Women and Girls Lead Global

Last updated

Women and Girls Lead Global (WGLG) combines documentary film, national television broadcasts, local and new media, and engagement activities to impact audiences and support existing efforts by NGOs, civil society organizations and other actors to provide opportunities for women and girls. [1]

WGLG started when the producers of various Independent Television Stations' series began to align thematically with the plight of women and girls in various countries.

Women and Girls Lead came about when ITVS officials noticed that a number of the films in their pipeline dealt with women’s leadership issues, said Sally Jo Fifer, president and chief executive of ITVS. “When our producers find the pulse together it’s really important to pay attention,” she said. [2]

Each year, they bring transformational stories in the form of documentary film to six million viewers in eight countries and gather 40,000 people in village squares, rural classrooms, and urban slums.

WGLG integrates documentary into a community conversation. [3]

In 2014, the US Department of State shared the details of a U.S.-India Cooperation on Promoting Women’s Empowerment highlighting the involvement of one of the 9 countries. Overall the initiative, WGLG is supporting the preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

In India the focus of the partnership is public outreach and awareness programs. Global public-private partnerships with USAID, such as the Women and Girls Lead Global Project and the Girl Rising Global Partnership, uses innovative multimedia and film campaigns to promote girls’ education and engage men and boys to address root causes of GBV. [4]

The WGLG community-driven social change initiative drives action that reduces child marriage, lowers gender-based violence, recruits women leaders, and prevents teen pregnancy. In 2015 WGLG collaborated with local communities in Peru, Jordan, Bangladesh, India and Kenya.


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extreme poverty</span> Condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs

Extreme poverty is the most severe type of poverty, defined by the United Nations (UN) as "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services". Historically, other definitions have been proposed within the United Nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Foundation</span>

The United Nations Foundation is a charitable organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that supports the United Nations and its activities. It was established in 1998 with a $1 billion gift to the United Nations by philanthropist Ted Turner, who believed the UN was crucial for addressing the world's problems. Originally primarily a grantmaker, the UN Foundation has evolved into a strategic partner to the UN, mobilizing support to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and help the UN address issues such as climate change, global health, gender equality, human rights, data and technology, peace, and humanitarian responses. The UN Foundation's main work occurs through building public-private partnerships, communities, initiatives, campaigns, and alliances to broaden support for the UN and solve global problems. The UN Foundation has helped build awareness and advocate for action on, among others, antimicrobial resistance, regional action on climate change, local implementation of the SDGs, as well as global campaigns such as Nothing But Nets against malaria, the Measles & Rubella Initiative, the Clean Cooking Alliance, Girl Up, Shot@Life, and the Digital Impact Alliance, among others. In March 2020, the UN Foundation was also a key founder of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO), helping to raise over $200 million USD within the first six weeks to support the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITVS</span>

ITVS is a service in the United States which funds and presents documentaries on public television through distribution by PBS and American Public Television, new media projects on the Internet, and the weekly series Independent Lens on PBS. Aside from Independent Lens, ITVS funded and produced films for more than 40 television hours per year on the PBS series POV, Frontline, American Masters and American Experience. Some ITVS programs are produced along with organizations like Latino Public Broadcasting and KQED.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EngenderHealth</span>

EngenderHealth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. active in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) operating in nearly 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

The International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) is a women's organization involved in the broadcasting industry. The organisation of professional women working in media or educating about electronic and allied media, has a mission to strengthen initiatives which ensure women’s views and values are integral to media programming and to advance the impact of women in media.

Breakthrough is a global human rights organization working to end violence against women and girls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in Uganda</span> Overview of the status of women in Uganda

Women in Uganda have substantial economic and social responsibilities throughout Uganda's many traditional societies. Ugandan women come from a range of economic and educational backgrounds. Despite economic and social progress throughout the country, domestic violence and sexual assault remain prevalent issues in Uganda. However, illiteracy is directly correlated to increased level of domestic violence. This is mainly because household members can not make proper decisions that directly affect their future plans. Government reports suggest rising levels of domestic violence toward women that are directly attributable to poverty.

Population Action International (PAI) is an international, non-governmental organization that uses research and advocacy to improve global access to family planning and reproductive health care. Its mission is to "ensure that every person has the right and access to sexual and reproductive health, so that humanity and the natural environment can exist in balance with fewer people living in poverty". PAI's headquarters is in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine M. Russell</span> American federal government official

Catherine Mary Russell is an American attorney and political adviser who is currently serving as Executive Director of UNICEF. She previously served as Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, and Chief of Staff to then-Second Lady of the United States Jill Biden.

Futures Without Violence is a non-profit organization with offices in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Boston, United States, with the goal of ending domestic and sexual violence. Futures Without Violence is involved in community-based programs, developing educational materials, and in public policy work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell Bajao</span>

Bell Bajao is an anti-domestic violence campaign that urges local residents to take a stand against physical abuse through simple acts meant to interrupt domestic violence. When residents, especially men, overhear violence against a woman taking place, they are urged to ring the doorbell and ask a simple question - such as to borrow some tea, to use the phone, or to have a glass of water. This is meant to let the abuser know that others can hear them and will act to interrupt the violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UN Women</span> International organization

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, is a United Nations entity working for gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women advocates for the rights of women and girls, and focuses on a wide array of issues, including violence against women and violence against LGBTIQ+ people.

The Centre for Social Research (CSR), established in 1983, is an advocacy group for women based in New Delhi, India. The group tries to bring attention and justice to all marginalized and underprivileged areas of society. They offer services to women and girls throughout the country, and focus on restructuring gender relations with the aim of creating a more humane, equitable and gender-just society.

The Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues is located within the United States Department of State. In 2009, Melanne Verveer was appointed to be the first Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. From September 2013 to May, 2017, Catherine M. Russell was appointed to this position. From May 2017 through December 2019, there was no ambassador for this office. Kelley Currie, a political appointee, joined the Global Women's Issues Office as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large in January 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India HIV/AIDS Alliance</span> Indian non-governmental organisation

Founded in 1999, Alliance India is a non-governmental organisation operating in partnership with civil society, government and communities to support sustained responses to HIV in India that protect rights and improve health. Complementing the Indian national programme, we build capacity, provide technical support and advocate to strengthen the delivery of effective, innovative, community-based HIV programmes to vulnerable populations: sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender people, hijras, people who inject drugs (PWID), and people living with HIV.

International Day of the Girl Child is an international observance day declared by the United Nations; it is also called the Day of Girls and the International Day of the Girl. October 11, 2012, was the first Day of the Girl Child. The observation supports more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender. This inequality includes areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination, violence against women and forced child marriage. The celebration of the day also "reflects the successful emergence of girls and young women as a distinct cohort in development policy, programming, campaigning and research."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leyla Hussein</span> British psychotherapist and social activist

Leyla Hussein is a Somali-born British psychotherapist and social activist. She is the founder of Dahlia project, one of the co-founders of the Daughters of Eve non-profit organization and a Chief Executive of Hawa's Haven. In 2020, Hussein was elected Rector of the University of St Andrews, making her the third woman and first woman of colour to hold this position.

Foreign aid for gender equality in Jordan includes programs funded by governments or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that aim to empower women, close gender based gaps in opportunity and experience, and promote equal access to education, economic empowerment, and political representation in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koyamada International Foundation</span>

Koyamada International Foundation, commonly referred to as KIF or KIF Global, is an international non-governmental organization, with its mission to improve quality of people's life by empowering global youth and women to reach their full potential and by providing humanitarian aid to promote global peace and sustainable development. It has affiliated national chapter members in seven countries.

<i>Son Rise</i> 2019 Indian documentary film

Son Rise is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language documentary film directed and produced by Vibha Bakshi. The film is set in Haryana, infamous for its strongly embedded patriarchy. Yet, from this unlikeliest place, Vibha Bakshi's Son Rise follows those men who are trying to break the shackles of patriarchy and fight for women's rights.

References

  1. Women and Girls Lead Global Partnership, USAID, May 2014
  2. A TV Project Planned on Female Leadership Jensen, Elizabeth, Media Decoder article, New York Times, May 2011
  3. Can Film Be a Game Changer for Women and Girls? Sevicik, Kimberly, Bay Area International Link, September 19, 2014
  4. Joint Statement and Fact Sheets, Consulate General of The United States, Mumbai, India, September 2014