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The Transformative Power of Grassroots Advocacy with Together Women Rise and RESULTS
A gallery of Results webinar participants on Zoom
27
Aug, 2024

Advocacy

The Transformative Power of Grassroots Advocacy with Together Women Rise and RESULTS

Margaret Moodian, Ed.D., Co-Chair of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS

I started my advocacy journey in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when I led an international nonprofit called TIAS ARMS. This work resulted in a virtual pen pal program where I partnered with California Congressman Mike Levin’s office and the former Ambassador to South Africa, Eric Bost. In 2021, I joined a fantastic Together Women Rise chapter in Orange County, CA, led by Elizabeth Boretz. Because of my previous experience, I was drawn to their grassroots advocacy group with RESULTS. Details

A gallery of Results webinar participants on Zoom
25
Jun, 2024

Advocacy

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Advocacy in 2024 – More Important Than Ever!

By Susan Wright, Co-Chair of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS and leader of our CA, Berkeley-2 chapter

The women and girls our grantees serve cannot thrive without access to basic health and education programs and other services, including vaccines and reproductive health supplies. Advocacy to obtain adequate funds for these broader programs is necessary to achieve Together Women Rise’s mission to achieve global gender equality.

Details

30
Nov, 2023

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

It Takes a Pioneer

By Ken Patterson, Co-Chair of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS and Director, Grassroots Impact with RESULTS

Five years ago, Together Women Rise started exploring a partnership with RESULTS, a constituent advocacy organization working on US federal policy affecting women and girls around the world. The idea was to complement the great work Together Women Rise is doing supporting women’s organizations on the ground with systemic policy change that would create change at scale.  

Dr. Leslye Heilig (MA, Great Barrington-3 chapter) took part in the original exploration of the Together Women Rise and RESULTS partnership and has been leading the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group since the two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding four years ago. Leslye was somewhat new to advocacy as the partnership was getting started, but she saw the potential. She decided to be a role model of the power of change through advocacy and learned how to build a relationship with her members of Congress, use her voice in the media, and inspire skeptics who may have lost faith in our government.  

According to Rise CEO Beverley Francis-Gibson, “Leslye has been a committed volunteer leader and ambassador for the impact that advocacy can have when members are given the tools. We are so grateful for her many years of dedicated service to ensuring that Together Women Rise and RESULTS work together to champion many causes.”

Details

Sep 27, 2023

Advocacy

Take Action Today on the READ Act Reauthorization

Authored by: Meg Gardiner, Global Education Policy Manager, RESULTS

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently said, “Peace is needed today more than ever. War and conflict are unleashing devastation, poverty, and hunger, and driving tens of millions of people from their homes.” We know that conflict and displacement are a major cause of 250 million children globally being out of school. We must call upon Congress to reauthorize the READ Act so that the U.S. does its part to ensure children everywhere get the education they deserve. Details

Advocacy
30
May, 2023

2023, Advocacy, Featured Year

Advocacy Update: Help Pass the READ Act

For the past two months our Advocacy Group with RESULTS has been taking a deep dive on The READ Act Reauthorization (H.R.681, S.41), which supports basic education around the world with a focus on girls. This legislation focuses on enhanced strategies for the improvement of foundational literacy and numeracy, which are essential elements of a quality basic education. And we know that educating girls is one of the most important things we can do to advance gender equality!  

In low- and middle-income countries, up to 70% of 10-year-olds are unable to read a simple text. The longer children remain out of school, the less likely they are to return, and the World Bank estimates that this generation of students will lose $17 trillion in lifetime earnings due to a lack of basic education. And quality primary education isn’t the only challenge. Around 200 million youth ages 12-17 are currently out of secondary school, and 80 percent of children in low-income countries lack access to preschool. But within these numbers, the harsh reality is that girls are the most severely impacted and the most likely to be left out of school or fail to return due to child marriage or pregnancy. 

Details

Mar 27, 2023

Advocacy

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Advocate for US funds!

By Susan Wright, leader of the Together Women Rise CA, Oakland chapter and member of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS. Susan is also a former Peace Corps volunteer and staff member with USAID. 

 

International assistance accounts for less than 1% of the US federal budget, but it still represents an important proportion of all foreign aid. Over 20% of all US foreign aid supports health and education programs vital for women and girls, whether through global, multi-donor programs or through funding for country-specific activities. US funds provide critical inputs such as medications; training of doctors, educators, and nurses; and development of country-specific educational materials. Without US government support for these broader efforts, the work of grantees funded by Together Women Rise and the ability of women and girls to take advantage of their activities would be severely hampered.  Details

Dec 20, 2022

Advocacy, News

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Advocacy Accomplishments in 2022

2022 was a very successful year for Together Women Rise’s Advocacy Group with RESULTS. There were many accomplishments to celebrate: the successful replenishment of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria; the passage of the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act; progress toward passage of both the End TB Now Act and the READ Act Reauthorization. It has truly been an exceptional year. Details

Nov 22, 2022

Advocacy

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Advocacy Update

While many might think there is nothing to do in this post-election period, our Together Women Rise advocates are stepping up their advocacy in order to get legislation onto the President’s desk for signature before the end of the year. In particular, we are still reaching out to Senate and House offices for their co-sponsorship of the End TB Now Act and the READ Act Reauthorization. We cannot afford to let another year pass without ensuring that money allocated during the appropriations process is spent in the most effective manner. It is essential that we reverse course on TB and girls education to make up for horrible losses in progress due to COVID-19. Details

Oct 26, 2022

Advocacy

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Advocacy: Moving the Needle Toward Gender Equality

The main goal of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS is to guide us in building deep relationships with our members of Congress (MoCs) and their staff. These relationships then become the way we influence policies and funding affecting women and girls around the world. As we approach election day, there is no better time to begin this relationship-building than by joining campaign events, town halls, and the many other forms of voter engagement that are now occurring pre-election. During these events we connect with candidates and educate the public about the issues we work on. It’s the interview process before, we the people, hire representatives to work for us in government. Details

Aug 30, 2022

Advocacy

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Advocating for Global Education

As summer comes to an end and we ready our kids to return to school, there are many children missing out on education. In many low-income countries, children — especially girls — will not be returning to school due to inadequate education systems, discrimination, early and forced marriage, or pregnancy as a result of transactional sex or gender-based violence. And when this happens, most girls are unable to return to school. Their education comes to an abrupt end, and their futures are forever changed. Details

May 26, 2022

Advocacy

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The Impact of COVID & the Ukraine War on Global Malnutrition

It was a pleasure speaking about why and what we are advocating for at Together Women Rise’s May national webinar. For those of who missed it, the recording can be found here. Our past two grantees—Yamba Malawi and Second Mile Haiti—are excellent examples of why and how we can address malnutrition. It is important to both support our grantees and their direct services as well as to advocate for Congress to fund nutrition, maternal and child health on a macro level. Each of these approaches — and even better, both together — will go a long way toward eliminating the tragedy of malnutrition. Details

Apr 25, 2022

Advocacy

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How We Advocate for Funding—The Appropriations Process

As Together Women Rise advocates, we mostly work on two kinds of legislation –authorizing legislation and appropriations legislation. Authorizing legislation creates and/or expands programs that have authority for multiple years and need to be reauthorized. An example would be the global nutrition bills that we’ve been working on recently, HR4693 and S2956. Details

23
Feb, 2022

Advocacy

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Advocacy Update: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria

This month I want to talk about The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (Global Fund), for which the US is hosting its Seventh Replenishment Conference later this year. Together Women Rise advocates learned about the Global Fund on our Feb 15th webinar. Click HERE to see the webinar recording and slides. Details

Nov 23, 2021

Advocacy

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Take Action to Address Global Malnutrition

By Dr. Leslye Heilig, Chair of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group With RESULTS

 

Last month I spoke about my outrage over our failure to do more in the face of the COVID-19  pandemic. As some of my colleagues say,  this represents over five million policy failures, as we have surpassed this number of reported global deaths, though the true number is likely far greater.  Details

Oct 28, 2021

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

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Where is the Outrage?

I keep asking myself this question: where is the outrage? How have people become numb to the struggles of those who do not have access to the COVID-19 vaccines? Ten thousand people die globally every single day on top of the millions who have already died. Yet there still is not a plan to ensure vaccine access to everyone. Where is our empathy, our morality, our conscience? Details

Sep 29, 2021

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

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Advocacy Group Addresses Global COVID Vaccine Access

For the past couple of months, our Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS has been working on global COVID vaccine access. We see this as an essential action if we wish to foster global gender equality, and it is the only solution to the COVID-19 pandemic available to use right now. During this pandemic, we have lost enormous ground with respect to global development. According to the United States Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) and the Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria: Details

Aug 23, 2021

Advocacy

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“How Can I Qualify as a Together Women Rise Advocate?”

By Jim Hennigan, Global Advocacy Group

Being an advocate seems daunting – and all the more so if we’re speaking up for others because there’s the added pressure of making sure we stick to their message.

What many people don’t realize is that we’ve all been lifelong advocates — for ourselves, our families, our schools, communities, and more. A lesson that most of us have learned over that long arc of advocacy experience is that we are most effective when we speak for ourselves and share the unique message that comes from our hearts. Details

Jun 29, 2021

Advocacy

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Advocacy Update

June has been an exceptionally busy time for our advocacy group. Many of us attended the RESULTS International Conference held on June 12 and 13, followed by Advocacy Week during which we joined other advocates to meet with congressional offices. You can listen to many of the speakers and workshops from this conference here.  In particular, I recommend the session on global education, which included Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala’s father, and Maryjacob Okwuosa, a Youth Leader for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), from Nigeria. One of my other favorite sessions discussed nutrition and global health equity. Feel free to wander through the recordings as there were many excellent speakers. Details

Apr 29, 2021

Advocacy

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Advocating for Global Education

In April, the Together Women Rise Advocacy Chapter With RESULTS was busy making time-sensitive appropriations requests for FY22. Now we are asking our members of Congress (MOC’s) to sign on to letters in support of global education and nutrition within the foreign affairs budget. This year we are requesting large increases for global nutrition — $300 million, which is twice what was allocated last year; and $150 million for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), which is an increase of $25 million over last year. Details

Mar 25, 2021

Advocacy, Storytelling, Together Women Rise

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Advocacy Chapter Harnesses the Power Of Women

By Jim Hennigan, member of Together Women Rise National Advocacy Committee and the Advocacy Chapter With RESULTS


If there’s one thought that haunts me, it’s the fact that for all of the greatest women we can name, there are hundreds – probably thousands – more of them of equal talent and courage and character who are unknown to the world because they never had an on-ramp to opportunity.
Details

Dec 17, 2020

Advocacy

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Advocacy Update: First 100 Days Campaign

With elections behind us and a new Administration taking office this month, there is change in the air. What a perfect opportunity to join us as we build relationships with the new Congress to influence policies affecting women and girls! Dining for Women’s partnership with RESULTS has helped us build new relationships and new skill sets which are changing the world for women and girls. Now is a great time to come on board and raise your voice. Details

Oct 26, 2020

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

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Dining for Women Advocacy Update

Advocacy, as I heard recently in a webinar on human migration and child health, is no longer an elective pursuit. It is the positive actions we take to make change. Right now, public health is our priority as the world is facing a once-in-a-generation pandemic. COVID has and will continue to change the world as we know it, and the most marginalized— women and girls—are suffering the most. As the Gates Foundation said recently in its 2020 Goalkeepers Report: “We’ve been set back about 25 years in 25 weeks.” It further states that “What the world does in the next few months matters a great deal.” Details

27
Aug, 2020

Advocacy

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Congress Left DC: Time to Make Noise in the Media!

By Ken Patterson, Director, Grassroots Impact for RESULTS, DFW’s Advocacy Partner

Congress left DC for the long August recess with no agreement on a Covid-19 supplemental spending bill. This has left millions of people in the U.S. and around the world in dangerous predicaments. Governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in low- and middle-income countries are struggling to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on regular efforts to combat diseases, vaccinate children, provide basic maternal care, combat malnutrition, and provide basic education. (See graphic on COVID-19 impact on global health.) Some are projecting that progress on global health could be set back 10-20 years. And women and girls are impacted the most! Details

31
Jul, 2020

Advocacy

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A DFW Member’s Advocacy Experience

By Tonnie Cummings, member of WA, Vancouver-1

 

I have been a member of the Vancouver, WA chapter of Dining for Women (DFW) for 10 years. A couple of months ago, I decided I wanted to take a more active role in helping marginalized women and girls. I looked at the DFW Advocacy Chapter webpage, where I learned about DFW’s partnership with RESULTS. RESULTS is a grassroots organization that promotes policies to end global poverty. Their goals dovetail nicely with DFW’s. I participated in the June DFW Advocacy Chapter meeting and a RESULTS orientation call, and then I joined my local RESULTS chapter. My timing was perfect! Details

Jun 25, 2020

Advocacy

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Raise Your Voices for a Global Response to the Global Pandemic

June has been a very busy month for our DFW Advocacy Chapter with RESULTS. On June 17, we had our chapter’s monthly webinar and learned about giving an “EPIC Laser Talk” when talking with our members of Congress. The EPIC format is used effectively by our partner, RESULTS, and stands for:  Engage, Problem, Illustrate or Inform, and Call to Action. Details

May 27, 2020

Advocacy

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Update: DFW Advocacy Chapter with RESULTS

By Leslye Heilig, DFW Advocacy Committee Chair

 

We have now held our third monthly advocacy meeting since we launched our partnership with RESULTS. I am so encouraged by the interest and the active participation. We can change the world, now with one letter to the editor at a time. Advocacy is a positive and rewarding activity, one that holds more value with each additional day of this pandemic and new world we are navigating.  Details

28
Apr, 2020

Advocacy

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Advocacy Chapter with RESULTS Update

When Rep. William Timmons (SC-4) signed a letter supporting an additional $1 billion in funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, it sent minor shock waves among groups that advocate for Global Fund support. Rep. Timmons’ participation was important because he is a newcomer to these types of letters and could help influence other SC representatives. People were asking around DC, “Who got Timmons to sign on?” and the answer came back to them: “It happened because of DFW members working with RESULTS!” Thank you to Rep. Timmons, and a huge THANK YOU to the DFW members who contacted and encouraged their local representatives to urge them to take action. Details

30
Aug, 2018

Advocacy

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Witnessing U.S. Foreign Aid in Action in Guatemala

By Chris King, Co-leader of DFW’s CA, San Francisco-1 chapter and member of DFW’s Advocacy Committee

 

Extreme poverty is an unrelenting churn of chaos and difficulty for families, yet they survive. There is a lot of pressure for people to leave the violence and poverty they face in a country like Guatemala. Details

1
Jun, 2018

Advocacy

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Millions of Women and Girls Are Threatened by Cuts to U.S. Foreign Aid

By Betsy Dunklin, Chair of Dining for Women’s Advocacy Committee

Experts on the well-received advocacy panel at our National Conference (see photo) emphasized that NOW is the perfect time to add your voice to your dollars to help impoverished women and girls in developing countries.

Action on the just-passed FY2018 and proposed FY2019 budgets is taking place in both the House and Senate over the next month or so. The Administration has proposed a more than 30% cut to the International Affairs (IA) budget for FY2019. The IA budget is historically just 1% of the total US budget. Details

Apr 26, 2018

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

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Act Now to Impact the 2019 Foreign Aid Budget

By Betsy Dunklin, Advocacy Committee Chair

 

Support is growing internationally to put women and girls at the core of a country’s foreign aid to end extreme poverty.  Will you add your voice to keep the U.S. moving in this direction? Now is a perfect time to tell your representatives in Congress how you feel. It is especially important to counter the administration’s renewed proposal to slash programs aimed at global poverty reduction. Details

Oct 26, 2017

Advocacy

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U.S. Foreign Aid, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

Dining for Women is collaborating with Oxfam America to elevate the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment in U.S. foreign aid. Oxfam, a global social justice organization working to end extreme poverty, offers resources and a depth of experience in this field that is valuable to Dining for Women as we develop our Grassroots Advocacy Program. We, in turn, have an extensive network of members passionate about improving the lives of women and girls in developing nations. By combining forces, we can increase the emphasis on U.S. foreign aid focusing on gender equality.

Details

27
Sep, 2017

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

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Understanding the International Affairs Piece of the Federal Budget Pie

By Nancy Jacobsen, member of DFW’s Advocacy Committee and the CA, Tiburon-1 chapter

Remember the pie chart from the Advocacy Committee blog in the September issue of The Dish? Many of you may have been surprised to learn that only 1% of the U.S. federal budget goes to international affairs. This month, we are going to dive more deeply into how that 1% is broken down and how the federal budget, including the amount designated for international affairs, is determined. It is important to know how this process works if we are to understand how we, as DFW members, can make an impact on behalf of women and girls. Details

28
Aug, 2017

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

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U.S. Foreign Aid: Dispelling the Myths

In Tajikistan, Mahkfirat Saidrahmonova is showing other women in her community what it takes to successfully run subsistence farms thanks to a program called Feed the Future.

In Afghanistan, a challenging but rewarding internship program is providing Sayeda Korga with job skills that will give her independence and economic security as part of a program called Promote: Women in Government. Details

May 30, 2017

Advocacy, Together Women Rise

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U.S. Foreign Assistance: An Issue for Women and Girls

By Betsy Dunklin, Dining for Women Advocacy Committee Chair

Did you see that ecstatic dance of joy at the end of the video on Mali Health, our May grantee? It epitomizes what Dining for Women members often note, that despite extreme poverty and oppression, these women find happiness from their new-found skills, their support of one another, and, perhaps most of all, a sense of power and control over their own lives. And they use this to change the power dynamics within their families, their communities, and their nations. Details

29
Mar, 2017

Advocacy, Best Practices, Chapters, For chapters, For leaders

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Advocacy: A Best Practice to Change the World

By Betsy Dunklin, DFW Advocacy Committee Chair

When our board of directors adopted advocacy as one of DFW’s four programs, it put into place something that many members have been requesting for years. In fact, at DFW’s national conference in 2013, members called for a plan to add our voices to our dollars. They wanted DFW to have a larger role, through advocacy, in setting U.S. public policy related to poverty and inequality for women and girls in developing nations. Making advocacy part of DFW’s 2020 Vision is exciting because it means we can make an even bigger impact — by combining our collective donations, our collective knowledge, and our collective voices! Details

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