Celebrate Breaking Through: Gender Equality in Asia & the Pacific

In 2008, Global Fund for Women launched the Breakthrough Project –– a three-year, $2.2 million investment to catalyze strategic, breakthrough, actions to advance gender equality in Asia and the Pacific. A new, independent evaluation of the project documents impact and captures learning.

History of the Global Fund

The Global Fund for Women was founded by three ordinary but bold women from Palo Alto, California who dreamed of creating a different way to connect people and ideas around the globe: Anne Firth Murray, Founding President, Frances Kissling and Laura Lederer.

They were convinced that women’s human rights and dignity were essential to the advancement of global agendas for social, economic, and political change. They believed that by putting resources into the hands of grassroots women leaders, women would change the world. Frustrated by traditional philanthropy’s lack of interest in funding women’s groups and human rights, these three women founded the Global Fund for Women—and made the first contributions.

By funding and linking grantees, donors, activists, and policymakers, we can proudly claim to have fostered a truly global network of women and men committed to a world of equality and social justice.

The Global Fund has been a catalyst in the global women’s rights movement since 1987 by mobilizing nearly $85 million from 20,000+ diverse individuals and institutions and in turn, providing grants to 4200 groups in 171 countries. In 2010 alone, our efforts reached 125,000 women and girls and benefited thousands more.

Our Mission
We advance the rights of women and girls worldwide by increasing the resources for and investing in women-led organizations and women’s collective leadership for change.

Our Vision
We envision a just, equitable and sustainable world in which women and girls have resources, voice choice and opportunities to realize their human rights.

Impact

The Global Fund for Women has played a vital role in catalyzing women’s rights movements around the world. And for nearly 25 years, Global Fund grantees have demonstrated the power of these movements and the impact of holistic, community-based, women-led initiatives for social change.

What injustices do women and girls in Asia and the Pacific face?

• 2.6 million – Girls and women in Asia each year who are never born due to prenatal sex selection or who die prematurely from abuse or maternal mortality.
• 48% – Of judges in India believe it is justifiable for a man to beat his wife. (Despite existing laws criminalizing domestic violence.)
• 0 – The number of days off per week that most women domestic workers (i.e. live-in maids, cooks, nannies) are permitted.

How did Global Fund for Women catalyze change?

Grantmaking

• Over $2.2 million in flexible funding
• Long-term partnerships
• Support for networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration
• 58% of grants to rural communities
• Over 1/3 of funding for adolescent girls

Outcomes

• 125 high-impact organizations funded
• 71% increased organizational capacity and/or sustainability
• 71% expanded their networks
• 66% increased public visibility and/ or media coverage of their work

Impact

• Benefitted 554,299 girls and women, men and boys
• New laws against domestic violence passed in 3 countries
• Increased women’s participation in local government in Nepal and India
• Rural women increased access to land and financial services
• Domestic workers secured basic rights at the ILO

 

“The Global Fund for Women took on one of the most challenging of all of the Millennium Development Goals — MDG 3 —the goal of gender equality.

Specifically, the Global Fund Breakthrough Project promoted gender equality and women’s empowerment in areas that require strong women-led activism: to end violence against women, promote women’s participation in politics and public administration, and secure property, inheritance rights and broader employment opportunities for women.

These are three distinctly important pillars of gender equality and women’s empowerment.”

• Brooke Ackerly, Vanderbilt University
• Evaluation of the “Breakthrough Project: Catalyzing 
• Activism to Achieve MDG3 in Asia

Read the Report
 

 

Download ‘pdf‘

 

 

UP-COMING EVENTS

New York: Global Fund for Women 25TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2013
Cipriani 42nd Street, New York, NY

BUY TICKETS HERE

 
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2013
San Francisco, California

BUY TICKETS HERE

 
25TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
 

Global Movement Builder $100,000
Includes premiere dinner seating for 20 guests and invitation for you and your guests to VIP reception; Prominent recognition as ‘Global Movement Builder’ in all printed materials, press, on screen at event and on website; On-stage acknowledgement; two Global Fund for Women grantees or programs staff to sit with you and guests at the event; Opportunities to travel globally with Global Fund for Women; 10 tickets to the Women’s Human Rights Symposium in the fall of 2013 in San Francisco

Global Champion $50,000
Includes dinner table with priority seating for 10 guests and invitation for you and your guests to VIP reception; Recognition as ‘Global Champion in all printed materials, press, on screen at event and on website; On-stage acknowledgement; Opportunities to travel globally with Global Fund for Women; 5 tickets to the Women’s Human Rights Symposium in the fall of 2013 in San Francisco

Global Visionary $25,000
Includes dinner table with seating for 10 guests and invitation for you and your guests to VIP reception; Recognition as ‘Global Visionary’ in all printed materials, on screen at event and on website; 2 tickets to the Women’s Human Rights Symposium in the fall of 2013 in San Francisco

Global Leader $10,000
Includes dinner table with seating for 10 guests and invitation for you and your guests to VIP reception; Name listing on event signage, printed program and on website

Global Ally $5,000
Includes seating for 5 at the dinner; VIP reception; Name listed in printed program

Global Activist $1,000
Individual seat at the dinner; VIP reception; Name listing in printed program

Individual Ticket $500
Individual seat at the dinner

Young Professional Ticket $250
Individual seat at the dinner (Must be 35 or younger; limited tickets available)

For sponsorship information or inquiries:

In New York, contact Buckley Hall Events, 914/579-1000
[email protected]

In San Francisco, contact Jenna Payne, 415/248-4855
[email protected]

Ticket purchases and event sponsorships less fair market value are tax-deductible per IRS regulations.