Two billion people live in poverty worldwide, a "bottom billion" in extreme poverty - the vast majority of them women. Women Thrive Worldwide brings together international, national, and local nonprofits to focus attention on women in developing countries and advocate for change in critical US international assistance and trade policies. This means pressing lawmakers to direct aid to poverty alleviation programs that benefit women, because research shows that womem invest in their families, bringing the highest return on investments to reduce poverty. Two of Women Thrive's main initiatives are passage of the GROWTH Act (millions of dollars in resources for women’s economic opportunity programs) and the International Violence Against Women Act. In 2007 Women Thrive helped 1 million women in Lesotho gain legal equality with men. In 2008 it helped catalyze over $1.4 billion in new programs for women and girls. Honored with a 2008 four-star rating from Charity Navigator, Women Thrive helps women and children realize their full potential - and that’s a powerful thing.
IN THE MEDIA
Donors and Aid Agency Projects Urged to Include the Needs of Women FarmersPosted Mon Nov 17 2008 by Women Thrive Worldwide (formerly Women's Edge Coalition) The former head of the World Food Program, Catherine Bertini, says the needs of African women farmers need to be considered by donors and national governments if the continent is to become food self-sufficient. Ms. Bertini is now a senior fellow in agricultural development with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She made her remarks at an event for a Washington-based NGO that promotes programs for the poor in the developing world called Women Thrive Worldwide.
All over the globe, women are victims of the credit crisisPosted Thu Oct 23 2008 by Women Thrive Worldwide (formerly Women's Edge Coalition) Ritu Sharma, co-founder and president of Women Thrive Worldwide, shares her thoughts on the economic crisis and its impact on women, "as it threatens to reverse the remarkable gains they have made in recent years."
Aid funds not enough, groups sayPosted Wed Jun 18 2008 by Women Thrive Worldwide (formerly Women's Edge Coalition) Food shortages in several countries, the catastrophic cyclone in Burma and a growing number of Iraqi refugees pouring into Jordan are all competing for attention —and money — on Capitol Hill. The growing list of priorities may mean that a few lesser-known projects in places like Burkina Faso, one of the world’s poorest countries, could be lost in the money shuffle.
Disasters take greatest toll on womenPosted Sat May 17 2008 by Women Thrive Worldwide (formerly Women's Edge Coalition) This op-ed piece by Women Thrive Worldwide President Ritu Sharma Fox discusses the added difficulties for women in coping with natural disasters.
Female stars to launch new campaign to aid poor women, girlsPosted Mon Apr 14 2008 by Women Thrive Worldwide (formerly Women's Edge Coalition) A stellar alliance of women from government, advocacy groups, faith-based organizations and Hollywood launched a major anti-poverty campaign Sunday to help poor women and girls around the world. The alliance, which has the backing of Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Queen Noor of Jordan, and former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, among other luminaries, announced it had amassed fundraising commitments of $1.481 billion at its first summit held at Washington's National Cathedral.
