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Below are photos of three women who have been agents of change in their cultures and countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Afghanistan). To learn about a group that is devoted to empowering women and girls worldwide, keep reading this blog.
As most of you know, for the past year I've tried to introduce readers to women in different parts of the world who are making a difference. Today, however, I'd like to tell you about an organization that is designed to help students become advocates for those who need help, volunteer their help and/or study abroad in the developing world where women and girls can benefit by becoming more empowered.
Stirring The Fire is a movement designed to restore balance between the feminine and masculine qualities and values that affect cultures, institutions and our lives. The pictures above above are part of Stirring The Fire: a global movement to empower women and girls, which is a multimedia exhibition by Phil Borges.
The photography and films are designed to inspire those who want to get involved with specific women's issues internationally. In the words of Isabel Allende, this work brings us "...face to face with heroes - remote and mostly unknown women - on the edge of a slow but steady transformation, bringing social and economic justice to women and girls worldwide."
The United Nations Development Program, the World Bank, and even the Joint Chiefs of Staff understand that empowering women (which helps fight poverty and builds stability in the developing world) is crucial to our security as well.
Did you know that in much of the world women support and care for their families, grow and prepare the food, collect fuel and water, and yet (because of social and economic discrimination) are unable to attend school, earn money or take part in civic (i.e., governmental) life?
Stirring The Fire brought these statistics to my attention, and I want to share them with you:
- Out of the 900 million illiterate adults on the planet, 2/3 are women.
- Half of the world's food is produced by women, but they only own 1% of the farmland
- Only 15% of the elected legislatures in the world are female.
Phil Borges feels passionately about the need to improve the lives of women and girls everywhere. According to him, "When women are free to make the most of their skills and ideas, they create a rising tide that lifts all boats."
If you would like to be a part of this movement, click on http://www.stirringthefire.org/.
Looking forward to your comments...
Thank you so much for informing me about the women of Stirring the Fire. What brave souls. It seems that these women are really going the distance to make the world a better place and your blog telling the world about these works is doing it's share as well.
ReplyDeleteI so appreciate how this blog has both variety and intelligence in the subjects- women covered. It's a must read for everyone.