This Taboo-Busting Ad Is Reinventing ‘Happily Ever After’ In India
Widowed and divorced women have historically been shunned in areas of India. So imagine the nation’s surprise when jeweler Tanishq celebrated a second marriage in its new ad.
The spot features a beautiful bride having a playful moment with her daughter after bridesmaids help her adjust her jewelry. At the ceremony, we see the hunky groom struck with love for both his new wife and stepdaughter.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/india-second-marriage-ad_n_4181192.html
Girl Rising: Sign Up for a Screening!
Tickets are available now for screenings of the new film Girl Rising! According to PureWow,
“Girl Rising [is] a documentary-narrative hybrid about nine extraordinary girls from around the world–and the opportunities afforded them by education. The filmic equivalent of a short-story collection, each segment stars a real girl acting out an episode from her own life.
“The scripts were written by novelists from the girls’ home countries (Cambodia, Afghanistan, Peru and more) and then narrated by actresses like Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Kerry Washington. The most affecting story, for instance, was written by Haiti’s Edwidge Danticat, read by Cate Blanchett and stars an infectiously adorable child who refuses to give up on schooling in post-earthquake Port-au-Prince.”
Find a screening near you: http://girlrising.com/see-the-film/
Passports to Progress Event feat. Andrea Mitchell, Christy Turlington Burns – March 7
Rude Awakening
The complex epidemic of violence young women and girls face in India and beyond
Join the International Center for Research on Women on the eve of International Women’s Day for its first Passports to Progress event in support of its new campaign, Turning Point: Changing the Course for Adolescent Girls Worldwide. A diverse panel of leading experts in the fields of gender, rights and development will discuss the many ways in which violence against women – especially young women and girls – in non-conflict settings has become a global epidemic.
Moderator:
Andrea Mitchell NBC Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and host of MSNBC’S “Andrea Mitchell Reports”
Panelists:
Michael Elliott, President/CEO of ONE
Christy Turlington Burns, Founder of Every Mother Counts and Director/Producer of “No Woman, No Cry”
Stella Mukasa, Director of Gender Violence and Rights at ICRW
Ravi Verma, Regional Director, Asia at ICRW
With a special video presentation by Kavita Ramdas, Ford Foundation’s Regional Representative in New Delhi.
| When: | Thursday, March 7, 2013 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| Where: | National Press Club 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor Washington, DC 20045 |
This event is free to attend, but registration is required.
Register here: http://passports2progress2013.eventbrite.com/#
HWHTW: 2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 13,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 3 Film Festivals
Welcome! Today is the start of my series interviewing a new generation of role models. I will be profiling people from all over the world. They will share their stories about the amazing actions they are taking to create positive change or break barriers of prejudice to succeed. I am so excited to share these amazing role models. You will learn about what it takes to break barriers of prejudice and create positive change in your own community. Every week new interviews will be posted and eventually all the interviews will become a book. The book will be free to read on Bookemon.com, freely available as a PDF, and for sale as a soft cover that can be given to someone who needs a little inspiration. Let’s Begin~
Emily May is the Executive director of Hollaback and if you are a woman you should definitely know who she is. Emily…
View original post 1,026 more words
It’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women! #VAW
The United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Women’s activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo.
According to UN Women, violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human rights. It can include physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse, and it cuts across boundaries of age, race, culture, wealth and geography. It takes place in the home, on the streets, in schools, the workplace, in farm fields, refugee camps, during conflicts and crises. It has many manifestations — from the most universally prevalent forms of domestic and sexual violence, to harmful practices, abuse during pregnancy, so-called honour killings and other types of femicide.
Learn more about how you can make a difference: http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/
U.S. Department of State Hosts Forum Nov. 16: “Investing in Women To Maximize Returns”
Press types, you can sign up to attend this event. I’m looking forward to hearing about Ambassador Verveer’s talk, “Corporate Citizenship: Women–The Optimal Investment”!
“The Department of State will host the Investing in Women To Maximize Returns forum at the Department’s George C. Marshall Center on November 16. Over 100 private sector executives, senior government officials, and nonprofit organization representatives, will meet to discuss strategic investments in women’s economic potential that the private sector is making to drive smart business growth. Participants will share best practices that go beyond corporate social responsibility programs and view investments in women and girls as critical business decisions. The forum will also identify new opportunities for advancing the status of women and girls through innovative public and private sector economic initiatives and programs.”
Read more: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2012/11/200559.htm
UNICEF Turns Pinterest’s Consumer Focus On Its Head
THE (INTENTIONALLY) SADDEST PINTEREST PAGE IN THE WORLD
BY: JOE BERKOWITZ
UNICEF creates a page for Ami Musa, a young girl from Sierra Leone, to bring her “pinnable” interests and ours into sharp relief…
UNICEF has turned that naked consumerism on its head with a Pinterest board that showcases a human being’s most basic wants.
The world humanitarian organization and agency Weapon 7 recently created a page on Pinterest that ostensibly reflects the wishes and hopes of 13-year old Sierra Leona resident, Ami Musa. While that concept may sound like The Onion-style satire, in execution it’s anything but. While lots of Pinterest pages are chockablock with decorating ideas, wardrobe aspirations, and fantasy meals to cook, young Ami’s reminds us that for some people, running water alone would be a dream come true. Pinterest users can repin her posts and click on any of them to donate.
Read the full article here: http://www.fastcocreate.com/1681565/the-intentionally-saddest-pinterest-page-in-the-world
Follow Ami’s Pinterest board here: http://pinterest.com/AmiMusa/
What Europe Can Teach the US (and Beyond?) About Gender in the Boardroom
“Smart organizations understand that in these tough economic times, no one can afford to curtail or shut out top talent, no matter their gender or ethnicity.” A Harvard Business Review look at women leaders in business.
What Europe Can Teach the US About Gender in the Boardroom
by Sylvia Ann Hewlett | 10:03 AM September 12, 2012
As the U.S. presidential campaign moves into its final months, newspapers are full of promises from both candidates. But there’s promising news from Europe that’s also worth attention.
A proposal being drafted by the European Commission and expected to be formally introduced next month by Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights, and Citizenship, would force euro-zone companies larger than 250 employees or with more than €50 million in annual revenues to reserve at least 40% of their nonexecutive director board seats for women by 2020 or face fines and other sanctions…
Smart organizations understand that in these tough economic times, no one can afford to curtail or shut out top talent, no matter their gender or ethnicity. A McKinsey study found that across all industry sectors, companies with the most women on their boards of directors significantly and consistently outperform those with no female representation: by 41% in terms of return on equity and by 56% in terms of operating results. In other words, diversity — especially gender diversity — unlocks growth.
Read the full article: http://blogs.hbr.org/hbr/hewlett/2012/09/what_europe_can_teach_the_us_about_gender_in_the_boardroom.html
“Female Saudi film director breaks taboos in Venice”
Female Saudi film director breaks taboos in Venice
Mon, 3 Sep 2012 10:21 GMT
Source: Reuters // Silvia Aloisi
VENICE, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s first female director has made her debut at the Venice film festival, exploring the limitations placed on women in the conservative Islamic kingdom through the tale of a strong-willed 10-year-old girl living in Riyadh.
The film, which the director says is the first to have been entirely shot in Saudi Arabia, follows the everyday life of young Wadjda and her attempts to circumvent restrictions and break social barriers – both at school and at home.
Constantly scolded for not wearing a veil, listening to pop music and not hiding in front of men, Wadjda uses guile to get her own way…
Read the full article: http://www.trust.org/trustlaw/news/female-saudi-film-director-breaks-taboos-in-venice/
Egyptian grandmother turns eco-friendly online healthy-food entrepreneur #hwhtw
So many things to like about this story: great news for Egypt’s economy, human health, the environment, and women’s entrepreneurship!
Dried produce seller utilizes solar technology to create a healthy snacking alternative
“My grandchildren used to eat a lot of junk, and I’m not a junk food person, so I wanted to offer them something nutritious, and dried fruits in Egypt is limited to the typical variety of Ramadan food, so I started to dry apples and bananas at home,” Meebed said.
What began as snack time in Meebed’s kitchen has grown to become a thriving business utilizing solar drying technology and local produce, and empowering women in rural areas of Egypt.
Read the full article: http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/dried-produce-seller-utilizes-solar-technology-create-healthy-snacking-alternative
Infographic: “The Revolution will be led by a 12-year-old girl” @Womens_eNews @VitalVoices @Pinterest
Found on Pinterest thanks to Vital Voices and Women’s eNews!
Be the Change: Promise Rings from Tumbleweed Bead Co. @shoptumbleweed #hwhtw
Jewelry makers Tumbleweed Bead Co. have launched The Promise Project to donate a portion of proceeds from their promise rings to charities that empower women. $1 from each ring sold (they start at $10!) goes to Women Thrive Worldwide and YWCA Wenatchee Valley. But why promise rings?
“Inspiration for our Promise Rings came from a fabulous friend. She bought herself a ring, made herself a promise, and wore the ring as a constant reminder to keep that promise to herself! ”
Read more and buy your ring here: http://www.tumbleweedbeadco.com/pages/promise-project
Study: “Overcoming the Gender Gap: Women Entrepreneurs as Economic Drivers” @TheWomanEffect #hwhtw
In a study for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Lesa Mitchell “explores the intersection of two issues that often are thought of separately: the need for sustained economic recovery in the United States, and the status of women’s entrepreneurship.” She concludes that “Women capable of starting growth companies may well be our greatest under-utilized economic resource,” and goes on to add:
“It is essential to see women’s entrepreneurship as an economic issue, not a gender-equity issue. When new companies and industries flourish, everyone benefits. And the returns will increase when more women contribute to the process by bringing their ideas to market and building high-growth firms around them.”
Read the full study here: http://www.kauffman.org/uploadedFiles/Growing_the_Economy_Women_Entrepreneurs.pdf
Thanks to InPowerWomen for the tip!
Counterpoint: “Saudi women going to Games is a sham” @SAISHopkins #olympics #hwhtw
Much has been made (including by HWHTW – see: News: “Saudi Arabia To Send Olympic Women Athletes For First Time”) of the gender milestones reached with the 2012 Olympics: more women athletes than men, and female participants from every participating country, including Saudi Arabia. Jocelyne Cesari, a professor at Johns Hopkins SAIS, argues that the presence of female Saudi athletes at the Olympics does not signify a big step forward for Saudi women:
“But if [judo competitor Wojdan] Shaherkani had withdrawn, it would not have been a setback for Saudi women because her inclusion was not a sign of advancement. The presence of Saudi women is the result of several months of pressure by the International Olympics Committee on Saudi Arabia to include women competitors or face being banned from participation.
“The situation for female athletes in Saudi Arabia is bleak.
“Saudi women in general are denied the right to practice sports. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that prevents girls from taking part in sports in government schools. Physical education is allowed only in private schools. Women are not allowed to play in official sports clubs or even watch matches in stadiums. Girls’ football, volleyball and basketball games in private schools and colleges are held secretly.”
Read the full article: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/01/opinion/cesari-saudi-women-sports/index.html
Study: Stocks Perform Better If Women Are On Company Boards #hwhtw
Bloomberg News reports on a new study from the Credit Suisse Research Institute quantifying the benefits of having gender balance on corporate boards:
“Companies with women on their boards performed better in challenging markets than those with all-male boards in a study suggesting that mixing genders may temper risky investment moves and increase return on equity.
“Shares of companies with a market capitalization of more than $10 billion and with women board members outperformed comparable businesses with all-male boards by 26 percent worldwide over a period of six years, according to a report by the Credit Suisse Research Institute, created in 2008 to analyze trends expected to affect global markets.”
Read the full article: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-31/women-as-directors-beat-men-only-boards-in-company-stock-return.html
Join the Discussion: CSW 57 @UN_Women #hwhtw #CSW57
Via UN Women: “Online forum on ending & preventing violence against women & girls. We are calling for civil society input as preparations for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 57 begin.”
“Between 23 July – 3 August 2012, a dynamic online discussion will bring together Civil Society Organisations and experts who work on violence against women around the world. By checking in online during the two weeks, they will answer questions and share thoughts on best practices, gaps and challenges in this field.
“Findings from these inputs will be used by UN Women to inform two UN Secretary-General’s reports for the 57th Commission on the Status of Women and guide the discussion of CSW members. They will also be published online in a report on the key themes of the discussion.
“UN Women encourages and welcomes all those who work in this field to take part in the consultation, contribute your views and experiences, and help to enrich the discussion that will feed into CSW 57.”
Read more and join the conversation: http://www.unwomen.org/2012/07/an-invitation-join-the-discussion-at-csw-57/
Join the US National Committee for UN Women’s Orange Day Twitter Party! @USNC_UNWomen #orangeday #usnc4orange
You’re invited to a Twitter Party to celebrate the launch of Orange Day! Grab something orange, pose for a pic, and tweet it to us at @USNC_UNWomen starting at 12 noon Eastern time (9 AM Pacific)! Hashtag: #usnc4orange
Forbes: “Women’s Leadership and Mentorship in the Developing World” @Forbes #hwhtw
Great to see women leaders and mentors getting attention in the press! Via Vital Voices:
“’Women frequently face cultural barriers and discrimination in moving into leadership positions, and it is very helpful have experienced role models and mentors who can provide guidance and encouragement.’ – Ann Veneman, former Executive Director of UNICEF and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, on the importance of mentorship in the developing world.
“Read the Forbes article in which Ann Veneman discusses why she is so passionate about our Global Ambassadors Program, the importance of leadership and mentorship in empowering women globally, and more!”
Get Ready for Orange Day! #orangeday @SayNO_UNiTE @USNC_UNWomen @UNWomen
The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign has proclaimed the 25thof the month as Orange Day! The first Orange Day will be launched on Wed. 25 July, and will every consecutive month after that leading up to the 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March.
The UNiTE campaign will also launch a new ribbon as the symbol for preventing and ending violence against women and girls: http://www.flickr.com/photos/saynotoviolence/7604097164/in/photostream?utm_source=Gender+Experts
Join us!
1. Wear orange on July 25th
2. Share it with your networks & tweet about it – here are some ideas:
- Want to take a stand to make ending #violenceagainstwomen & girls a priority worldwide?Wear orange on the 25th! #orangeday via @SayNO_UNiTE
- Wondering what to wear? Wear orange on Wed.25 July & say NO to #violenceagainstwomen & girls! #orangeday via @SayNO_UNiTE
- Wed.25 July is #orangeday! Get ur orange shirt out of the closet &take a stand on ending #violenceagainstwomen & girls! via @SayNO_UNiTE
3. Change your Facebook cover photo to the Orange Day banner
Helping Women Helps the World 