How We’re Moving #WomenForward This International Women’s Day and Every Day
On 8 March every year, the world celebrates International Women’s Day. It’s a day to recognize women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. And it’s also a day that marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.
Although progress has been made toward gender equality over the years, much work remains. Globally, women’s participation in the workforce is unequal to men’s; one in three women still experience physical or sexual violence; and twice as many girls as boys will never start school. But we know that women are a powerful force for change, and in order to unlock their transformational potential, it’s imperative that we close the gender gap.
The PIMCO Foundation and 18 of its female-focused nonprofit partners have come together as WomenForward — a coalition for change — because we believe partnerships are key to advancing rights for women and girls. We can no longer rely on incremental change as stand-alone organizations; instead, we must team up, take action, and make the desired change happen.
Our partners tackle challenges that face women and girls from Cambodia to Rwanda to Guatemala to New York. Our group is creating a path of action and providing opportunity to underserved women and girls around the world.
Want to get to know our WomenForward partner organizations? Or better yet, get involved? Check our partners out below and click here to read our eBook.
Acumen
Acumen’s mission is to change the way the world tackles poverty by investing in companies, leaders and ideas. Visit Acumen here.
BUILD
BUILD uses entrepreneurship to ignite the potential of youth from under-resourced communities and propel them to high school, college and career success. Visit BUILD here.
Callisto
Callisto is a trauma-informed, online sexual assault/harassment reporting system designed to create a more empowering reporting experience for survivors and facilitate the identification of repeat assailants. Visit Callisto here.
Figure Skating in Harlem
Figure Skating in Harlem moves women forward by providing girls from underserved communities with holistic programming, including access to vital educational, leadership, health and wellness services that they are lacking in order to support their long-term success. Visit Figure Skating in Harlem here.
Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA)
The Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) is a secular nonprofit that delivers innovative healthcare programs in resource-deprived regions in Africa, especially those most affected by HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Visit GAIA here.
Girls Write Now
Girls Write Now’s mission is to mentor underserved young women to find their voices through the power of writing and community. Visit Girls Write Now here.
Hot Bread Kitchen
Hot Bread Kitchen is a nonprofit social enterprise that creates economic opportunity through careers in food. Hot Bread’s workforce development program, Bakers in Training, supports low-income and immigrant women in achieving economic security, with 100% of participants living below the poverty line when they enroll. Visit Hot Bread Kitchen here.
International Women’s Health Coalition
The International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC) advances the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and young people, particularly adolescent girls, in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Visit IWHC here.
Mercado Global
Mercado Global is a nonprofit with a mission to transform the lives of women. We create beautiful and thoughtfully designed accessories that not only have the ability to transform an outfit, they can empower an entire community of indigenous women. Visit Mercado Global here.
Plan International USA
Plan International USA’s WomenLead Institute offers unique women-centered programs, including training, coaching, and networking, which are designed to maximize women’s leadership potential, promote gender equality, and advance sustainable development in communities around the world. Visit Plan here.
Rising Tide Capital
Rising Tide Capital’s mission is to assist low-income entrepreneurs and communities to build strong businesses that transform lives, strengthen families and create vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods. Visit Rising Tide Capital here.
SHE-CAN
SHE-CAN (Supporting Her Education Changes A Nation) builds female leadership in post-conflict countries. Visit SHE-CAN here.
Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE)
Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE) is a social enterprise whose mission is to invest in people and ideas that are typically overlooked (and often taboo) to drive social and economic change. SHE’s first initiative, SHE28, was launched in 2009 in Rwanda to address a global problem: girls’ and women’s lack of affordable menstrual products. Visit SHE here.
Thistle Farms
Thistle Farms is a sanctuary for healing for women survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking and prostitution. Visit Thistle Farms here.
Trickle Up
Trickle Up helps people in extreme poverty and vulnerability advance their economic and social well-being. Visit Trickle Up here.
Women for Women International
Women for Women International (WfWI) has supported more than 475,000 women since its founding in 1993. In conflict-affected countries, WfWI supports the most impoverished and marginalized women to earn and save money, improve health and well-being, influence decisions in their homes and communities, and connect to networks for support. Visit Women for Women International here.
Women’s Refugee Commission
The Women’s Refugee Commission is dedicated to improving the lives and protecting the rights of women, children, and youth displaced by conflict and crisis. Visit Women’s Refugee Commission here.
Women’s World Banking
Women’s World Banking is a global nonprofit working with financial service providers, governments and investors to promote women’s financial inclusion, so they can build security and prosperity for themselves and their families. Visit Women’s World Banking here.
