New Campaign Invites American Women
To Help
Tackle
Global Poverty
In an unprecedented partnership, four of the country’s most prestigious women’s organizations are unveiling a new campaign to raise awareness of global poverty and make the issue a vital part of the American dialogue. Launched in conjunction with International Women’s Day, One Shared WorldSM — through its flagship resource www.onesharedworld.org — celebrates women around the world whose grit, ingenuity and dignity are an inspiration and a force for change.
Focusing on health, education and economic progress, One Shared World aims to connect American working women to the many public and private efforts that help people in developing countries overcome poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease. It highlights the similarities between American women and those in cities, towns and villages in every corner of the globe. “We may seem worlds apart, but we all want a better future for ourselves, our families and our communities. That shared hope is our common language, and that’s what One Shared World is all about,” explained Project Director Cate Cowan.
One Shared World encourages American women to learn more, connect more and do more to support United States development assistance efforts and demonstrates how when we support progress in one area, it pays off in others. Educating girls, for example, helps to foster more resilient families, prevent diseases like HIV/AIDS and open up better jobs that pay higher wages — making communities, societies and the world we share healthier, safer and richer.
Partners in One Shared World are the American Association of University Women (AAUW), American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT), the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). The program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and managed by the non-profit Academy for Educational Development (AED).
What is development assistance?
Almost two-thirds of the world’s people have difficulty meeting their daily needs for food and shelter. Through global development assistance, the United States and other countries help these people gain access to basic health and education as well as jobs and economic opportunity.
Development assistance takes many forms, from training rural women to serve as volunteer community health workers, to helping a village dig a well so local girls can spend the day in school instead of hauling water from a far-away river, to providing a small loan so a budding entrepreneur can open a small cafe with a few employees. Such small steps have a ripple effect, making it possible for people to use their own energy, innovation and determination to change their lives for the better. As they and their communities and nations prosper, America and the larger world community benefits.
Women can make a difference
In an ever-shrinking world, the shape of our tomorrows is entwined with what happens in every corner of the globe. What happens “there” affects us here: our health, our jobs, our environment, our security, our way of life. How we embrace these global challenges will determine our future.
One Shared World celebrates the power of women to promote change. They, their friends and colleagues can learn more about development assistance, find tools to encourage others to get involved or discover a personal way to do more to end global poverty at www.onesharedworld.org. -END-
For additional media resources, visit www.onesharedworld.org/media/ on March 8th. |
