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Educate to Lead for Global Impact
Educate to Lead for Global Impact
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May Report
This year as Global Impact Ambassadors, we have been travelling to Regions and Cluster clubs in the UK speaking about the the SI Educate to Lead Programme of Work, and particularly focussing on “The Life Course of a Female”. We mentioned this in the February issue of Soroptimist News, and you can find more information on the SIGBI website – Members’ Area → Programme Action → Educate to Lead Long Term Project → Supplement 1 Educating, Empowering, Enabling, what you can do.
After the wonderful success of our Organisation at the CSW meetings in New York, where the priority theme was Violence against women, we would like to focus on the campaign “One Billion Rising”. This campaign was taken up particularly by our clubs in India.
SI Pune Metro East (pictured), in the wake of a Global call “Enough is Enough” – a call to end violence against women, decided to make a public stand, and demand an end to these forms of violence. A member stated “Violence against women comes in many forms and colours. In the light of the horrific gang rape – the issue of gender violence has taken centre stage. In India the violence against women has soaring figures and continues unabated. Besides gender, inequalities exist in caste, creed, Region and colour and women are at the receiving end”. The club joined the “One Billion Rising” campaign, asking women to rise, dance and demand an end to these forms of violence. Members raised banners and spoke out in public places demanding gender equality, and providing leadership to the silent majority”.
The club then decided to take this further and to focus on preparing future generations with sensitivity to gender issues. They have prepared a module with the expertise of a professional councillor on physical, mental and emotional changes, dealing with menstruation, sexuality and relationships. Sessions are conducted for girls, boys and parents, in the hope that future generations of girls will be better prepared to cope with the changes of adolescence and keep themselves safe.
As part of the One Billion Rising initiative SI Kings Lynn helped to raise awareness of positive relationships by handing out to the public ‘Loves Me loves Me Not’ bookmarks. SI Kodaikanal raised funds to run a seminar that included providing attendees with knowledge on how to empower themselves and giving them information of their legal rights.
These are just a few of the examples of the way clubs are taking the life course approach in their project work and giving women and girls confidence to ‘find their voice’ and become empowered members of their communities.
Sue Challoner and Helen Owen
Global Impact Ambassadors
About “Educate to Lead for Global Impact”
Ambassadors: Sue Challoner and Helen Owen
Soroptimist International, as a worldwide organisation for women is working to transform the lives of women and girls through education and leadership.
Soroptimists educate with skills and empower women and girls with confidence giving them the ability to achieve their fullest potential. Looking beyond the individual, Soroptimists work locally and globally to enable opportunities through advocacy and awareness raising so that women and girls can use their skills and confidence as leaders and role models in the wider community.
You can read about Soroptimist activities around the world in the annual Global Impact Report.
This new report was launched in October 2012. The primary focus for this report is on Soroptimist work in Education and Leadership for Sustainable Development.
As Global Impact Ambassadors we would encourage you to look at the members area of the website under Programme Action – Educate to Lead where you will find the 2011 report, an executive summary and other resources.
This year we will be happy to continue, at your invitation, to give a presentation and run workshops on this programme to Regions, Regional Programme Action Meetings or clusters of clubs.
Please contact us direct or ask Federation Office for our contact details.