In The News

Mars Aims to Empower Women With #HereToBeHeard Project

Mars, Inc. has launched #HereToBeHeard, a campaign to raise the voices of women and advance gender equality in businesses and the workplace.

Mars, Inc. has launched a global study to listen to and elevate the voices of women. (Image credit: Mars, Inc.)

As part of the company’s Full Potential platform for action on gender equity in its workplaces, sourcing communities, and the marketplace, #HereToBeHeard asks women everywhere: “What needs to change so more women can reach their full potential?” The responses will inform the concrete actions Mars will take – both within its value chain and in broader society – to close the gender opportunity gap.

Victoria Mars, Mars Board Member and ambassador of Mars’ Full Potential program: “Women have played a powerful role in our history and leadership at Mars. But we have more to do. We’re striving to empower more women within our workplace, and across our extended value chain.

Join the First Virtual National Girls and Women in Sports Day

The Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) will be hosting the first ever online event celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day.

The Women’s Sports Foundation will celebrate their achievements and goals to make sports a more inclusive space during their virtual National Girls & Women in Sports Day event. (Image credit: Women’s Sports Foundation)

In honor of the 35^th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) – a national day of observance recognizing the importance of equal opportunities in sport for girls and women – the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) will host virtual events to engage girls across the country and legislators on Capitol Hill. Powered by WSF, this annual day of celebration and advocacy inspires girls and women to play and be active, to help realize their limitless potential. Now more than ever, with the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, social justice movement and political tumult, staying mentally and physically healthy and resilient, is vital. These WSF events are designed to empower, encourage and inspire all girls, women and leaders to realize and focus their power to #LeadHerForward.

Where Are The Women? Free Summit Highlights Women Icons

UNLADYLIKE2020 presents Where Are The Women?, a summit for educators and parents about teaching a more inclusive narrative of U.S. history.

Where Are The Women?, hosted by UNLADYLIKE2020, will invite parents and educators to teach children the stories of women often glazed over by history books. (Image credit: UNLADYLIKE2020)

Did you know that out of 737 historical figures taught in K-12 curriculum standards in every state, only 178, or 24%, are women, including several fictional characters such as Rosie the Riveter? 98 of the women appear in only 1 state standard; only 15 are taught in more than 10 states. (Analysis by the National Women’s History Museum)

Conducting our research for Unladylike2020, we discovered the stories of hundreds (really thousands) of women who defied the odds to break barriers in every field long before women had the right to vote. So many courageous women helped shape policy and make U.S. history we wondered why their accomplishments are not taught in schools. As a result, we are convening a 2-hour Where Are the Women? Summit to invite teachers, the general public and parents, who are increasingly active in their children’s education through virtual and hybrid learning, to be part of a conversation about women’s role in history, and to have access to resources to reverse the underrepresentation of women in the history and social studies taught K-12.

Announcing New Grants from WomensNet

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, WomensNet has announced that it will be expanding its grantmaking to support more women-owned businesses in 2021.

WomensNet pledges to do more grantmaking in 2021 to support female entrepreneurs. (Image credit: WomensNet)

(From WomensNet, January 21, 2021) Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken some time to reflect on the challenges women business owners faced in 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a tough time for small business owners generally. And even tougher for women-owned start-ups across the country. We heard a lot of heart-breaking stories of businesses teetering because of Covid.

We’ve also felt the entrepreneurial spirit of women from every corner of America (as well as our Canadian neighbors). And so we’re starting 2021 with renewed hope and purpose in helping women like you.

New Gender Policy Council Created by Biden Administration

The Biden Administration has pledged to establish a Gender Policy Council that will be led by co-chairs Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso.

(White House Press Release) On January 19th, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris announced the formation of the White House Gender Policy Council, co-chaired by Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso. President-elect Biden pledged to create a White House Council on Gender Equality, to guide and coordinate government policy that impacts women and girls, across a wide range of issues such as economic security, health care, racial justice, gender-based violence, and foreign policy, working in cooperation with the other White House policy councils.

Announcing the Newest Partnership for Nike: Black Girl Ventures

Nike, Inc. has announced that it will begin a partnership with Black Girl Ventures to support the economic empowerment of women of color.

Black Girl Ventures has become the newest partner of the Nike, Inc. Black Community Commitment. (Image credit: Nike, Inc.)

Expanding the NIKE, Inc. Black Community Commitment to support organizations focused on social justice, education and economic opportunity for Black Americans, Nike announces a new partner focused on economic empowerment, Black Girl Ventures. The $500,000 investment from NIKE, Inc. will support Black Girl Ventures in its efforts to provide Black and Brown women-identifying founders with access to community, capital and capacity-building to support entrepreneurship. This contribution builds on the commitments to Black Girls CODE, NAACP Empowerment Programs and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) announced in July 2020.

New Hires Nicole Lazarre and Deepal Chadha Join URI Leadership

URI has brought on Nicole Lazarre and Deepal Chadha to help the organization in continuing to empower the underserved populations of NYC.

Urban Resource Institute (URI), the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelter services and a leading homeless shelter provider in New York City, has named two new senior staff members to their Office of General Counsel: Nicolaine (Nicole) Lazarre as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, and Deepal S. Chadha as Deputy General Counsel. The notable new hires in the legal department reflect URI’s strategic vision of growth for the organization.

“URI is building on its programmatic areas, facilities, and assets as we continue to innovate and provide the highest quality service to our clients,” said Nathaniel Fields, Chief Executive Officer of URI. “We are pleased to welcome Nicole Lazarre and Deepal Chadha to our team, where their extensive experience will provide enhanced legal capacity to support this dynamic organizational growth.”

New 20.6 Billion Pledged for Women, Children, From Call To Action

20.6 billion has been pledged by countries and foundations globally to aid women, children, newborns, and adolescents affected by COVID-19.

*PMNCH’s Call to Action raised $20.6 billion for women, children, newborns, and adolescents around the world. (Image credit: PMNCH)*

(From PMNCH Press Release, December 2020) The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening three decades of improvement in health and social services for women, newborns, children and adolescents.

The well-being of this vulnerable group is being more affected than others due to disruptions to essential health, nutrition and social services since the pandemic, according to senior health experts at The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), a global alliance of more than 1,000 organizations, hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO).

COVID-19 Widens the Gender Poverty Gap in Devastating Projections

Millions of women worldwide will be pushed into extreme poverty because of the COVID-19 crisis, damaging years of progress made.

Data released by UN Women and the UNDP projects that women will be disproportionately affected by extreme poverty due to the COVID-19 crisis. (Image credit: UN Women)

The COVID-19 crisis will dramatically increase the poverty rate for women and widen the gap between men and women who live in poverty, according to new data released by UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The projections, commissioned by UN Women and UNDP, and carried out by the Pardee Centre for International Futures at the University of Denver, show that while the pandemic will impact global poverty generally, women will be disproportionately affected, especially women of reproductive age. By 2021, for every 100 men aged 25 to 34 living in extreme poverty (living on USD 1.90 a day or less), there will be 118 women, a gap that is expected to increase to 121 women per 100 men by 2030.

eGirl Power Awards Awake Security CEO’s Gender Equality Activism

eGirl Power has chosen to honor Rahul Kashyap, CEO of Awake Security, at the PIFA Awards Masquerade Virtual Gala for his activism in making STEM jobs more accessible to young girls.

eGirl Power is hosting the “PIFA Awards Masquerade Virtual Gala” in February 2021 to honor Rahul Kashyap, CEO of Awake Security and launch their 501c3 nonprofit organization’s newest programs that align and work towards advancing the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These programs include: Leadership & Mentorship, Cybersecurity & STEM, and Mi9 Agenda 2030, The Rise of Ms. Direction. All of eGirl Power’s program goals aim to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education opportunities for all, and to achieve gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.

Author: Gender Equality Funding News