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Viewpoint: Only 1% of Gender Equality Funding Is Going to Women’s Organisations – Why?
A growing body of evidence proves that feminist movements are driving gender equality, and increasingly donors agree. However, we often see governments’ bold statements fizzling into inaction and only tiny pots of money trickling down for feminists organising in the global south.
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How Gender Equality Can Help Build Sustainable Peace
Persuading private investors to back projects that advance gender equality calls for concerted efforts to show that empowering women could reduce risks and enhance overall outcomes, especially in creating sustainable peace in conflict-affected regions around the world.
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- Finance
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The Trouble With ‘Women’s Empowerment’ Programs: Perceptions vs. Reality in India
India's government, funders and development initiatives have an increasing focus on including women in different programs. But according to Sudarshan Thakur at PRADAN, these efforts often seem more concerned about what women can do for development than what development can do for women. He argues that social change cannot come only from outside interventions or credit. Instead, global development agencies need to engage with women across different communities and contexts, as women themselves are the best judges of the types of services and programs they need.
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- Finance
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Our Obsession with ‘Systems Change’ Leaves Marginalized Women Vulnerable – Let’s Empower Them to Advocate for Themselves
Last December, while driving through rural Uganda, KadAfrica founder Rebecca Kaduru was gravely injured in a car accident. Taken to the district hospital, she faced a stark reality: There was no doctor, no medications, not even gauze and sutures. The experience highlighted the barriers to women's empowerment in the country, where hospitals like this are often the best option for maternal health emergencies, and care is only available to those who fight for it. Kaduru explores why gender equality requires less focus on changing systems, and more on helping women advocate for themselves.
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- Health Care, Social Enterprise
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Press Release: Mastercard and USAID Extend Relationship to Support Women Entrepreneurs
“At the U.S. Agency for International Development, we know that investing in women builds resilient, self-reliant, and prosperous societies,” said Mark Green, USAID Administrator. “USAID's partnership with Mastercard will accelerate the achievement of these goals by leveraging the collective resources and expertise of the U.S. Government to unlock the full economic potential of women around the world.”
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- Finance
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Press Release: First-Of-Its-Kind U.S. Government Blended-Finance Fund to Empower Women in Developing Markets
The WAM fund is a blended-finance vehicle designed to attract private capital in developing markets by offering protection to commercial investors by lowering the risk of loss. This blended-finance approach seeks to catalyze capital to create a $100 million fund to invest specifically in women’s financial inclusion.
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- Finance
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HBS, Impact Investing And The Power Of Story – The Rise Fund’s Maya Chorengel
She has been an instrumental force in proving that delivery of positive impact can exist alongside competitive financial returns, mobilizing the investing market to advance social and environmental benefits at scale.
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- Investing
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Courage, Optimism, Defiance: Impact Investment Exchange Founder Durreen Shahnaz Discusses her Journey of Empowerment
Growing up in Bangladesh, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) Founder Durreen Shahnaz tended to rebel against tradition, preferring boys’ clothes to saris, and exploring the streets on her bike rather than staying indoors. Yet she never rebelled against her family's core focus on charity. Her long and distinguished career in social business and investing has been defined both by her maverick spirit and by her humanitarian values. NextBillion caught up with Shahnaz to discuss her inspiring story and IIX's ongoing work, as the company celebrates its tenth anniversary.
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- Investing