As the Chinese proverb states, “Women hold up half the sky.” Although women are half the world’s population, we bear the brunt of injustice around the world.   

 The John Glenn School of Public Affairs will host Pulitzer Prize winner, Sheryl WuDunn at The Barbara K. Fergus Women in Leadership lecture series. The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio is proud to sponsor the event.

Sheryl WuDunn is co-author of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a New York Times best-selling book about the challenges facing women around the globe. Half the Sky is a passionate call to arms against the global oppression of women.

Together we will hear the heart wrenching tales of the major abuses of women throughout the world, listen to the inspiring stories of extraordinary women turning their oppression into opportunity, and learn how together we can make a difference-- join us.

When:  Monday, November 14, 2011at 4:00 p.m.

Where: Ohio Union, Archie Griffin Ballroom

1739 North High Street

Columbus, OH 43210

The lecture is free of charge and open to the public, but seating is limited. Follow this link to reserve your space today! 

October 7, 2011 was a historic day. On that Friday morning three women– Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni protest leader Tawakkul Karman– were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”

As we celebrate this victory, we must also recognize their journey. Share in this moment– tune in to WOSU on Tuesday, October 18th at 9pm for the second film in the Women, War and Peace series, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, starring Nobel Prize winner Leymah Gbowee.

Join us on Monday, October 24th from 5:30-7:15pm at the Arena Grand Theatre as we continue this important conversation with producer of Women, War and Peace, Abigail Disney.

You know that show that catches you on television; the one that you didn’t know you cared about but was so compelling, you couldn’t stop watching?  Or the video that becomes viral because it touches something in each of us we didn’t know was there?  Or the group of women you don’t see often enough but when you do, it feeds you for months afterwards? 

That feeling, that profound connection with our humanity, is why you want to see Abby Disney.  We see the violence on television, war torn countries with bloody streets and white sheet-covered bodies.  For us the story may be a two minute news spot.  For those living in war torn countries, it is their life. 

We often hear of military casualties, we might even hear the language “collateral damage”.  Abby Disney puts a face and a story to the women who are disproportionately impacted by war and subsequently left out of the peace-building process.  You will feel the intensity of the situation and you will also hear the stories of hope, reconciliation and deep, lasting peace.

Women, War and Peace is a series that you will want to record and watch with your family (not for young children!)  Share the experience of listening and learning from Abby Disney on October 24^th.  Bring your partner, your girlfriends and your humanity to spend some time with a woman who brings the often silenced voices of women to public television.

You won’t want to miss the opportunity to meet Abby Disney in person on:

October 24^th, 2011

5:30-7:30 p.m.

Arena Grand Theater

Click here for tickets.

Program provided with support from The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio and WOSU Public Media.

We walk down the aisle at the grocery store and pick up a box of Cheerios. Cheerios = a healthy heart, right? (Those precious commercials of children feeding their parents cereal to show how much they love them have obviously had an effect on me.) Healthy choices are important in all of our lives, but how much do we really know about the health issues which affect us the most?

Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans. According to a survey recently completed by Ohio State’s Ross Heart Hospital, only 22 percent of Ohio women understand the danger of cardiovascular disease. Close to 75 percent of women surveyed reported at least one risk factor for heart disease, but only about 25 percent identified themselves at risk. When 500,000 American women lose their lives to heart disease each year, knowledge of the risk factors is incredibly important.

On Wednesday, September 14 from 9-11am, join an amazing team of female cardiologists, dietitians, and researchers at The Blackwell Inn for a free presentation: Strong at Heart—What Every Woman Needs to Know.

Topics will include:

• Heart at Work: Understanding How to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
• Recipe for Life: Heart-Healthy Recipes and Tastings
• Groove Is in the Heart: Moving Your Way to a Healthy Heart
• Hormone Rage: Understanding Issues Related to HRT
• 2011 American Heart Association Guidelines: How They Apply to Women

We all want to be healthy, for our friends, for our families, for ourselves. Call 1-800-293-5123 to reserve your seat and join us on September 14^th!

Written by Kathleen Kishman

Have you seen the Autism Speaks commercials – the ones that start with a distant connection to Autism gradually becoming a very personal one? That’s sort of how I feel about LGBT issues. Maybe 10 or 15 years ago, conceiving the notion of same-sex marriages was still far-out. Today – not so much.

Picture your life now. Picture what you day-dreamed about when you were a little kid. Probably somewhere in there, you imagined your wedding day down to the smallest details – the flowers, the hair, the music, the kiss. There might not be too many of us who pictured sharing those moments with a partner of the same sex. Now as adults, you might have friends or relatives who do picture their big day like that.

On the heels of National LGBT Pride month and local equality celebrations, same-sex marriage remains at the fore-front of many a debate. In a time when some states revoked their acceptance, New York recently legalized same-sex marriages. As Pride month winds down, I encourage you to consider your stance on the matter. Research, reflect, the whole bit. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, just make it informed.

So to our Friends of the Fund affected by this movement – here’s to the progress made, and the progress yet to come.

Written by: Hallie Kloots

Today marks the thirty-ninth anniversary of the enactment of the landmark legislation Title IX. After hearing about this celebratory event, it occurred to me that I, like many, know very little about this amendment. I found myself wondering, it has something to do with sports and women, right? For those of us who have never known a time before this legislation, the impact Title IX has had on our lives may not be so clear. So what is Title IX?

Starting with the basics, Title IX states:

No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid.

So what does this look like? Before Title IX many universities refused to admit female students. Today, women are furthering their education in greater numbers than men.[1] Between 1970 and 2000, the number of women enrolled in college grew 136 percent.[2] In 1971, there were less than 300,000 female high school athletes in all of the United States. In 2008, female high school athletes totaled over 3 million—that’s an increase of 940 percent![3] Before Title IX, many schools enforced a policy of expelling pregnant students. Under Title IX, this policy of expulsion is unlawful. Schools must offer pregnant teens the same quality of education as is available for all students.[4]

Obviously, the effect Title IX has had on the status of women and girls is incredible; however, we still have a lot of work to do before we reach social equality.  Although women now have increased access to higher education, they often face hostile learning environments in nontraditional disciplines. Today women receive only 18 percent of undergraduate engineering degrees. [5] High school girls today have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to participate in sports than boys. [6] One-quarter to one-third of female dropouts declare pregnancy as their reason for leaving school.[7] Many districts are still discriminating against pregnant students, making it incredibly difficult to balance being both a student and a parent.

With this anniversary let’s reflect on the opportunities Title IX has afforded young women and recognize the need for improvements. We must support other women: attend a women’s soccer game; ask your district about their policy on dealing with pregnancy and what programs they offer parenting students. Take action. How has Title IX affected your life and how can we increase its impact for future generations?

[1]http://www.titleix.info/10-Key-Areas-of-Title-IX/Access-to-Higher-Education.aspx

[2]http://education-portal.com/articles/Leaving_Men_Behind:_Women_Go_to_College_in_Ever-Greater_Numbers.html

[3]http://www.aauw.org/act/laf/library/athleticStatistics.cfm

[4]http://www.titleix.info/10-Key-Areas-of-Title-IX/Education-for-Pregnant-and-Parenting-Students.aspx

[5]http://www.titleix.info/10-Key-Areas-of-Title-IX/Access-to-Higher-Education.aspx

[6]http://www.aahperd.org/nagws/programs/ngwsd/

[7]http://www.titleix.info/10-Key-Areas-of-Title-IX/Education-for-Pregnant-and-Parenting-Students.aspx

Written by: Kathleen Kishman

You’ve read about our grant partners, but now we want to share with you these powerful videos of grant programs in action. Follow the link below to hear testimonies from participants in programs from Doma International, CATCO-Pheonix and Rwanda Women in Action.

Doma: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLs2bR0Raa0

CATCO-Pheonix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSTofN6l0dE

Rwanda Women in Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ttknpOq4tw

“Teach a woman to fish, she’ll feed the whole village.”

-Hillary Rodham Clinton

 Put a woman in power, she’ll feed the whole world.

That is what Josette Sheeran is striving to do. In her role as Executive Director of the World Food Programme (the food aid branch of the United Nations), Sheeran oversees more than 80 of the world’s poorest countries, providing food to 90 million people last year alone. She is one of the individuals featured in the 10 Most Powerful Women at the United Nations, a list leading up to Forbes’ The 100 Most Powerful Women 2011 due to be released in August.

Also included on that list are Valerie Amos, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, and Helen Clark, equally high-ranking and prominent officials, essential to the operations of the UN. There is Angela Kane, the Under-Secretary-General for Management, who supports tasks of the UN Secretariat, and Susana Malcorra, who directs field operations in her role as the Under-Secretary-General and Head of the Department of Field Support. Michelle Bachelet and Radhika Coomaraswamy work to protect the rights of those too oft-forgotten and mistreated: women and children. Together, Patricia O’Brien and Navanehtem Pillay direct the legal concerns of the UN in their positions as Under-Secretary General for Legal Affairs and the UN Legal Counsel and The High Commissioner for Human Rights respectively. All ten of the women are members of the UN Senior Management Group.

And all ten of the women use their positions in power to feed, rescue, care for, and protect those in the world. Just imagine what ten million in power could do.  

Click on this link to read the article, The 10 Most Powerful Women at the United Nations, written by Avril David: http://blogs.forbes.com/avrildavid/2011/05/02/the-10-most-powerful-women-at-the-united-nations/

Written by: Eleanor Rooke

We send you our many thanks for the inspiration, celebration, and success experienced at Keyholder with Goldie Hawn!

Your generosity raised $400,000 to further positive social change for women and girls in central Ohio.  How awesome?! 

And to everyone who made a tribute – wow!  We love hearing your stories.  If you missed it or want to see that fabulous video one more time, you can do so by clicking the image at the top of this page.

If you weren’t able to make a donation at the show, there is still time to double your money and have your contribution matched dollar for dollar.  Just click here. 

Until we see you next, stay connected with The Fund on Facebook and Twitter for other news and upcoming events.

The Getting Ahead program blogged about earlier this week was derived from the Bridges Out of Poverty curriculum—a program based around raising awareness about the truths of those in poverty, middle class, and wealth, specifically highlighting the hidden “rules” that govern all of our lives (whether we are conscious of them or not). “Bridges” gives a new lens through which we can view the whole of our community, including ourselves, our neighbors, and the systems that affect us all. Kathleen Kishman and I had the privilege to attend a half day Bridges Out of Poverty workshop yesterday led by Louise Seipel. I think everyone, whether he or she is in social service, health care, law enforcement, or simply living in our community, can benefit from what was taught:

• “An individual brings with him/her the hidden rules of the class in which he/she was raised.” A key point in the curriculum, we need to be aware of the hidden rules found not only in our personal lives, but in the societies and socio-economic groups around us. The mental models of those in poverty, the middle class, and the wealthy are different, down to the very things that drive us and what we give the highest value in our lives. People in poverty tend to think in the present, in survival mode, while those in the middle class can (literally) afford to be more future thinking. For the poor, Relationships are of the utmost. For those in the middle class it is Achievement. For the wealthy, Connections. And these driving forces can be seen everywhere. For example:
  • When regarding food, the greatest concerns are:
    • For those in Poverty: Did you have enough?
    • For those in the Middle Class: Did you like it?
    • For those in Wealth: Was it presented well?
  • When regarding one’s destiny:
    • For those in Poverty:  Believe in fate, cannot do much to mitigate change
    • For those in the Middle Class: Believe in choice, can change future with good choices now
    • For those in Wealth: Noblesse Oblige 

We need to be aware of the hidden rules to better partner with others and help them toward success.

• “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.” – Dr. James Comer Relationships are a strength of those in poverty. Therefore, a gift of charity is no gift at all if one has not established a relationship with the person they are giving to, if they don’t know what that person truly needs. Rather than judging or even mentoring, take the time to get to know someone in poverty first.

          Actually, we might apply this to everyone we come across.

Written by: Eleanor Rooke

As you may know, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It is incredibly important to become educated not only on the topics of safety and prevention, but also on the issues which victims of sexual assault face each day.

Let’s take a look at the facts. In America, 1 out of every 6 women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. How does this trauma affect the lives and well-being of so many women? The annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence is estimated as $727.8 million with over 7.9 million paid workdays lost per year.[1] Studies have shown 75 percent of women in treatment programs for drug and alcohol addictions report having been sexually abused.[2] Nearly 90 percent of women who have become dependent upon alcohol endured severe violence at the hands of a parent or were sexually abused as a child.[3]

Last Friday, The Women’s Fund had the privilege of attending Portraits of Recovery, a luncheon created by our Grant Partner Amethyst, Inc. At this event three amazing women shared their testimonies of abuse and recovery. Although the factors which led to their addictions varied, each of these women attributed their ability to share their own story of struggle and success because of Amethyst’s comprehensive program.  Amethyst offers drug and alcohol treatment for women, which addresses economic self-sufficiency, supportive services and trauma counseling. This program takes into account the role traumatic experiences can play in addiction and the recovery process if left untreated.

We are lucky and proud to partner with Amethyst, which understands the effects of sexual assault are lasting and can play a significant role in the future of the individual and the lives that they touch. These three brave women undoubtedly touched each of us, and we want their stories to be heard. Sexual assault is not acceptable, and it needs to stop – now is the time.

[1] Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, 2003

[2] American Journal on Addictions, June 1997

[3] Journal of Traumatic Stress, December 1999

Written by: Kathleen Kishman

Women’s rights have never been easy to come by. Even today in the “free world,” women continually fight uphill battles to attain rights to suffrage, property ownership, and equal pay. Although women’s equality still has a long way to go, women this year:

• Gained workers’ rights. Basic labor protections now extend to women who are employed in other people’s homes. Domestic workers around the world came together to advocate for equal rights. In June, the International Labor Organization (ILO) granted these rights.
• Established a strong voice at the UN. Former Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, now directs UN Women, a superagency within the United Nations that leads efforts for gender equality and women’s rights globally.
• Successfully used CEDAW in a rape case. Karen Vertido’s rape allegations were dismissed by the Philippine government due to “gender-based myths and stereotypes.” Women turned to the Optional Protocol of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and the UN to overturn this case. Their appeal granted Vertido a fair chance at justice, marking the first rape case victory through CEDAW.
• Achieved equal treatment under the law. Women in Libya, Palestine, Tunisia, and Yemen are now enjoying equal nationality laws. These laws ensure nationality rights to children, even if their parents are from different countries. This guarantees women and children access to education, health care, employment, and other basic resources.

Now these events are forever a part of history, and they put the women of today on the same historical map as Susan B. Anthony, Mary McLeod Bethune, Lucy Burns and all the women’s activists of yesterday. Our history is our strength, and the achievements up to today lay the foundation for all women to continue toward equality.

Women’s equality, though, is more than the passing of bills, advocating for rights, and holding government positions. It starts with each of us taking pride in ourselves and not settling for just what we are given. So in celebration of Women’s History Month, take a moment to reflect on where we’ve been and where we are now, and to realize that you are a vital contributor to where we are headed.

To read about these and other achievements by women in the past year, click here: http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/03/08/top-10-wins-for-womens-movements/

Written by: Hallie Kloots

On February 16, 2011, we released The Snapshot of Girls in Central Ohio in conjunction with a CMC Luncheon. In case you weren’t able to join us at the luncheon, or want to revisit your experience, here’s a link to the video from the panel discussion! Share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

A few weeks ago, we released The Snapshot of Girls in Central Ohio report. The report includes detailed statistics about the condition and needs of girls in our area. Ruling Our eXperiences, a partnering organization in the research and WFCO grant partner, is working to help girls gain self-confidence and reverse some of the dismal statistics reported by central Ohio girls. Check out this article about ROX in the Bexley News.

Today, we are excited to bring you the One Girl: A Snapshot of Girls in Central Ohio. The report comes as the result of nearly two years of survey results from over 2,000 girls and data collection on girls in grades 5 through 12 and is the first compilation of its kind.

In 2009, we completed the One Girl: The Status of Girls in Central Ohio report. It told us about the 200,000 girls living the central Ohio right now.  Since girls aren’t just numbers, we surveyed 2,300 of them in grades 5 through 12 and asked them some questions.  You would be surprised at what we found.

The report is a product of the One Girl Initiative, a partnership between The Women’s Fund and other area non-profits and funders. The goal of the initiative was to learn more about girls so that dollars can be strategically invested in girl-serving organizations. In Fall 2009, The Women’s Fund of Central, The Columbus Foundation, Nationwide Insurance, and Cardinal Health awarded an initial investment in the development of a holistic approach to helping girls reach their full potential. The collaborative of girl-serving organizations includes: The Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, The Interprofessional Commission of Ohio, Ruling Our eXperiences, The Mentoring Center, and the YWCA of Columbus.

The One Girl Status and the Snapshot provide a groundbreaking look at the status of girls in central Ohio.  This report contains facts from the experts -  girls themselves. Some of the data is staggering, some very encouraging. Girls have a lot on their plates, maybe more than we realized. These 200,000 girls are the future of our community. Knowing and understanding their needs are vital pieces to helping them reach their full potential.

Click here to read the full report.