The Convention for the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was accepted by
the UN General Assembly in 1979 and has been ratified by 185 countries.
It is considered the international bill of rights for women. The
United States has not ratified CEDAW (the only industrialized
country that has not, putting the US in the company of Iran, Sudan
and Somalia). Contact your US senators and representatives!
MORE
The United Nations Population
Fund is the world’s largest international source
of funding for population and reproductive health programs. It
has provided $6 billion in assistance to developing countries
since 1969. Despite bipartisan congressional agreement, the Bush
administration blocked US funding of UNFPA in 2002, 2003, 2004.
The US Committee for UNFPA is a public charity that raises funds
in the United States for UNFPA.
MORE
Association
for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)'s goal is to cause
policy, institutional and individual change that will improve the
lives of women and girls around the world. AWID facilitates ongoing
debates on fundamental and provocative issues and builds the individual
and organizational capacities of those working for women's empowerment
and social justice. AWID members are researchers, academics,
students, educators, activists, business people, policy-makers,
development practitioners, funders, and more.
MORE
The Women's Edge Coalition is an NGO that advocates for US policies that will benefit women
all over the world. Their new toolkit, A Safer, Better
World Begins with Women: Your Guide to Global Issues, is available on their website and will show you how
to impact the US’ international assistance and trade policies
and help women in other countries bring their aspirations to life.
MORE
The
International Center for Research on Women is a non-profit
organization that conducts research to fill the gaps in critical
data on women's status, and leverages their findings to mobilize
political will for change. Its international, multidisciplinary
staff is supported by grants, contracts, and contributions from
development agencies, foundations, corporations and individuals,
and you can be among them.
MORE