Editor’s Note: The following article originally appeared on The Mantle on July 14, 2011

Reconfiguring the Collective Action of Women
A global shift is underway: women are reconfiguring strategies, expanding networks, and devising cohesive agendas and collective action to bolster their access and impact in securing social, cultural, economic, and political rights on a global scale. Indeed, statistical indicators allude to the place and positions that women occupy in the contemporary terrain of poverty and policy, representing 50% of the world’s population, accounting for an estimated 70% of global poverty, but holding a mere one-fifth of political seats in national governments worldwide. Yet these same numbers have a tendency to obscure the character and context of potential expressed in the lives of women, of the attributes and agility women have in making vital contributions to their respective communities, and in shaping the features of participatory democracy.

Centered on the perceived status of women, and in recognition of the barriers and challenges that constrain women from maximizing their full potential, the Center for Private Enterprise (CIPE) recently spearheaded a two-day international conference (June 20-21) to cultivate dialogues that move beyond conventional modes used to assess and understand the lives the of women and their ability to impact policy and strengthen economies. The conference, entitled “Democracy that Delivers for Women,” drew an array of women and men from economic arenas, political landscapes, and organizational sectors to identify and share challenges, explore the attributes and trends in women’s leadership, and to gather insights for action in fueling a radical shift in the economic and political empowerment of women throughout the world.
Continue reading ‘The Energy Within: Reconfiguring the Collective Action of Women’ »

From 2007 to 2009, Henrietta Holsman Fore was the first woman Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. In these roles, she was responsible for managing $39.5 billion of U.S. foreign assistance annually. With prior experience serving as Under Secretary of State for Management and Director of the United States Mint, Ms. Fore has been working to support countries trying to escape poverty and engage in democratic reforms.

Ms. Fore is currently Co-Chair of the Asia Society and Chairman of the Board and CEO of Holsman International, an investment and management company. Her committment to women’s rights in international development remains strong and she talks about it in an interview with CIPE:

Article at a glance:

• Women’s equal participation in political, economic and civic life of their countries is essential for empowerment.
• Access to education, decision-making and technology allows women to represent their interests and realize their aspirations.
• Women’s increasing participation in the private sector and entrepreneurial ventures helps them gain opportunities in the economic sphere.

Read the full article here: http://www.cipe.org/publications/fs/pdf/073111.pdf

Lauren Citrome
CIPE

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