Celebrating Women’s Month: Spotlight on Female Leaders in NGOs/NPOs

• Women’s Month is a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in the NGO/NPO sector, where they work to create positive social impact and advocate for various causes.
• Women’s Month is also a time to raise awareness and action for gender equality and women’s empowerment, which are essential for a more just and sustainable world.

March honors women’s achievements and contributions in various sectors. We spotlight women in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or non-profit organizations (NPOs) who drive social change and champion various causes. Join the listed events here to learn about women’s empowerment and gender equality.

Women are leaders, experts, volunteers, and beneficiaries in the NGO/NPO sector, emphasizing the importance of women in leadership. United Nations (UN) Women reports women are 70% of NGO/NPO workers and 43% of directors. Women face many challenges and barriers in this sector. Some of these are discrimination and harassment. Others are lack of funding and limited career opportunities.

Women’s Month celebrates and supports women who work for a better world. It raises awareness and support for women’s issues and equality in the NGO/NPO sector.

PREVIEW:

I. The Importance of Women’s Month

II. Challenges and Opportunities for Women in NGOs/NPOs

A. Achievements of Women in NGOs/NPOs

1. Interviews with Female Leaders

III. Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

A. Upcoming Events Celebrating Women’s Month

IV. How to Support and Empower Women in NGOs/NPOs

The Importance of Women’s Month

March is Women’s Month and Women’s Day is on the 8th. The theme for Women’s Month in 2024 is “#InspireInclusion”. This theme promotes women’s inclusion for a better world. Women’s inclusion inspires belonging, relevance, and empowerment. This theme aims to forge a more inclusive world for women. Post #InspireInclusion for inclusion on socials with #IWD2024. It’s a call to action for everyone to play a part - in the community, at work, at home, and beyond. It’s about embracing the diversity of women in terms of race, age, ability, faith, body image, and how they identify. It’s about making sure that women have access to every area of work. So, let’s celebrate Women’s Month 2024 by inspiring inclusion.

Women’s Month reviews rights, and empowerment urges action on issues. UN Women says COVID-19 worsened gender gaps in care, violence, and money. These issues need quick and joint action from everyone, especially NGOs/NPOs.

Challenges and Opportunities for Women in NGOs/NPOs

Working in the NGO/NPO sector can be both rewarding and challenging for women. Women can follow their dreams, contribute to society, and learn new things. Women face many problems in this field. They deal with bias and abuse. They have scarce resources. They also have few chances to grow.

Association for Women in Development (AWID) reports that women in the NGO/NPO sector face discrimination and harassment. They get lower pay and fewer benefits than men. They also receive less recognition and have more workload. The report showed that women are weaker, especially in large and key organizations. Women face many challenges in getting funds and resources. Some issues are less mainstream or urgent. These include women’s rights, gender equality, and reproductive health.

Women can also beat these challenges and make more chances for themselves and others in the NGO/NPO sector. Women are leaders and innovators in many fields and sectors. These include education, health, environment, human rights, and peacebuilding. Women can also work and connect with others, share their learnings, and help and guide each other. Women also fought for their rights, inclusion, and participation in the NGO/NPO sector.

Achievements of Women in NGOs/NPOs

Women in NGOs/NPOs overcame challenges and innovated in COVID-19 response. They were leaders. They had skills. They worked in fields like education, health, environment, rights, and peace.

For Women’s Month, we collected interviews with female NGO/NPO changemakers in their fields and sectors. Here are some of the highlights from the interviews:

Interviews with Female Leaders

• Malala Yousafzai, Co-founder of the Malala Fund: Malala shared how the Malala Fund has been advocating for girls’ education worldwide. She stressed education’s role in empowering and changing girls and women.
• Dr. Joanne Liu, Former International President of Doctors Without Borders (MSF): Dr. Liu described MSF’s resource and network use for global health crisis response. She also emphasized women’s role and rights as health workers and caregivers.
• Christiana Figueres, Former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Christiana said UNFCCC used online and social media for pandemic advocacy and campaigns. She also connected environment and gender and pushed women’s power as green leaders.

Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

Women’s Month is not only a time to celebrate but also a time to act. There are many ways that we can support and empower women in the NGO/NPO sector, and beyond. Join these events to learn and connect on gender equality and women’s empowerment:

Upcoming Events Celebrating Women’s Month

1. Touch of Magic Events Tampa Women’s Day: February 10, 2024 - Tampa, United States.
2. International Women’s Day BA Guest Lecture series: February 23, 2024 - Kent, United Kingdom.
3. Clarity Connect International Women’s Day Conference: February 29, 2024 - London, United Kingdom.
4. Helping Hands Brush with Kindness: Corporate Volunteering for IWD on March 1, 2024, happening in various cities in Australia.
5. WIC’s 7th International Women’s Day Lunch: March 1, 2024 - Brisbane, Australia.
6. Showcase SA presents the International Women’s Day 2024 event: on March 1, 2024 - in Adelaide, Australia.
7. Women in Wellness Marmora Expo - International Women’s Day: March 2, 2024 - Marmora, Canada.
8. Co.As.It. Community Services International Women’s Day: March 2, 2024 - Brisbane, Australia.
9. All Women LEAD presents: Take Your Place: March 4, 2024 - London, Canada.
10. Future Women International Women’s Day Leadership Summit 2024: March 4, 2024 - Sydney, Australia.

How to Support and Empower Women in NGOs/NPOs

There are many ways that we can support and empower women in the NGO/NPO sector, and beyond. Here are some of the practical tips and suggestions that you can follow:

• Donate: You can give funds, items, or help to the NGOs/NPOs that women lead or support. You can also donate to women’s funds and campaigns. These include the Global Fund for Women, the Women’s Funding Network, and the UN Women.
• Volunteer: You can offer your hours, abilities, or knowledge to the NGOs/NPOs that women lead or support. You can also help in events and activities for women. They celebrate and promote women’s empowerment and gender equality. Some examples are the Women’s Summit, the Rights Forum, and the Empowerment Festival.
• Mentor: You can mentor or coach other women who are working or aspiring to work in the NGO/NPO sector. You can also learn from other women who know more about the NGO/NPO sector. You can join or make programs for mentorship or coaching. Some examples are the Mentoring Network, the Leadership Program, and the Empowerment Program.
• Advocate: You can fight for women’s rights, interests, inclusion, and participation in the NGO/NPO sector. You can also advocate for women’s rights and needs. You can join or create advocacy groups. These groups can be campaigns or movements. Some examples are the Women’s Global Network, the Women’s March, and the #MeToo Movement.
• Partner: You can collaborate with women and NGOs in similar fields. You can also collaborate with other actors such as governments, businesses, media, or academia. They can help you increase women’s chances and assets in the NGO/NPO sector. You can join or start women’s groups. These groups can be like the Women’s Coalition for Development, Women’s Alliance for Peace, or Women’s Partnership for Justice.

Women’s Month honors, supports, and empowers women in NGOs/NPOs. It also boosts gender equality and women’s power, vital for a better world. Celebrate Women’s Month with us by joining or making events. Together, we can make a difference!

SUMMARY:

Celebrate Women’s Month by highlighting the achievements and contributions of women in the NGO/NPO sector, and by promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. We invite you to join some upcoming events that will help you learn more and connect with others who share the same vision.

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