Dear Friends,

Spring greetings from the Global Fund for Women!

We face challenging times. Over the past few months, we have received heart-rending messages from grantee partners in places such as Cambodia, Gaza and Zimbabwe describing the toll that war and the global economic crisis are taking upon body, mind and community.

As the head of a foundation that raises public dollars each year to support women’s rights organizations around the world, I see available government and charitable resources shrinking because of this economic crisis. We all face hard choices; yet cutting support to women’s groups around the world will make an ominous forecast graver. Though the crisis is hitting woman and girls hard, they remain the single most effective investment we can make to improve prospects for peace, stability and equitable development.

The positive impact of investing in women is now widely documented by governments, business and multilateral agencies. In a study of India’s economic transformation, the World Bank found that states with the highest percentage of women in the labor force grew the fastest and had the largest reductions in poverty. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff reported on a study of banks showing that those with 30% women in senior management were more rational in their lending. Most recently, Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum said, “Greater representation of women in senior leadership positions within governments and financial institutions is vital not only to find solutions to the current economic turmoil, but to stave off such crises in the future.”

Indeed, women are highly effective business and social entrepreneurs who are capable of doing much with very little. As you read this issue of the newsletter, please remember that these remarkable achievements have been made possible thanks to your sustained generosity. We value gifts of every size – for it is collectively that we make a difference. We also ask you to speak out in support of increased investments in women’s potential and solutions. Share your passion with friends, on Facebook, at dinner conversations… each of us can do our part to bring women’s perspectives, talents and solutions to light.

With hope,

Kavita N. Ramdas
President & CEO