading, see my response on the site, it is passive aggressive controlling behaviour – it is unacceptable and should have been stamped on when these men were little boys.  I have seen it so many times, a mother treating their son like he is a god, like he is better than better and can’t do anything wrong.  Well, it is these little boys that many of us now have as husbands and partners and they expect to be treated the same way as their mothers treated them when they were young.  That is:  like they can do no wrong, that the sun shines out of their bottoms, that they can not be criticised and they are just “wonderful” and should be ‘appreciated” for just being.

You just would not accept that your child or teenager would walk away from you when you were talking to them so why do we accept this behaviour in our grown men?  It creeps up on you.  A little bit here and a little bit there – slowly over years you start to lose your self-esteem.  Slowly you start to change your own behaviour to avoid the nastiness and slowly you start to lose yourself in a world gone mad.  He may tell you that it is “you” – “you just keep on at me and I can’t think”, or “you just keep coming after me” or “its you that doesn’t listen and it’s you that treats (him) badly.”  All of this because you want to be loved and listened to, you want to be near and dear to your partner so you ask him to treat you in ways that are good for you, or you ask him to not do something that upsets you and then all hell breaks loose.  You may as well have asked for the moon with jelly on top and of course if he got that for you – “you wouldn’t appreciate it anyway”.

Hmmm, why are we doing this to ourselves?  I think it is because as Changing Women we are stuck between the “old” view of women and the “new” view that we know to be true, that’s the one where we know we have choice and we know that we are worth more than this, but we can’t help slipping back in time to the sameness that we knew as children.  This is the sameness that is often replayed on television and in movies, the one that reinforces the “old” version of what women should be, and then we are trapped….but we don’t need to be.

It is hard to break out of this cycle of abuse, but we can all do it.  Just look forward to what can be and start planning the life that you can have.  No more plans thrown into disarray because of a fight, no more pretending to be OK with friends when your heart is breaking on the inside and no more feeling alone in your own relationship.  Look forward and seek support from others and you will be OK, more than that you will be better than OK – you will be wonderful and know your full potential!  Live now and support the Changing Women.