MEET OUR Rotary District 5890 Committee CO-CHAIRS
Sonya Heath (left) and Karen Blakeman (Right)
Girls & Women Empowerment Subcommittee Co-Chairs
The Girls & Women Empowerment Committee, a subcommittee of the Peace Committee, focuses on supporting girls and women as crucial step towards creating a more peaceful and stable society. When girls and women have equal access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political participation, they can become leaders in their communities and work towards resolving conflicts peacefully.
Peace Committee - Click here
Subcommittee webpages:
Anti Human Trafficking Committee - Click here
Positive Mental Health Committee - Coming Soon!
Refugee Task Force Committee - Coming Soon!
If you educate a boy, you educate an individual, but if you educate a girl, you educate a family. Throughout her life, she will teach and inspire future generations!
When it comes to making sure girls are #EqualEverywhere, we all have work to do. From violence and poverty to discrimination and displacement, girls in every country experience gender inequality. And in larger numbers than ever before, girls are rising to these challenges and raising their voices on behalf of one another, the planet, and our future.
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Rotary's Youth Protection Guide
Click here to download the Rotary Youth Protection Guide which is a comprehensive manual to providing a safe and secure environment for all young people involved in Rotary programs and activities. All club and district leaders involved in Interact, RYLA, Rotary Youth Exchange or ANY involvement with youth should review this guide.
Learn more about Rotary’s comprehensive approach to youth protection - Click Here! (Login to your My Rotary Account is required)
guide to EMPOWERING GIRLS: BACKGROUND, TALKING POINTS & PROJECT IDEAS
Empowering girls means supporting them to ensure that their basic needs are met while working to transform the structures and institutions that reinforce and perpetuate gender discrimination and inequality. It includes helping girls develop self-confidence and make their voices heard.
HEALTH AND HYGIENE
•The number of girls ages 10-19 who are living with HIV has increased 31% since 1995. It's now 970,000.
•Globally, 500 million women and girls lack adequate facilities to properly manage their menstrual hygiene.
•Research finds that girls’ inability to manage their menstrual hygiene in schools leads to absenteeism, which then has severe economic costs, both personally and societally.
CHILD MARRIAGE
Forced marriage.
Arranged Marriage.
Child Marriage.
Yes, all of these are happening in the United States!
•1 in 5 girls around the world marries before age 18.
•Without stronger efforts to end child marriage, more than 120 million girls under age 18 will marry by 2030.
•Putting an end to child marriage would increase women’s educational attainment and, with it, their potential earnings. It’s estimated that ending child marriage could generate more than $500 billion in benefits annually.
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Sources below are from: "Unchained At Last" unchainedatlast.org
Globally, an estimated 22 million people were in a forced marriage as of 2021. More than 650 million women alive today were married as children.
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
•Female genital mutilation has been performed on at least 200 million girls and women in 31 countries across three continents.
•More than half of the affected girls live in Egypt, Ethiopia, or Indonesia.
•Each year, more than 4 million girls are at risk of genital mutilation. Most girls undergo it before age 15.
Source: unicef.org/protection/female-genital-mutilation
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY
•Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the world’s leading cause of death for girls ages 15-19.
•Approximately 12 million adolescents ages 15-19 and at least 777,000 who are under 15 give birth in developing regions each year.
•Babies of adolescent mothers face higher risks of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and severe neonatal conditions.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
•The United Nations says 60 million girls worldwide have no access to basic education.
•Of the 960 million people who are illiterate worldwide, two-thirds are women.
•In many regions, schools do not meet the safety, hygiene, or sanitation needs of girls.
•Globally, 1 in 4 girls ages 15-19 are neither employed nor in school, compared with 1 in 10 boys.
VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS
•Of all human trafficking victims, 51% are women and 20% are girls.
•1 in 20 girls ages 15-19, about 13 million globally, have been subjected to forced sex.
•Every year, an estimated 60 million girls are sexually assaulted on their way to school or at school.
•Nearly 4 in 10 adolescent girls think wife-beating is justified in some circumstances.
The Rotary Action Group for Girls’ Empowerment, an an affiliated action group of Rotary International, is committed to fostering international leadership, friendship, and service. It is action-oriented where its membership is composed of any community member who has expertise and/or a passion for being active in designing solutions, creating awareness, and executing local and international programs and projects focused on Girls’ Empowerment.
Vision
To create, facilitate and support opportunities to improve the quality of life for girls (up to 18 years old) around the world and foster empowerment, equity and equality through actions and advocacy that bring about positive change.
Mission
- To advocate the equitable treatment of girls around the world.
- To support and advocate evidence-based interventions which improve the quality of life among girls and enable early intervention.
- To empower communities with practical information, tools and resources towards making measurable improvements in the lives of girls.
- To catalyse and inspire action towards creating lasting positive change in the lives of girls via awareness campaigns, forging partnerships and community-based service projects.
- To amplify the positive impact of Rotary on the lives of girls through local, regional and global collaboration.
For more information, stay tuned to GirlsEmpowermentRAG.org, follow their Facebook Page, and subscribe to their YouTube Channel.
Join Past Rotary International Director Elizabeth Usovicz, chair of Rotary's Girls' Empowerment Global Task Force, and Girls' Empowerment Ambassadors as they showcase and discuss four amazing impact projects from around the world which have helped change the lives of numerous girls and women.
OCTOBER 11TH - UNITED NATIONS' ANNUAL "INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD"
Observed annually on 11 October, International Day of the Girl is a key global moment on which to celebrate girls everywhere, amplifying their voices, actions and leadership. It is a day that belongs to everyone who cares about girls and their rights. On this day, we come together to recognize and advocate for the full spectrum of girls’ rights.
This year’s theme, as shaped by girl-led organizations and networks, is The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis.
If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a family. Throughout her life, she will teach and inspire future generations!
Released for 2024 International Women’s Day, UNESCO'S “Her Education, Our Future” is a documentary film following the lives of Anee, Fabiana, Mkasi and Taina – four young women across three continents who struggle to fulfill their right to education. This documentary-film, by CGTN in partnership with UNESCO, offers a spectacular dive into the transformative power of education. It showcases how empowering girls and women through education improves not only their lives, but also those of their families, communities and indeed all of society.
UNESCO VIDEO: Girls’ Vision of the Future of Education - Let's Listen To Girls!
Despite progress, 122 million girls remain out of school. This video is inspired by the 2024 International Day of the Girl’s theme, “Girls’ vision for the future” and a compilation of girls’ voices around the world answering: What would an ideal school look like for a girl like you in the future?
Nicki Scott, 2022-2023 Vice President of Rotary International, introduces this 3-hour "Empowering Girls Taking Action Together" seminar which launched this initiative in Rotary Great Britain and Ireland. While it is 3-hours in length, you can watch the entire webinar or you can click on the time below and watch sections! This webinar was a call-to-action for everybody in the family of Rotary, and in our communities. The inspirational speakers give us lots of ideas for taking action personally, in our clubs and in our networks and communities. By collaborating together internally and externally we have a larger, positive impact.
Host, Steve Brown, along with fascinating speakers cover a range of important topics. For ease of pausing for a break or to resume watching another day, just remember the time where you stopped watching, and when you return you can click on the time (example, 11:35 Why it matters everywhere - Elizabeth Usovicz) for the topic and speaker for all the different sessions.
Hint: You can click on the time shown below and it will take you to that section of the video so you can watch each individual clip!
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00:00 Empowering Girls in Rotary Great Britain and Ireland (GB & I)
01:32 Setting the scene - Nicki Scott
04:27 Why I care - Steve Brown
09:41 Global and local call to action - Nicki Scott
11:35 Why it matters everywhere - Elizabeth Usovicz
21:57 Minority group - Steve Brown
23:33 I want to dance - Anne Wafula Strike MBE
32:00 Inclusivity in sport – Steve Brown
33:42 Opening closed doors - Abbie Breakwell
40:55 Panel Q&As - Anne Abbie and Steve
46:50 Young people’s voices - Interact & Rotakids
57:00 Personal Care Pantry - Cathleen Meehan
1:01:58 Menstrual health – Steve Brown
1:03:15 Break the silence – Sharmila Nagarajan
1:07:42 STEM - Steve Brown
1:09:50 Diversity in STEM – Vanessa Madu
1:14:25 Helping to make world fairer – Steve Brown
1:15:42 Follow their dreams in STEM – Shwetal Shah
1:19:08 Balancing Tech Women at the Forefront of Gender Revolution STEM
1:21:12 Gender imbalance STEM – Shwetal Shah
1:24:30 Girls Into Coding STEM
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1:29:02 Rotary Technology Tournaments STEM – Steve Brown
1:29:50 Polio eradication and gender equality – Steve Brown
1:30:25 Gender and Polio Eradication - WHO
1:33:56 Gender equality benefits everyone and benefits everyone – Steve Brown
1:35:09 Don’t forget Afghan women and girls – Hasina Safi
1:48:40 Advocacy together – Steve Brown
1:49:40 Speak up speak out – Lanai Collis Phillips
1:57:35 Violence against girls and women – Steve Brown
1:58:12 BE LADS – Poppy Murray
2:07:45 Rotaract – Steve Brown
2:08:24 Flipping the coin – Heidi Eggleton, Rotaract
2:13:35 Men should help on the journey for a more equal future – James Thomas, Rotaract
2:18:01 Is this relevant to me – Steve Brown
2:19:30 For children ad equality for girls – Plan International UK
2:27:48 Scratch beneath the surface – Jannine Birtwistle
2:36:33 Lend with care – Dr Ajaz Ahmed Khan
2:41:44 What action will you take – Jannine Birtwistle
2:54:05 Panel Q&A
3:10:51 Thanks and closing – Steve Brown
3:12:04 Empowering Girls in Rotary GB&I
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RESOURCES
Articles & Webinars
• Related Articles: Rotary: Girl Empowerment (Education is impacted when girls start menstruating)
• Rotary.org: Maasai Women Make Cleanliness Their Business
• Rotary: Leave No Girl Behind
• Rotary: Empowering Girls in Mexico
• Rotary's Service in Action: "Breaking Down Barriers: Rotary Projects Empower Girls & Women Across the World"
Empowering Girls Ambassadors
• Advocate for girls’ empowerment.
• Act as a resource for clubs and districts.
• Collect and distribute success stories.
Opportunities Articles & Webinars
• Visit the RI president’s page to find ways to participate.
• Learn more about Rotary’s comprehensive approach to youth protection.
Rotary Action Groups
• Find contact information on the RI president’s page.
• Connect with action groups that can help (see section below for links to Rotary Action Groups).
The Cadre of Technical Advisers
• Find an adviser who can help with initiatives to empower girls by writing to cadre@rotary.org.
Rotary
• Find ideas for projects or ways to work with other clubs to empower girls.
• Add your service activity or project to the Empowering Girls Campaign.
Partnerships
• Work with Rotary partners on projects that empower girls.
• Read more about "Rotary's Partnerships" (Click Here)
Read rotary's Blog, "Rotary Voices" about ways rotarians around the world are empowering girls through service.
Rotary Action Groups are independent, Rotary-affiliated groups made up of people from around the world who are experts in a particular field, such as economic development, peace, addiction prevention, the environment, or water.
Action groups offer their technical expertise and support to help clubs plan and implement projects to increase our impact, one of Rotary's strategic priorities. This support includes helping clubs find partners, funding, and other resources. Action groups can also help clubs and districts prepare grant applications, conduct community assessments, and develop plans to monitor and evaluate their projects.
Contact a Rotary Action Group to:
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Get expert advice on planning and implementing service projects, including those funded by Rotary Foundation district and global grants
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Connect with potential project partners, both within and outside of Rotary
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Get help fundraising and obtaining resources for projects
Join a Rotary Action Group to share your expertise and make a difference in projects outside your club or district. To get involved, look at our directory and contact the action group you're interested in.
• Basic Education & Literacy: https://belrag.org/
• Community Economic Development: https://ragced.org/
• Family Health & AIDS Prevention: https://www.rfha.org/
• Health Education & Wellness: https://www.hewrag.org/
• Menstrual Health & Hygiene: https://www.ragmhh.org/
• Mental Health Initiatives: https://ragonmentalhealth.org/
• Refugees, Forced Displacement & Migration - https://www.ragforrefugees.org/
• Reproductive, Maternal & Child Health - https://rotaryrmch.org/
• Slavery Prevention: https://ragas.online/
• Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene: https://www.wash-rag.org/