The State of Global Citizen Commitments for Girls & Women March 2017 – Version 1.0 A Global Citizen Accountability Report
Girls & Women Girls and women are essential to building healthier, better-educated and sustainable communities. Women and girls are too often afflicted with some of the harshest aspects of poverty. Instead of victims, women and girls can be powerful community leaders. Global Citizen's work and impact on Girls & Women Since 2012, Global Citizens have taken 1.59 million actions toward girls and women initiatives. These actions, combined with our high-level advocacy, and the efforts of partners across the development sector, saw 21 new commitments and 12 announcements in support of gender equality. These commitments and announcements are focused on: • Cross-cutting issues and accountability through The Girl Agenda. • Abolishing discriminatory laws. • Ending child marriage. • Health and family planning. • Getting girls into school. • Women's economic empowerment. • Supporting NGOs and the International Community.
Global Goal 5
Global Citizen GIRLS & WOMEN IMPACT since 2012: • 1.59m Global Citizen actions • 21 Commitments • 12 Further Announcements • $630.25 Million Dollars _________________________ 8.64 million lives
set to be affected by 2030
Girls & Women Impact and accountability - methodology
Impact methodology
Accountability methodology
Global Citizen has adopted "lives set to be affected" as our main indicator of impact for commitments made through our platforms. We made this decision to focus on the outcomes in people's lives arising from the financial or policy commitments, rather than the inputs.
Accountability is the term we use for ensuring intended impact transforms into actual lives impacted as promised. It is our core evidence based tool to celebrate successes, hold commitment makers to account through follow-on campaigning, and to learn lessons to drive new campaigning efforts.
We consider a Global Citizen commitment to have been made when the commitment is new, and announced on our stage, and to have been driven in a significant way by the actions of Global Citizens, as well as our own high level advocacy efforts, conducted with partners.
Global Citizen's accountability methodology is an ongoing iteration of our impact methodology. At the heart of the process is continuing open dialogue with the partners that originally made the commitment, alongside our original campaigning partners where appropriate, and the multilateral organizations and NGOs receiving those delivering on or receiving those commitments.
Since Global Citizen is an advocacy and campaigning organization, we rely on our partners— a combination of commitment makers, NGOs and multilateral organizations —to provide data to calculate lives set to be affected, and later, lives impacted. However, our due diligence processes are all conducted in-house by our Impact team, in partnership with our Global Policy and Advocacy team.
Increasingly, we hope to see Global Citizens in developing countries themselves contributing to our monitoring processes, starting in India with our partner TGELF.
Within the context of Girls & Women, Global Citizen counts the number of people to directly benefit from interventions that each commitment is set to deliver as lives set to be affected. However, for a number of our early commitments, particularly those originating from Global Citizen Festival 2012, our impact indicator was funds raised. In these cases, no lives were counted as set to be affected at the time. However, we have counted lives impacted where our partners have published a clear correlating number benefiting from the implementation of the funds they promised to raise.
For each commitment, Global Citizen reaches out to all appropriate sources for information and expert insight on the progress achieved to date, including from an independent source when possible. We also conduct significant independent desk research of our own. We also strive to collate evidence of on the ground impact to help visualize the nature of the impact in practice, as well as conduct desk research for additional supporting information. However, since most commitments are not bi-lateral, most examples provided are windows into how similar funds have been utilized, rather than necessarily the specific funds of the donor, which will have been allocated centrally by the multilateral coordinating on the ground efforts.
For a detailed explanation of what counts as a life set to be affected, please visit https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-we-know-the-global-citizen-festival-isset-to/
Impact & Accountability Progress Summary Breakdown of status of Global Citizen girls & women commitments and announcements at March 2017
Traffic Lights Summary
2 commitments exceeded target
20 commitments complete or on track to complete on target
2 commitments progressing with some risk
0 commitments at risk of not meeting target/ off track
1 commitment abandoned Our impact team researched and sought progress information against all our girls & women commitments and announcements and gave each one a status: • Green indicates commitments that have or will achieve their target lives set to be affected indicator, or exceed it. •
Amber indicates commitments that are achieving reasonable successes but have highlighted reasonable challenges, or where it is too soon to tell if the commitment is progressing well in the context.
•
Red indicates commitments that are at significant risk of not meeting their target, or that have been abandoned.
•
Grey indicates commitments where the commitment was made too recently to report on their progress.
8 too soon to tell.
Impact & Accountability Report findings We are 56.1 percent toward impacting the 8.64 million lives set to be affected by 2030 achieved by Global Citizen Girls and Women commitments and announcements made since 2011.
Percentage lives impacted / Total lives set to be affected
We also confirm that at least $290.76 million has been raised or disbursed toward commitments worth $630.25 million, which is 46.13% of target.
4.85 million lives impacted at March 2017
This report outlines progress against the categories outlined in The Girl Agenda report that Global Citizen jointly wrote in 2016, with two additional areas of work:
—56.1 percent of target 8.64 million lives set to be affected by 2030
•
Accountability: While we have no commitments specifically to see a data revolution on girls and women's issues, we regard this entire report as a contribution toward seeing all efforts toward Global Goal for Sustainable Development number five — Gender Equality — fully measurable, monitored and made transparent. Accountability is also one of the reasons why we have partnered with others on The Girl Agenda.
•
Abolishing discriminatory laws: Five commitments and announcements. One is too soon to tell, two are in progress, and one is complete.
•
Ending child marriage: One announcement, an ongoing campaign and it is too soon to tell the outcome.
•
Health and family planning: 11 commitments and announcements. One is too soon to tell, two are in progress and running on track, and the remaining eight commitments are complete.
•
Getting girls into school: Two commitments and announcements, of which one is progressing on track and the other is complete.
•
Women's economic empowerment: Nine commitments and announcements, with four too soon to tell, three in progress and running on track, one is in progress (with update information yet to be received), while another, also awaiting update information, is thought to be at risk based on publicly available information.
•
Supporting NGOs and the international community: Two commitments of which one has been abandoned while new leadership and future direction is established, and the other — a bundled commitment —- is complete exceeded. The bundled commitment was made on behalf of 14 partners,12 of whom met or exceeded their promises, one completed just shy of their target, and one organization wound up.
Percentage $ raised or disbursed / Total $ committed $290.76 million dollars raised / disbursed at March 2017 —46.13 percent of target $630.25 million dollars committed by 2030
Contents & Accountability Tracker At a glance traffic lights
1
The Girl Agenda Status: Too soon to tell — ongoing campaign
Abolishing Discriminatory Laws
2
Coalition of law firms #LeveltheLaw
3
Commonwealth on legal equality #LeveltheLaw
Status: Too soon to tell — ongoing campaign
Status: In progress — ongoing campaign
4-5
Yazidi case to the ICC #LeveltheLaw a) Sweden b) Belgium
Ending Child Marriage
7
8 9
6
Status: In progress — on track
Status: Too soon to tell — ongoing campaign
Ensuring Health and Family Planning
Status: Complete — ongoing campaign
Pakistan on Honor Killings # Level theLaw
Child Marriage in Tanzania #LeveltheLaw
10
Canada on "poverty is sexist" and She Decides Status: Too soon to tell
Menstrual hygiene and the tampon tax in India Status: In progress — on track
Colombia commits to reduce maternal mortality Status: In progress — on track
Contents & Accountability Tracker At a glance traffic lights
Women's Economic Empowerment
11
Denmark commits to AmplifyChange Fund
12
Denmark commits to UNFPA
Status: Complete
21-24
Status: Complete
WEConnect International: a) Walmart b) Johnson & Johnson c) UPS d) Government of Karnataka Status: Too soon to tell — ongoing campaign
13-18
It Takes Two/ 2% industry pledge a) One Condoms b) L. Condoms c) WomanCare Global d) The Female Health Company e) Naked Condoms f) Global Citizen Status:Complete — broadly on track
25
Mara Foundation empowers entrepreneurs
26
Rwanda on female land ownership
27
Turkey on the workforce gender gap
28
South Africa on youth unemployment
29
Google
Getting Girls into School
19 20
Denmark commits to Unicef Pakistan Status: In progress — on track
Michelle Obama on Girls' Education Status: Complete
Status: In progress —on track
Status: In progress — awaiting update
Status: In progress — on track
Status: In progress — at risk
Status: In progress — on track
Contents & Accountability Tracker At a glance traffic lights Supporting NGOs and the international community
30-43
Half the Sky Movement a) Afghan Institute of Learning b) Apne Aap Women World Wide c) The Fistula Foundation d) Futures Without Violence e) International Rescue Committee f) Kashf Foundation g) Opportunity International h) Population Council i) Room to Read j) Save the Children k) Shining Hope for Communities l) Somaly Mam Foundation m) World Vision - Women of Vision n) Women's World Banking Status:Complete - exceeded
44
Catapult Status: Commitment abandoned
Global Trends future focus Insights for future accountability In compiling this report, we have noted with interest a number of key themes that our team, partners and commitment makers have shared with us as being important drivers of future delivery of commitments related to girls and women:
Global Goals make gender truly intersectional, but measurement lags: The development of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development treated gender as both a standalone issue — Goal 5 — as well as a cross-cutting theme across all of the goals. This is an important step that addresses the deep structural causes of gender inequality, however it does raise the need for careful programming and policy design to ensure that interventions aren't just paying lip-service to girls and women, and have clear, tangible results. In some of the commitments we are tracking, officials were clear that commitments were gender-sensitive, but sometimes didn't have specific data or evidence to demonstrate the targeted impact that they were having. This reinforces the key findings of the first report of the High-Level Panel (HLP) for Women’s Economic Empowerment, published in September 2016 as part of the UN General Assembly meetings by the High-Level Panel’s co-chair, and President of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, which identified priorities to achieve gender equality and called for a strengthened female voice and representation. Building on this effort, today we seek to move this agenda forward, not only through this accountability report, but by launching The Girl Agenda campaign. Protection AND empowerment: With the introduction of the Global Goals, a sharper focus has been introduced on the need to not just protect girls and women as a vulnerable group, but empower them. Ideally, this should be seen through a range of interventions that progressively create space for girls and women to access opportunities, however, much policy and programming continues to treat these as silos. The gradual shift being made by some groups towards addressing this — whether by donors, national makers, or implementers — is to be applauded, and we hope to see this trend continue. This is also a trend that Global Citizen has itself fallen prey to at times, with our team working hard to ensure that we focus on empowerment and opportunity as the end goals in achieving gender equality. Global Citizen's role has shifted from supporting projects to policies: When we first started campaigning on issues specifically related to girls and women in 2012, we recognized the complex cultural, religious and systemic reasons for gender inequality, and felt poorly equipped to make a real difference in those areas. Instead, we focused on supporting specific campaigns and projects that we knew were having impact. Over the past five years, we are pleased to have built partnerships across the community that have enabled us to play a more useful role in tackling the systemic causes, and play a much stronger role toward influencing policies - from #SheDecides to #LevelTheLaw. As part of that, we are committed to increasing the amount of work we do with youth advocates and partners working at a national level in changing laws and practices in their countries.
Improving Data and Accountability Global Citizen is supporting the data revolution to ensure every girl
is counted by improving our own transparency and impact The Girl Agenda
Photo Credit: Women Deliver
The Girl Agenda Too soon to tell— ongoing campaign At the 2016 Global Citizen Action Summit, Save the Children International (and former Prime Minister of Denmark) Helle Thorning-Schmidt, with Lorna Solis, founder of Blue Rose Compass, launched The Girl Agenda, a report and campaign that aims to overcome five key barriers to the equal opportunity of girls, through: The Girl Agenda 1. Ending child marriage. 2. Getting girls into school. 3. Ensuring their health and reproductive rights. 4. Improving data and accountability on girls. 5. Abolishing of laws that discriminate against girls.
"Women’s rights are fundamental human rights and every single woman deserves to enjoy these rights. ... One of our core commitments must be the empowerment of women by providing them the opportunities and resources to be educated, employed and independent." — Maihan Wali, Afghanistan. Global Citizen Youth Ambassador
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Together these form a points transformational action plan for the new United Nations Secretary-General and international leaders to speak and act in unity with and for girls all over the world. Global Citizen helped to draft the agenda, alongside our partners Save the Children, Girls Not Brides, The Hunger Project, Project Everyone and the International Center for Research on Women. Together, we developed a strategic agenda for girls and women, outlining the key actions needed to achieve the Global Goals for Sustainable Development for gender equality by 2030, and in response to the widespread and unprecedented calls for female and feminist leadership of the United Nations. The selection process for the ninth UN Secretary-General has been a turning point in public expectation, with huge demand for the appointment of a feminist leader. Antonio Guterres, who assumed office on January 1, 2017, has claimed that he will put women's rights at the center of their administration once appointed, and pledged to significantly increase equality at senior levels of UN roles — since which time he has appointed Amina Mohammed, a Nigerian woman, to be Deputy Secretary-General. Global Citizen sees this commitment as a golden opportunity to hold Mr Guterres to account for the sake of girls and women everywhere. More than 10,000 Global Citizens have already taken action in support of this ongoing campaign, and The Girl Agenda has been incorporated into ongoing campaigning with UN agencies and the instruments. At the time of reporting, Global Citizen is watching to see clear signals that within his first hundred days in office, UN Secretary-General Guterres is willing to adopt the messages and key strategies behind The Girl Agenda into his own feminist agenda, which articulates a strong way forward for girls' everywhere, especially in developing countries. Global Citizen will report on progress against this ongoing campaign.
Sources: http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/resources/online-library/girl-agenda; https://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/annemarie-goetz/madam-secretary-general;
Photo Credit: Twitter/@GlblCtnImpact
Abolishing Discriminatory Laws Global Citizen is campaigning for the removal of laws, practices and norms that limit opportunities and outcomes for girls by 2022 The Girl Agenda
Photo Credit: Global Citizen/ NBC
#LeveltheLaw #LeveltheLaw Campaign Pledge "I pledge to level the law, because discrimination against girls and women is a daily reality. Too many of our sisters are deprived the opportunity to go to school, lack basic health care, cannot get decent work or are forbidden from owning property.
Hex Colors I refuse to stand by. 1 in 3 women experience violence in their lifetime, and millions of girls are forced into early marriages each year. But I know that these are things that can be changed.
Photo: CHIME FOR CHANGE Co-Founder Salma Hayek Pinault with CHIME FOR CHANGE Advisory Board member and Academy Award winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at the 2016 Global Citizen Festival
Back in 1995, 189 governments signed up to end the widespread sex-based discrimination in the law. Two decades later and an estimated 90 percent of countries worldwide still have laws on the books that discriminate against girls and women. In the lead up to the 2016 Global Citizen Festival, CHIME FOR CHANGE and Global Citizen came together to challenge the world into action to see a legal level playing field for women across the world. These laws restrict women’s ability to own property, open bank accounts or have legal protections from abusive practices like child marriage and honor killings. Legislative change in all these countries will not happen or be initiated overnight. But we've made a real start, as described in the update which follows, with key laws changing, in Malta and in Pakistan. Ahead of the 2016 Global Citizen Festival, Global Citizens took more than 80,000 actions to see adequate public pressure on world leaders to end these injustices, to help see crucial first steps to achieve gender equality under the law. Here's what happened next...
I can imagine a world where half the population isn’t held back by their country’s sexist laws. Girls would be able to grow up to become healthy, educated and empowered women. Legal discrimination is one of the harshest barriers that girls and women face. When laws don’t protect the rights of all its citizens, regardless of their gender, they remain vulnerable. The backbone of any society is the rule of law - and legal equality is the first step in building social and economic equality between women and men. Changing laws won’t happen overnight. But if we join forces with the unsung heroes who tirelessly advocate for change in their communities, we can create a global movement that supports gender equality under the law. I will join Global Citizens all around the world to stand in solidarity with those campaigning to change the laws that discriminate against girls and women."
Coalition of law firms #LeveltheLaw In progress — on track Global Citizen and CHIME FOR CHANGE announced a new partnership with Trust Law and Kirkland & Ellis, which established a new coalition of law firms as part of the #LeveltheLaw campaign. This was announced at the Girls' Education Forum, held in London in July 2016 in partnership with DfID. The coalition, which currently includes law firms Velma Law, AQLAAL Associates, Baker & MacKenzie, Kirkland & Ellis and Hogan Lovells, offers pro-bono support to repeal and remove national laws that discriminate against women. This is an important commitment as it takes legal minds to create legal justice for girls and women. The coalition has a watching brief to support Global Citizen in achieving its goal of ending legal gender discrimination across the 52 Commonwealth Countries. It does this in two ways: 1. By providing Global Citizen with the legal know-how, research and advice it needs to run effective #LeveltheLaw campaigns. For example, Trust Law has provided invaluable support to our New York team in establishing things like: • Helping us to understand the extent that the legal frameworks across the Commonwealth systematically discriminate against women. • The legal nuances of what would be required to refer the genocide of the Yazidi people to the International Criminal Court, so that we can call on world leaders to do just that. • Helping us to understand the criminal code in Pakistan so that we could put pressure on the Pakistani government. 2. By working with leading law firms in countries where breakthroughs in legal equality are in motion, and collaborating to see them through. For example, once the Pakistani government committed to changing the law on honor killings, through this coalition, we were able to work with Pakistani law firm AQLAAL to ensure that any law replacing the repealed law against honor killings, would in fact be a genuine tool for women to achieve justice for the murder of women, and to see a reduction in this terrible crime, giving women protection by attaining the rights and equality they deserve.
Global Citizen will continue to report on how this coalition of law firms is changing the world for women by helping to repeal laws and policies which discriminate against women and replacing them. Sources: http://wbl.worldbank.org/~/media/WBG/WBL/Documents/Reports/2016/Women-Business-and-the-Law-2016.pdf
Why gender equality in the law needs to be a priority across the Commonwealth of Nations. Although many member states of the Commonwealth have made major strides in recent years, there remain many challenges to ensuring gender equality: 12 Commonwealth countries have no legal provision barring discrimination in access to credit based on gender. 6 nations do not have legislation on domestic violence. 15 countries still have exemptions that permit marital rape. In 11 of these 15 countries, husbands will only face criminal charges for raping their wives in limited circumstances such as when the couple is separated. In 10 of these 15 countries, laws on rape address situations where a man obtains a woman's consent by impersonating her husband. In 9 of these 15 countries, the age of the wife is irrelevant in determining whether the husband may face criminal charges. In the remaining 6 countries, the law establishes that marital rape is legal only if the wife is over a certain age (the ages are 12; 13; and 15). In 19 countries, married women cannot confer citizenship to their non-national spouses in the same way as men.
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Commonwealth on legal equality #LeveltheLaw In progress — ongoing campaign At our 2016 Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) side-event at the New York Public Library, co-hosted with the Australian Government, 2,057 Global Citizen actions saw the launch of the Declaration to Level the Law, in partnership with CHIME FOR CHANGE, as a call to action for leaders of Commonwealth member states to make strides in amending or repealing laws which discriminate against girls and women. Later, Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth spoke out for girls and women at 2016 Global Citizen Festival saying: "Global Citizens, over 83,000 of you have called on me and Commonwealth countries to level the law for girls and women, and I hear you loud and clear! I am committed to working with all ...Commonwealth countries to address and reform gender discriminatory laws through the Commonwealth Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform."
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Malta was the first Commonwealth country to respond to the call, announcing their commitment to Level the Law at our CSW event, explained in full later in the report. We are currently working with Baroness Scotland and the UK Government, as incoming Chair-InOffice of the Commonwealth, to determine how Global Citizens can effectively advocate for gender equality under the law across the Commonwealth ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled to be hosted in London in 2018. We have built a strong track record of successfully campaigning to the CHOGM leaders around polio, starting with The End of Polio Concert for the 2012 CHOGM meeting in Perth Australia, and most recently ensuring polio had a priority place on the agenda at the Malta hosted CHOGM meeting in 2015. Today, on March 13, 2017, Global Citizen is launching this girls and women accountability report at Global Citizen's Commonwealth Day and Commission on the Status of Women side-event, co-hosted by Malta and the UK, and in partnership with CHIME FOR CHANGE. The event will showcase the Commonwealth's unique potential to support the achievement of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development by showcasing their existing commitments to tackle laws that discriminate against women, and polio eradication. The event features an expert panel including Sufi Mujhgan, a youth advocate from Pakistan; British actress Erin Richards; Dr. Jean Kalilani, Malawi Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, and Reza Hossaini, Director of Polio Eradication, Unicef; and we will be joined by Helena Dalli, Maltese Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs, and Civil Liberties, as well as Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations. We are also looking forward to viewing a video announcement from the United Kingdom's Minister for the Commonwealth, the Right Honourable Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, in which we also anticipate a rallying call to end gender discriminatory law across the Commonwealth. We see this as a strong sign that the Commonwealth has prioritized girls and women at the heart of their efforts toward the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, and we use this event as a platform to launch our new year-long Global Citizen campaign to call on next year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to adopt clear, concrete measures to level the law, and make new commitments in support of the Global Goals. Global Citizen and CHIME FOR CHANGE will continue to press for the Commonwealth's fifty two member states to make concrete commitments to #LeveltheLaw for girls and women in their countries, and other commitments that advance the Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
Malta repeals a sexist law
#LeveltheLaw
In progress — on track At the Commission on the Status of Women Side-Event in March 2016, Dr. Helena Dalli, Maltese Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs, and Civil Liberties, committed on behalf of the government of Malta to repeal a law in the Criminal Code that legalized violent abductions of women. Perpetrators of violent crimes against women would receive a reduced sentence if they intended to marry their victim, reducing to no penalty if the marriage went ahead. To achieve this law change, Malta will repeal sections 199 and 200 of its criminal code. Since last March, the Maltese government has confirmed that a legislative process has been initiated by the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties following the recommendations of the Inter-ministerial Committee. A draft Bill on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence received public consultation, was first read in the Maltese parliament on Monday 21st November 2016, after which it was scheduled for publication and a second hearing in parliament. The Bill repeals and recasts the Domestic Violence Act into the Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence Act, in order to strengthen the Domestic Violence Commission and establish the basic principles against domestic violence; and amends a number of laws, including the Criminal Code, Civil Code and the Police Act, among others, to ensure that the crimes contemplated by the Convention are adequately reflected in national legislation and the appropriate remedy is given.
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According to Malta Today, the proposed legal amendments will ensure that the law is fully compliant with the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating domestic violence that Malta ratified in 2014. Malta's response is regarded by our partner Equality Now as a first step that will lead the way for gender biased reforms across the Commonwealth of Nations. "We're proud to be the first Commonwealth country to have initiated a change in our laws in response to this campaign. We strongly support Global Citizen's ongoing efforts to work collaboratively with countries to change laws that discriminate against women." — Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta.
Exactly one year on from Malta's announcement to repeal this archaic and discriminatory law, Minister Helena Dalli will return to continue to speak up and out for girls and women, at the Global Citizen and CHIME FOR CHANGE co-hosted Commission on the Status of Women Event in March 2017, and to call on other Commonwealth nations to review and take steps to reform laws that continue to leave girls and women behind. Sources: https://socialdialogue.gov.mt/en/Public_Consultations/MSDC/Documents/2016%20-%20Tolleranza%20Zero/ Consultation%20-%20EN%20-%20GBV.pdf; http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/71885/ bill_to_clamp_down_on_domestic_violence_rape_tabled_in_parliament_#.WL7iWlPyhpi
Yazidi case to the ICC
#LeveltheLaw
Ongoing campaign The small ethnic group, the Yazidis, have been devastated by Islamic State (ISIS) actions since summer 2014. The large majority of this group of 600,000 people live within Iraq. About 400,000 lived within the Sinjar province when it was overrun by IS in 2014. According to Yazda, a global Yazidi organization, troops from ISIS systematically invaded the Sinjar district of northern Iraq, killing more than 3,000 Yazidi civilians and capturing up to 7,000 more. The majority of the Yazidi captives were girls and women, who were sold as sex slaves to ISIS militants. While governments fail to refer the Yazidi case to the International Criminal Court (ICC) through the Security Council, 3,500 Yazidi girls and women remain in ISIS captivity and thousands of survivors wait for justice to be brought to their abusers. Girls as young as six are being sold into sexual slavery for prices as high as $20,000. Since March 2016, Global Citizen and CHIME FOR CHANGE has supported Nadia Murad, a victim of sexual slavery by ISIS, who escaped captivity and has since advocated for justice on behalf of her community. We've also partnered up with organizations Yazda, It's On U and former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
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In an interview with Global Citizen's Caryn Carver and Meghan Cherian in July 2016, Nadia Murad shared that her early school dreams were of being a makeup artist and owning her own salon, or becoming a history teacher. Then ISIS arrived and forced her to become a sex slave, she recounted: "I was afraid, and I was expected to be taken by some new ISIS member at any minute." All the while Nadia was strengthened by the survival spirit of the Yazidi people and she knew "this is unjust, and this is unfair and something has to change". Even once she escaped to a refugee camp where she lived for a year, conditions were horrendous, with many Yazidi sex slave survivors like her living outside under a bridge as they had no tents. Fortunately, Nadia was able to travel to Germany for treatment, where she was able to become a spokesperson for the many Yazidi girls and women who have not yet been able to access programs where they can receive the treatments they need, or start a new life. Despite the psychological trauma of the brutality and appalling sexual violence to which she was subjected, the massacre of her family, and the destruction of her homeland, Nadia escaped the ISIS fighters, recovered, and confronted her trauma. She became stronger and decided to lead a humanitarian mission on behalf of her people. She asks the international community to designate the heinous crimes perpetrated against Yazidis and other minorities by IS as genocide, and asks for referral of these crimes to the International Criminal Court for prosecution. Through her advocacy, Nadia has met with numerous presidents, prime ministers, and other heads of state around the world, in addition to countless meetings with religious and community leaders and other high-level officials. Moved by Nadia's story, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney agreed to represent Nadia and Yazidi victims once the case is brought to the International Criminal Courts, saying “It is time that we see ISIS commanders in the dock in The Hague, and I am honoured to have been asked to represent Nadia and the Yazidi community in their quest for legal accountability,”. However, the ICC does not have territorial jurisdiction over Sinjar Mountain in Iraq, and getting a case before the International Criminal Court is an arduous process. There are three ways to trigger the court intervention: 1. Iraq’s acceptance of the ICC jurisdiction limited to the region of Sinjar and only since August 2014, which would cover only the crimes committed against the Yazidi population. 2. Signatories of the Rome Statute, who are members of the ICC, agree to refer the situation concerning the estimated 5,000-7,000 nationals of state parties who have committed crimes against the Yazidi in the Sinjar District, Republic of Iraq since the 1st August 2014. 3. A UN Security Council referral with similar limitations to the region of Sinjar and only since August 2014. What greater call to action could Global Citizens receive than to support Nadia's fight to achieve justice for the Yazidis and hold ISIS accountable for the genocide perpetrated against her community? The following page sets out the efforts of Global Citizens and how world leaders responded.
Photo Credit: Global Citizen. Nadia Murad in July 2016.
Yazidi case to the ICC
#LeveltheLaw
Complete — ongoing campaign Global Citizens took more than 40,000 actions in the lead up to 2016 Global Citizen Festival, resulting in: Sweden was the first to respond to the calls of Global Citizens, after 22,550 Global Citizens signed a petition demanding justice for the Yazidi people and more than 2,000 tweets asked Sweden to support Yazidis like Nadia Murad. Piling up the pressure, on 1st August 2016, two years on from the ISIS attack on the Yazidi in SInjar, Iraq, Global Citizen took out a prominent advert in Dagens Nyheter, one of the most-read papers in Sweden, calling on Minister Wallström to take action. It read: "On August 3, 2015, the terror group known as ISIS waged an attack on the Yazidi people in Sinjar, Iraq, killing more than 3,000 civilians and enslaving 5,000-7,000 more — mostly women and children. Current estimates suggest that 3,200 Yazidis remain in ISIS captivity. As the world's first feminist government, you have the power to speak out and refer this horrific crime to the International Criminal Court. Together we must hold the individuals responsible to account and bring justice to the Yazidi people. Yours in hope, 20,271 Global Citizens."
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That same day, Margot Wallström, Sweden's Minister of Foreign Affairs responded in a tweet, saying "The horrendous crimes against the Yezidis must stop Sweden has argued for ICC jurisdiction regarding the situation in Syria and Iraq”. However, this declaration of support has not received sufficient government backing to initiate the referral process. In December 2016, 3,215 Global Citizens tweeted at Minister Wallström and Olof Skoog, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations, to take concrete steps to refer the case through the UN Security Council, holding a non-permanent seat for the 2017-2018 term. Global Citizen did not receive a response. Belgium was the second to respond to the calls of Global Citizens, with Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, announcing in a video aired at the 2016 Global Citizen Festival, "Belgium is one of the signatories of the International Criminal Court and of the Hague Convention and is favorable of bringing this case to the International Criminal Court we should stand up against bullies, we should stand up against people who commit genocide, and we must not be afraid to bring this to the International Criminal Court to make sure that justice is restored". However, Belgium is yet to follow through on taking concrete steps to refer the case to the ICC, and again this promising announcement is at a deadlock due to political and procedural hurdles. On March 9, Global Citizen gave an intervention at the United Nations event “Fight Against Against Impunity for Atrocities: Bringing Da’esh to Justice”, moderated by Simon Adams, Executive Director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), alongside Amal Clooney, Nadia Murad and over 15 UN Member States. We elevated the voices of over 75,000 Global Citizens that have taken actions in support of Nadia, and repeated our call to UN member states, including Belgium and Sweden, to uphold their responsibility to prevent and stop genocide under the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention by referring the case to the ICC. Global Citizen's petition was also handed to Mohamed Ali Alhakim, the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations. With estimates suggesting that at least 3,200 Yazidis remain in ISIS captivity, Global Citizen continues to call on world leaders to see the perpetrators of genocide against the Yazidi people brought to justice in the International Criminal Court at the Hague. We also call for a commission of enquiry and UN fact-finding missions to be established to collect evidence of ISIS crimes, create historical records of events and recommend measures to provide justice. Photo: Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announces Belgium is favorable of bringing the the case to the ICC in a video to 2016 Global Citizen Festival. Sources: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/interview-nadia-murad-yazidi-activist-isil-iraq/; https://www.icc-cpi.int/iccdocs/pids/publications/ uicceng.pdf; http://www.kentlaw.edu/faculty/bbrown/classes/HumanRightsSP10/CourseDocs/13ICCJxFlowChart.pdf
Pakistan on Honor Killings
#LeveltheLaw
In progress — on track Pakistan to end Honor Killings Working with CHIME FOR CHANGE Advisory Board member and Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, in partnership with Equality Now and CHIME FOR CHANGE, Global Citizen called on the Pakistani government to end honor killings. Annually, an estimated 3,000 women are killed in so-called honor killlings in Pakistan. Sharmeen made an impassioned call for accelerated action to change the law in Pakistan, where the murder of women and girls 'in the name of honor' is culturally acceptable, saying, "We commend the Pakistan government for its stated commitment that it will end impunity for honor killings. We call upon the government to amend the law as soon as possible to ensure that those who kill their female relatives in the name of honor are punished for murder, and to eliminate all loopholes in the law that allow killers to walk free". This was necessary, as while honor killings have been outlawed since 2004, a legal loophole allowed a victim's family, who are often involved with the planning and execution of the murder, to pardon the perpetrator, allowing them to walk free.
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Then social media star Qandeel Baloch was murdered by her brother in July 2016, for the supposed compounded crimes of escaping her forced marriage to a much older man at age 17, becoming a "modern day feminist" and posting selfies which her brother found objectionable. 31,000 Global Citizens took action in response, and a week later, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he would work to fix the law. On October 25, 2016, a new law in Pakistan was passed ensuring that all those convicted of honor killings would receive a non-pardonable prison sentence of 25 years. While the family may still pardon the perpetrator of a death sentence, the prison sentence would remain in force. By December last year, our partners at AQLAAL Associates informed us that the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences in the Name or Pretext of Honour) Act, 2016 had been published in the official gazette and sent us an English translation. "Pakistan's law was a watershed moment for the rights of women and girls and we are hopeful that it will deter acts of violence. We will continue to monitor the situation to demonstrate how strong laws can make a huge difference on the ground." — Equality Now Pakistan appears to be taking enforcement of this new law seriously, but Global Citizen will continue to monitor progress for women, as we hope to see the annual death toll drop from 3,000 to zero, as convictions are sought and secured. "No girl or woman deserves to die for wanting to live her life to her own goals and values. This important win in Pakistan has the potential to safeguard the lives of many women, and now it's up to the Pakistan Government to enforce this law. We will continue campaigning to end honor killings everywhere, especially in countries where this harmful practice is not criminalized in the eyes of the law." — Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, CHIME FOR CHANGE Advisory Board member
Photo Credit: Still from a Short film on Qandeel Baloch from Academy Award-winning filmmaker and CHIME FOR CHANGE Advisory Board member Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy which debuted at the 2016 Global Citizen Festival. Sources: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8574&l=1; http://www.equalitynow.org/blog/anti-honor-crimesbill-pass-pakistan-quandeel-baloch;
Ending Child Marriage Global Citizen is supporting the drive for global, regional and national agendas to end child marriage over the next five years. The Girl Agenda
Photo Credit: Plan Canada
Child Marriage in Tanzania
#LeveltheLaw
Too soon to tell — ongoing campaign At the 2016 Global Citizen Festival, Salma Hayek Pinault, actress, campaigner and co-founder of CHIME FOR CHANGE, joined American talk show and radio host, author and producer Andy Cohen, and Co-founder of Youth for Change Tanzania Aristarick Joseph, to appeal for an end to child marriage. Salma Hayek explained on live broadcast that "every year 15 million girls under the age of 18 are forced to marry. These are child brides who are often made to leave their school, and are more likely to experience other things like domestic violence. These girls have been deprived of their childhood, and their education. If we are to end extreme poverty in our lifetime, we need to give these girls the equal opportunity to learn, and to grow, and to love."
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Meanwhile Andy Cohen called on the 60,000 Global Citizens attending the festival in New York's Central Park to participate in a tweet action calling on the President of Tanzania to amend the 1971 Law of Marriage act, and increase the minimum age of marriage to 18 for boys and girls in all instances. Aristarick Joseph explained that even though the Tanzanian High Court had ruled in July 2016 that child marriage is unconstitutional, this did not mean this law would be repealed. In fact, until the law is changed, girls may be married from just 14 years. UNFPA statistics indicate that currently 37 percent of Tanzanian girls are married by 18 years of age. There is a need to shift the culture in Tanzania, so that girls are not seen as a bargaining chip for household economies through the dowries they earn, as only then will any law change become meaningful. Ironically, these dowries are often used to pay for the education of their sons. The High Court gave the Tanzanian government one year to change the existing marriage law. However, the Attorney General launched an appeal against the ruling and on September 16 the government announced they had opted for guidance from the Referral Court instead of tabling the bill of amendments in the National Assembly. So the call to action was very timely, with thousands of people around the world tweeting to change the 1971 Tanzania Law of Marriage. This included members of parliament, like Mr Ridhiwani Kikwete MP, who wants this to be an urgent action by the government, saying "Change begins with you. Let us start with this." Sadly, seven months after the High Court’s ruling, the Law of Marriage Act remains in place. On March 8 2017, International Women's Day, Global Citizen and CHIME FOR CHANGE launched a joint action targeting Tanzanian Parliamentarians, in partnership with Youth for Change Tanzania, the Tanzania Ending Child Marriage Network (TECMN) and the Msichana Initiative (the organization that launched the precedent-setting case), ahead of an advocacy round table with Parliamentarians in April. Global Citizen is committed to supporting Aristarick to end child marriage in Tanzania with our ongoing campaign.
"We must ensure girls have the opportunities to pursue an education and are allowed to choose who they marry when they want". — Aristarick Joseph, Co-founder of Youth for Change Tanzania. Photo Credit: Youth for Change Tanzania Sources: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/MarryingTooYoung.pdf;
Ensuring Health and Family Planning Global Citizen is working with the international community to ensure that all girls are able to realize their right to sexual, reproductive, and maternal health Here is just a small taster of our work on health... The Girl Agenda Photo Credit: Unicef South Africa/ Marinovich
Canada on "poverty is sexist" and She Decides Too soon to tell Despite not committing funds at the Girls Education Forum in London in July 2016, the Canadian government affirmed that Girls and Women would be at the center of this feminist government's aid agenda, pending a review of their development spending. In response to Global Citizens taking action as part of our girls' education — #SheWill Campaign — ahead of the joint Global Citizen DfID Girls Education Forum event, Canada wrote to Global Citizen with this response which filled us with hope: "Canada envisions a world where women and girls are valued and empowered, have control over their own lives and bodies, fully participate as decision-makers in their homes and societies, and contribute to and benefit from development and prosperity. Canada is currently undertaking a review of its international assistance, starting from a commitment that the empowerment of women and girls and the protection and promotion of their rights through advancing gender equality will be at the heart of our international assistance moving forward. Canada is engaging key domestic and international stakeholders to understand how this goal can best translate into concrete action. Canada invites partners to contribute their expertise and insights to this consultation process."
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Although the development spending review is not expected to be finalized until later this Spring, this March, Canada made three announcements for Girls and Women. Canada committed USD $20 million toward She Decides at the pledging conference on March 2nd in Brussels, after over 2,000 Global Citizens tweeted at the Canadian Minister for International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau. The She Decides initiative aims to plug the shortfall in global funding for girls and women's sexual, maternal health and rights, caused by the US administration's reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy or "Global Gag Rule". The US Administration says the gag rule prohibits US government funding of organizations that provide access to, or information about, abortions. Yet, many of these organizations also provide access to contraceptives, maternal health services, cervical cancer screenings, routine vaccinations and HIV/AIDS prevention. This will by extension cut funds to a broad range of women’s health services. In response, Lilianne Ploumen, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, launched She Decides to help fill the funding shortfall of US $600 million, the amount that the US Government has historically appropriated for international family planning assistance. She Decides is an immediate global response to safeguard women's health around the world. The She Decides pledging conference hosted by Belgium on March 2nd, and co-convened with Sweden, Netherlands and Denmark, secured support by over 45 countries and raised a total of €181 million. The Netherlands made a founding pledge of €10 million. Other governments and stakeholders such as Norway, Finland, Luxembourg, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation also announced financial contributions at the conference. The funds raised will be disbursed through other multilateral channels like UNFPA, and directly to NGOs affected by the gag rule, like Marie Stopes International, at the discretion of the various donor countries. One week later on March 8, to mark International Women's Day, Canada announced the allocation of $650 million toward sexual and reproductive health rights. Global Citizen will monitor how these commitments take shape and are distributed.
Photo Credit: Twitter/ Marie-Claude Bibeau
Menstrual hygiene and the tampon tax in India In progress — on track At Global Citizen Festival India, menstrual hygiene champions including Poonam Mahajan MP for Mumbai North Central, spoke out on this taboo issue following 58,000 Global Citizen actions. Girls and women of menstrual age routinely drop out of school or work because of a lack of adequate menstrual hygiene facilities, such as single sex toilets with appropriate waste and provision of affordable menstrual hygiene products. Women and girls can also be at risk of exclusion from their communities, at risk of sexual violence, or ill health through cultural practices during menstruation, such as being isolated and confined to a menstrual hut or simply not being able to go to the toilet where and when they need to. Fired up by these actions on menstrual hygiene, we partnered up with SheSays India because cultural traditions around women's hygiene cause girls and women to be at greater risk of gender-based violence, alongside the many barriers mentioned above. Speaking on stage at Global Citizen Festival India, Pravin Nikam from youth organization ROSHNI called on world leaders to drop the tampon tax. We're reaching out to our partners at SheSays for further progress updates.
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In a surprise move in early March 2017, the Dehli government announced a drop in tax on sanitary napkins and tampons from 12.5 percent to just five percent. Swati Kumar, Director of Advocacy at our India Partner TGELF explained that for India specifically, VAT or Value Added Tax is a relatively new initiative. VAT was first introduced in 2005 and only rolled out across all states and provinces of India in 2014, and so it was felt that the government would not want to make changes. "We should continue our campaign for a zero or minimum tax on sanitary napkins and tampons. Even so most women and girls would be priced out of the market on disposal towels and tampons that most Americans consider normal. We are currently in the process of obtaining an appointment with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to congratulate him and rally him to our cause," Swati shared. The menstrual hygiene priority in India continues to be providing affordable reusable sanitary napkins, which are reliable and easy to keep clean, along with hygienic girls-only toilet facilities where they can go in safety to look after themselves during their periods.
"Tonight, I want to share a very personal experience with all of you. When I was growing up, I remember the shame and embarrassment I felt whenever I got my period. Though I now realize that menstruation is nothing to be ashamed of, I wish someone had been there to instill this confidence in me when I was younger." — Poonam Mahajan MP
Photo credit: WaterAid Sources: http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/delhi-budget-on-women-s-day-aap-govt-cuts-tax-on-sanitary-pads-dcw-gets-moremoney/story-hg4uq4tJy3qnQWEbTlFkOL.html; http://caforum.in/punjab-value-added-tax-act-2005/schedule-list-tax-free-goods;
Colombia commits to reduce maternal mortality In progress — on track In 2015, Global Citizens directed over 34,000 emails received by President Santos of Colombia about the health of his nation, particularly of women and girls and maternal and newborn health. Acknowledging the efforts of Global Citizens directly at the 2015 Global Citizen Festival President Santos declared, “It is because of you...Many of you have written to me. You expressed a concern that we share deeply in our hearts. My dear Global Citizens, I hear you. Colombia hears you. So I will make a pledge to you today. The government of Colombia commits itself to establishing a very concrete goal to achieve by the year 2018 to reduce by 25% the maternal mortality rate in rural areas of our country.” Santos also made a number of related commitments around maternal, perinatal and infant health, which are broken down on the following page.
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These commitments are set to affect 2.3 million lives by 2018, especially those living in rural areas. By working closely with UN Foundation and Every Woman Every Child, President Santos' commitment targets are aligned to UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon’s updated Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health 2016-2030, which launched at the 2015 UN General Assembly. Photo Credit: UNFPA
Almost immediately after the 2015 Global Citizen Festival, Colombia began actively monitoring for outbreaks of the Zika virus, and by April 2016 there had been 2,485 confirmed cases. The Zika virus makes the issue of improving maternal and new born health, and access to comprehensive care in Colombia even more critical.
Since 2009, and with renewed vigor in 2015, Colombia has received praise for rolling out comprehensive health care or Integral de Atención de Salud, with a new comprehensive strategy for maternal and perinatal care launching in April 2016. The strategy was developed in partnership with Pan American Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, who gave specific support or reaching rural and vulnerable communities with capacity building support from UNFPA, in collaboration with the Colombian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Colombian Society of Anesthesiology, Colombian Association of Critical Care Medicine and Intensive Care.
Sources: https://www.minsalud.gov.co/sites/rid/Paginas/results.aspx?k=dcsubject: %22Modelo+Integral+de+Atenci%C3%B3n+en+Salud+MIAS%22; http://www.who.int/gho/ maternal_health/countries/col.pdf ; http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/ social-issues-migration-health/oecd-reviews-of-health-systems-colombia-2016/performanceof-the-colombian-health-system_9789264248908-6-en#.WLVVCFOLTIU; http://who.int/lifecourse/partners/global-strategy/globalstrategyreport2016-2030-lowres.pdf
In April 2016, Colombia's President Santos, and 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner, rolled out a new health strategy for maternal health care. Here's how the strategy demonstrates an intention to meet his commitments at 2015 Global Citizen Festival... Continued...
Colombia on maternal mortality
continued...
In progress — on track 1. Reduce the maternal mortality rate in rural areas by 25% by 2018. [I.e. From 560 in 2010 to 420 maternal deaths by 2018.] WHO data from 2015 shows a drop in maternal deaths to 480. The 2016 strategy will continue to reduce maternal mortality rates further by targeting municipalities to build healthcare resources treating preventable complications in pregnancy and labor, including sepsis, hemorrhaging and eclampsia. These are being delivered through preventative clinical safety and medical management of obstetric emergencies models, which includes standard response protocols and institutional routines, and the distribution of high efficiency, low cost emergency obstetric response kits, and training. The government has also hired 11 maternal health managers to track land management on maternal health in selected regions.
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2. Reduce teenage pregnancy rate by women aged 15-19 from 84 births per 1,000 women in 2010 to 61 per 1,000 births by 2021. World Bank data up to 2015 indicates a drop in teen pregnancy rates to 49 women aged 15-19 per 1,000 women, indicating this target has already exceeded even without the latest sexual health interventions. Global Citizen is excited to discover what will be achieved by 2021. Photo Credit: Doctors Without Borders/ Mads Nissen.
In 2005, Doctors Without Borders began supported health care provision at the maternity ward of San Francisco Asis Hospital. Five years later, they interviewed nurse Malania Raga Bejarao on the difference. Nurse Bejaro said,"The most important change is that mothers don’t die anymore. Before, in 2004 for example, we had 14 mothers die in childbirth. This year, so far, we haven’t had a single death in childbirth, and for me that’s the most important thing." Read more at http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/voice-field/ colombia-what-change This story explains the kind of change Santos' commitment has potential to achieve in rural areas and for traditionally excluded communities too. Sources: http://www.who.int/gho/maternal_health/countries/col.pdf; http:// data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.ADO.TFRT; http://www.un.org/en/ development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/ trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf; http://www.un.org/en/ development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/ trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf; http://ebrary.ifpri.org/utils/getfile/ collection/p15738coll2/id/130354/filename/130565.pdf
Global Citizen will continue to monitor progress.
3. Increase the use of modern family planning methods in women aged 15-49 from 57% in 2010 to 80% in 2021. UN data up to 2015 indicates a strong increase since 2010, with an increase so far to 71.7%. Training on contraception management, and community outreach will support ongoing progress. 4. Decrease infant mortality rate from 17 for every 1,000 births [in 2010] to less than 15 by 2021. World Bank data up to 2015 indicates this target was met before Santos' promised intervention on perinatal and infant health. Global Citizen looks forward to seeing what the rate is in 2021. 5. Reduce the prevalence of chronic malnutrition in under-5 year olds from 13% in 2010 to 8% in 2021. 2015 data shows small improvement to 12.7%. We are seeking information on how Colombia is tackling infant malnutrition. Colombia was making strong progress even before the new interventions which are a serious effort in priority regions like Cauca, Guajira, Valle del Cauca and Catatumbo. However, the 2015 OECD review of Colombia's state healthcare notes ongoing challenges on maternal health in rural areas, and for Roma and indigenous people, especially in Guanía, Vichada, Chocó, Amazonas and San Andrés.
Denmark commits to AmplifyChange Fund Complete At 2014 Global Citizen Festival, Minister Mogens Jensen reaffirmed Denmark's founding commitment of $14 million in 2014, and committed a further $15 million for 2015. The AmplifyChange Fund was a new fund established in September 2014. At the time of the commitment, the organization was too new to have a clear strategy. The Fund has now published their vision statement as follows, "AmplifyChange is a multi-donor challenge fund to support civil society advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Our vision is to contribute securing recognition of sexual and reproductive health and rights as human rights. Realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights is essential to attainment of the Global Goals. We do this by strengthening the social movement for change by providing grant fund support to civil society organizations." Almost 18 months after the commitment was made, the Danish Mission shared with us that the commitment was almost complete. The additional commitment of $15 million for 2015 announced at 2014 Global Citizen Festival, valued at DKK 85 million is already paid in full. The Danish aid tracker Openaid shows that AmplifyChange has received $26,763,286 in total, with a further $6 million budgeted for 2017, indicating the commitments will be exceeded. HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark announced the launch of Opportunity grants at #Generation2030 toward the role young people, especially girls can play in implementing, monitoring and ensuring the accountability of the global goals. She said, "One year on and to coincide with this weekend’s special events here in New York – AmplifyChange has opened its Opportunity grant window. This is a grant that can provide support for the initiatives of young people." This announcement demonstrates a clear ongoing relationship with the fund by Denmark. Denmark's initial contribution has helped leverage other donors to the Fund, including Norway's NORAD, who made a commitment of an undetermined amount in January 2016, joining the ranks of Denmark, The Netherlands, Hewlett and Packard Foundations and ViiVHealthcare. An article from 2015 indicates the UK's DfID has also committed £8 million, and that Sweden became the most recent new supporter.
Photo Credit: AmplifyChange Fund
The AmplifyChange Fund, with support from donors like Denmark had made 410 grants in 53 countries at the end of October 2016. The Opportunity Fund, championed by HRH Crown Princess Mary had seen 226 grants approved from 1,468 applications on the themes of abortion, violence, stigma, youth and access. For example, a grant was made to Compassion Community Based Organization in Kenya toward Compassion Anti-FGM Hotlines which aimed to ensure that girls are informed of the dangers of GFM and to prevent the practice, including by raising awareness with men and boys of the consequences for women and de-stigmatizing un-cut girls.
Funds committed: $15,000,000 Funds disbursed: $15,000,000 ___________________________________________
100% of target met Sources: https://amplifychange.org/news/-/compassion-cbo-anti-fgm-hotlines-kenya_28/ ; http://openaid.um.dk/en/ projects/DK-1-231043
Denmark commits to UNFPA Complete At 2014 Global Citizen Festival, Minister Mogens Jensen also committed that Denmark would raise their contribution to the UNFPA, bringing it to almost $44 million in 2015. "Because we simply can't afford not to", he said. Global Citizen has checked UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) records of funds received from its donors. At the time of the commitment, Denmark did not specify their specific amount they intended to increase their support from. However, in 2014, UNFPA reports core support received in the amount of $41,901,986, and a further $5,63,339 in non core support, a total of $47,539,325. This suggests that Minister Jensen was referring to an increase of around $3 million in their core support. In 2015, Denmark contributed $39,595,912 in core support, a reduction of $2.3 million, and a further $6,983,757 in non core support, an increase of $1.3 million, overall, a reduction of $959.6 million. However, Denmark's combined commitments to UNFPA exceeded $44 million, and Denmark has explained that while they have met their commitments in full in Danish Krone, the difference is because of poor exchange rates.
Photo Credit: UNFPA/ Rick Francis. Marie Josee Mukankuranga explains how she counsels women on family planning during a visit by development experts.
Photo Credit: UNFPA/ Rick Francis. Marie Josee Mukankuranga explains how she counsels women on family planning during a visit by development experts.
Funds committed: $44 million Funds received: $41.9 million ________________________________________
95.2 % of target met
Sources: http://www.unfpa.org/unfpa-supplies;
UNFPA works in more than 150 countries and territories that are home to the vast majority of the world’s people. Its mission: to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. In particular, the UNFPA Supplies Program has supported 18 million women in 46 countries with access to modern contraceptives and reproductive health services. Supplies from 2015 have averted an estimated nine million unintended pregnancies, 26,000 maternal deaths, 170,000 child deaths and 2.8 million unsafe abortions.
It Takes Two / 2% industry pledge Complete In 2013, 45,000 actions by Global Citizens called for increased access to modern contraceptives through the It Takes Two campaign, and called on leading contraceptives manufacturers to sign the 2% Industry Pledge —a commitment to donate two percent of profits toward efforts to increase access to contraception. The It Takes Two Campaign which worked hand in hand with the 2% industry pledge, and aimed to raise awareness of and demand for family planing information and service to men and women around the world. A specific objective was to increase public support and government investment in family planning in Uganda. Through monitoring information received by Global Citizen, we can now share these progress updates... •
ONE® Condoms, the official It Takes Two design competition partner, signed the 2% Industry Pledge, contributing two percent of company profits to aid girls and women. In fact, they exceeded 2 % of corporate profit, providing $100,000 worth of campaign support through awareness and activations which included 500,000 It Takes Two branded condoms, distributed through ONE Condom's commercial, retail and public health channels across the United States; 5.65 million impressions in 2014 through ONE's social media via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram; 1.68 million impressions achieved through ONE Condom's 13,000 "Momentum" brand ambassadors; 22,000 emails to customers and a further 3,000 emails to health clinics and nonprofit organizations across the United States. This commitment is complete.
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L. Condoms committed to donate one condom for every condom sold to donate 100,000 condoms, in 2013. They have since donated over three million condoms to Uganda, Swaziland, Sierra Leone and Liberia as well as extended their product line to include organic tampons, pads and liners which results in sanitary pad donations in Tamil Nadu, India. This is L. works with NGOs Brac, Designing Hope, AMREF and READ to distribute the condoms and sanitary pads through female entrepreneurs, targeting areas where they can make a difference in HIV prevalence, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases as well as school graduation and employment rates. L.'s was awarded B Corp's "Best in the World" accolade for impact, for their efforts to foster income generating activities for women around the globe.
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WomanCare Global and Evofem Biosciences, Inc. jointly pledged 100,000 reusable menstrual cups, valued at $250,000. Their innovative Project Dignity enabled women and girls to stay in school and work during their monthly menses, thereby tackling a major barrier to education and employment. This commitment is complete with changes. Over the two-year pledge period, WomanCare Global and Evofem distributed 201,488 total Softcups. 151,488 Softcups were distributed in the United States through their “buy one-donate” campaign and 50,000 Softcups were distributed in 16 developing countries across the world, including Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, S. Africa, S. Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These Softcups met the total demand for Softcups anticipated by NGOs and organizations who were involved in-country to ensure their distribution. Through partner feedback on this initiative, WomanCare Global found that a menstrual cup was often cited as a barrier to advancing menstrual hygiene because of various cultural taboos associated with the use of the product, including a fear that using a menstrual cup would alter a girl’s virginity and partner organizations stated a greater urgency in demand for reusable menstrual pads as a preferred method of menstrual hygiene management. For these reasons, WomanCare Global exceeded their commitment to improving menstrual hygiene management for women and girls by 51 percent, however, in line with partner feedback, a portion was redirected away from the Softcup product to ensure that the actual needs of women and girls were met. "We remain incredibly proud of Project Dignity and our contributions to keeping girls in school and women in the workforce." — Saundra Pelletier, WomanCare Global CEO
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Sources: http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/36815-92-Businesses-Honored-as-Best-for-the-World-Creating-Most-Overall-Positive-Social-andEnvironmental-Impact
It Takes Two / 2% industry pledge Complete — broadly on track •
The Female Health Company renewed their commitment from 2012 to invest up to $14 million over six years in reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention and training, in collaboration with global agencies. As part of this reaffirmed commitment, The Female Health Company committed to award public sector purchasers with free product, equal to five percent of their total annual units of female condoms purchased. This commitment is progressing on track with changes. Since 2013 Global Citizen Festival, The Female Health Company has invested in the region of $10 million in awareness campaigns, training 300,000 people, and education services on the female condom for global partners. In response to the procurement systems of major donors which could not handle free product, instead of offering five percent free product, The Female Health Company reduced the unit price per device by five cents. In addition, The Female Health Company also donated half a million female condoms to USA DREAMS and others, as well as to Zika affected countries including Honduras, Colombia and El Salvador.
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Naked Condoms CEO Jud Ireland pledged twenty percent of all future company profits to family planning initiatives and committed two million condoms to Uganda. By the end of 2014, this commitment was met with changes; specifically, when Naked Condoms and It Takes Two explored the commitment to donate two million condoms to Uganda and found the infrastructure to no-longer be strategic, Naked Condoms instead made a one-off contribution equal to the value of the condoms to further the campaign. These funds were used to make a film and other aspects of the campaign. Funds relating to the gift of company profits contributed to the cost of monitoring the effectiveness of the It Takes Two Campaign. Jud Ireland said, "The nature of our business is already a good cause, and beyond this, It Takes Two is the focus of my vision for social responsibility at Naked Condoms."
Photo Credits: Women Deliver
It Takes Two / 2% industry pledge Complete — broadly on track Global Citizen itself made a pledge to call on governments to uphold their commitments and to join additional initiatives supporting girls and women. As a result, Global Citizen created a dedicated girls and women campaigning role, and formed a partnership with CHIME FOR CHANGE which continues today. Through these two initiatives, Global Citizen has secured the commitments outlined in this document. Alongside raising awareness for Girls, Women and Young people to have equal access to Sexual Reproduction Health and Rights (SRHR) information and products, This campaign has raised support for our partner Women Deliver, through some of the industry pledges made by our 2% industry pledge partners. This support has enabled Women Deliver to invest in the SRHR activities of their partners like Profamilia, an organization which promotes sexual health and rights in Colombia. Profamilia, a member organization of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), established a legal service for women to promote their sexual health and rights. Profamilia addresses issues such as discrimination, sexual orientation, abortion, sexually transmitted infections, informed consent, and genderbased violence. The organization uses human rights and law as tools to promote social change and advances partnerships among allies from the women’s movement, human rights organizations, and community-based groups. As a result of their work, the Colombian Ministry of Health expanded guidelines for sexual and reproductive health services. Under the Global Gag rule in the USA, newly reintroduced by President Trump, it is highly likely that work such as this would no-longer be eligible for funding through aid from the US. We ran the It Takes Two Campaign with Women Deliver because we believe that access to modern contraceptives is an important way to empower girls and women living in extreme poverty, while transforming developing communities in the future. We also ran it as a fun and engaging way to get young people in the United States and Uganda engaged in discussion around sexual reproduction health and rights locally and in the developing world, and as a means to encourage their active global citizenship. Today, our work for girls and women everywhere is by necessity, eminently more serious. Sources: http://womendeliver.org/investment/respect-protect-fulfill-sexual-health-rights/
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Photo Credit: Profamilia
Photo credit: Profamilia
"Women Deliver is a proud partner in Global Citizen's girls and women's campaign work. Our partnership on It Takes Two was a small step — encouraging contraceptive companies to donate two percent of profits towards efforts to increase access to family planning. In the years since these first commitments, Global Citizen has emerged as an important organization campaigning for gender equality. As the women's health community reels from the US's recent reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule and budget cut for family planning, Global Citizen and partners have a vital role to play in ensuring that all women, everywhere, have access to the sexual and reproductive health information and services they need." — President / CEO Katja Iversen, Women Deliver
Getting Girls into School Global Citizen is campaigning to ensure all children, including those in humanitarian crises receive 12 years of free, safe quality education. Here is just a small taster of our work on education... The Girl Agenda Photo Credit: Plan UK
Denmark commits to Unicef Pakistan Complete Denmark reaffirmed a commitment of $11 million to Unicef Pakistan on the 2014 Global Citizen stage. Speaking from the festival stage, the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation announced, "I stand here for the girls in Pakistan with no greater hope than to get an education. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the UNICEF and to a Danish contribution of 11 million USD, thousands of Pakistani girls will go to school and be able to get a brighter future."
Photo Credit: UNICEF/Pakistan2015/Sami Malik. Girls going home from the Government Girls Primary School, Kili Haji Mehrab Khan Kakar in Balochistan.
Denmark's commitment to UNICEF Pakistan supported a holistic strategy to reform the education sector for Balochistan through a seven point plan to upgrade 800 primary and middle schools and 100 high schools, increasing enrollment and decreasing the drop out rate, especially for girls. Baliochistan is a highly conservative area where cultural tradition prevents co-education of girls and boys in schools. The demand for girls education is increasing however, thanks in part to the efforts of Unicef Pakistan. Girls schools in the province are vibrant and well attended, and at schools like the Government Girls Primary School Kili Haji Mehrab Khan Kakar, many of the girls are the first in their family to go to school. They enjoy learning and gain ambition to fulfill their potential. Sources: https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/reallives_9716.htm; http:// openaid.um.dk/en/projects/DK-1-263420
Denmark honored this pledge with a gift of $11 million / DKK 60 million to UNICEF Pakistan in 2014. The funds were allocated over the three years, 2014-2016 and supported UNICEF's Country Program in Pakistan, which included activities benefiting children through water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, alongside child protection, nutrition and health, as well as both boys and girls education. Our contact at the Denmark mission in New York explained, "Increasing and maintaining girls' education in Pakistan was our core impact objective. To achieve this, we recognized the need for holistic support to overcome the many barriers girls face, such as health, sanitation and hygiene. The local culture also demanded that we could not support girls to the exclusion of boys." The Danish government's support to Unicef Pakistan centered around promoting access to quality education in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas where Education activist Malala grew up, before she was shot in the head on the way to school. In a case study explaining the Danish support for Unicef Pakistan, David Igulu, UNICEF Chief, Field Office, Balochistan writes, “These funds have helped us to improve the educational environment in a large number of schools across the province. We have the liberty to utilise them where they are needed the most and what could be more important than providing quality education in a conducive environment to young girls and boys. We are grateful to the people and the Government of Denmark for their support to UNICEF and are working to deliver the best results for the children of Balochistan.”
Funds committed: $11 million Funds received: $11.625 million ________________________________________
105.68 % of target met
Michelle Obama on Girls' Education
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Michelle Obama spoke out on the 2015 Global Citizen Festival stage for the 62 million girls who are out of school worldwide by announcing Girl Rising's #62MillionGirls campaign. The #62MillionGirls campaign was launched in March 2015 by Michelle Obama on the International Day of the Girl. It was delivered by Girl Rising in support of Let Girls Learn (see below), in Partnership with Aol., Makers, iTunes, Motown and change.org. The campaign aimed to place the issue of girls education on the global agenda by asking people to post a selfie explaining what they got out of school. At 2016 Global Citizen Festival, Michelle Obama called on Global Citizens to take action on letgirlslearn.gov to get girls into the classroom across the globe. Following the 2016 Global Citizen Festival, the USAID launched a set of Guiding Principles for US Government Implementation of Let Girls Learn in January 2017, saying that "through continued focus and attention to this issue, the US government and its collaborators can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the 98 million adolescent girls out of school globally and promote more prosperous, more stable societies to the benefit of US national security." The report set out the following strategic objectives for USAID on girls education: 1. Fostering an enabling environment for adolescent girls' education, by overcoming barriers like separate and safe dormitories, girls water and sanitation facilities, and more. 2. Changing the perception of the value of girls at the individual, community and institution levels, by providing girls scholarships for secondary education. 3. Engaging and equipping women and girls to be agents of change by investing in skills and leadership, lifetime healthy behaviors and developing peer mentors. Let Girls Learn was a US government-wide initiative launched by President and First Lady Obama to see 62 million girls missing out on education worldwide into school. The initiative saw USAID invest more than $600 million in Girls Learning initiatives in 13 counties in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. The USAID website states: "We have rethought “business as usual,” and have sought to bring girls to the center of our programming efforts across sectors—health, education, economic empowerment and more. To better serve the needs of adolescent girls we are collecting age- and sex-disaggregated data, using the data to better inform future programming and decision-making. From Malawi to Nepal, adolescent girls are a powerful force for change and can help break the cycle of poverty in communities around world." The Let Girls Learn initiative is currently in a transitional period following the change in US administration. With new international development policies forming under the Trump administration, Global Citizen is watching to see whether ongoing government efforts on Global Education will continue to prioritize girls' education.
Michelle Obama at 2015 Global Citizen Festival
"For me, education has never been simply a policy issue — it's personal...They're counting on us, and I have no intention of letting them down. I plan to keep working on their behalf, not just for the rest of my time as first lady, but for the rest of my life. I hope you will join me." — Michelle Obama, Former First Lady of the United States Sources: https://www.usaid.gov/letgirlslearn; http://62milliongirls.com/ about/; https://letgirlslearn.gov/news/; https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/ files/documents/1865/ Let_Girls_Learn_Principles_Document_for_Public_Release.pdf; https:// www.obama.org/updates/barack-obama-foundation-selects-chicago-homefuture-barack-obama-presidential-center/; http://edition.cnn.com/ 2016/10/11/opinions/cnn-films-we-will-rise-michelle-obama/
Women's Economic Empowerment Global Citizen is an active convener of efforts toward the economic empowerment of women, the natural impact of fulfilling equal opportunities
Global Citizen efforts for girls and women
Photo Credit: UN Foundation
WeConnect at 2016 Global Citizen Festival In progress — too soon to tell At 2016 Global Citizen Festival, we teamed up with WEConnect International to empower women entrepreneurs. WEConnect International helps women-owned businesses succeed in global value chains. They achieve this by identifying, educating, registering and certifying women's business enterprises based outside of the US that are at least 51 percent owned, managed, and controlled by one or more women and then connecting them with multinational corporate buyers. By empowering these women, WEConnect’s efforts are leading to healthier, better-educated, and more sustainable communities because women invest most of their wealth back into their communities. At 2016 Global Citizen Festival Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, Walmart and UPS each committed to purchase $100 million of goods from women-owned businesses over three years after 5,300 Global Citizens tweeted corporations, and a further 24,435 Global Citizens signed petitions targeting these and companies around the world to source more products and services from women-owned suppliers in developing countries, handing over the petition to Johnson & Johnson's Chief Procurement Officer, Len DeCandia. Since September 2016, Johnson & Johnson attended a WEConnect International Match Making event in Johannesburg in South Africa on 17 January, where multinational corporates had the opportunity to meet women entrepreneurs and view their products. This event was the first in a new series of quarterly events and demonstrates that Johnson & Johnson are actively working to deliver their commitment. Romaine Seguin, President of Americas Region for UPS International, spoke at the WEConnect Canada Power the Economy 2016 Conference to publicly promote their commitment to sourcing more from women-owned businesses and their Canada procurement team met with several women business owners to identify new suppliers. The commitment from Walmart was announced as part of their ongoing Empowering Women Together Program, which is in turn part of their larger Women's Economic Empowerment Initiatives to source $20 billion from women-owned businesses, which dates back to 2013. This also includes an opportunity for Walmart customers to purchase products with the Women Owned logo on the packaging in Walmart stores and online. Global Citizen will continue to monitor the progress these commitments with our partner WEConnect.
Photo credit: Twitter/@JNJCares. WEConnect and Global Citizen handing over the petition. to our partner Johnson & Johnson
Sources: http://corporate.walmart.com/global-responsibility/womenseconomic-empowerment/empowering-women-together-program; https://www.walmart.com/cp/Empowering-Women-Together/ 1094926; https://weconnectinternational.org/en/network/africa/southafrica/news-and-events/opportunity-knocks-for-women-businessowners-at-weconnect-international-in-south-africa-s-first-eventin-2017; https://weconnectinternational.org/images/Report.pdf
"In support of this Global Citizen commitment, WEConnect International released a new report on 'The Business Case for Global Supplier Diversity and Inclusion: The Critical Contributions of Women and Other Underutilized Suppliers to Corporate Value Chains'. The report mentions the importance of this commitment and provides the world’s first comprehensive analysis of the value and the competitive advantages that come with diversifying global value chains." — Elizabeth A. Vazquez, CEO WEConnect International
WeConnect at Global Citizen Festival India In progress — too soon to tell At Global Citizen Festival India, we again teamed up with WeConnect International to empower women entrepreneurs.
At Global Citizen Festival India (GCFI), held on November 19, 2016, Mr R V Deshpande celebrated the success of the ThinkBig Summit in his announcement on behalf of the government of Karnataka (a State of India). Hosted by the Government of Karnataka in partnership with WEConnect and Global Citizen, the ThinkBig Summit is the largest Summit for Women's Entrepreneurship in Asia, and took place in the week of Global Citizen Festival India. Mr Deshpande went on to commit on the behalf of the Karnataka government in partnership with WEConnect to empower one million women through enhanced entrepreneurial opportunities and policy change by the end of 2018. First announced at the ThinkBig Summit, The Karanataka government will create favorable policy environments and invest seed funds in small to medium sized enterprises led by women. Earlier that week, Additional Chief Secretary K. Ratna announced in Bengluru that they would set up the state's first Women's Park at Kalburgi to support women-owned businesses in their manufacturing, by building the new Karnataka Ladies Association and Manufacturers Park (K-LAMP) with "facilities to incubate, train, develop and test diverse products for mass production", as well as a new website, www.klampk.com. Since GCFI, our partners in India TGELF are monitoring this pledge, and have shared that the Government of Karnataka has launched an-interdepartmental consultation gathering comments and suggestions that will be used to develop a new policy. TGELF and Global Citizen will continue to monitor this commitment.
Photo credit: John Isaac / World Bank Sources: https://yourstory.com/2016/11/think-big-weconnect-ceo-elizabeth-vazquez/; https://www.hoteldealsphuket.com/phukettravelnews/news/first-womens-park-forentrepreneurs-in-north-karnataka
Mara Foundation empowers entrepreneurs In progress — on track Since 2015, Global Citizens have been campaigning for Women Entrepreneurs, youth employment, and to bridge the labor force gap with equal pay. At Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day, founder of the Mara Group and Mara Foundation Ashish Thakkar made a commitment to empower five million youth and women entrepreneurs by the end of 2020. They planned to achieve this by launching a platform through the foundation providing free access to courses, mentoring, e-learning, as well as investments, networking and internship opportunities through Mara Ad-Venture Investments. Based on a report from the Foundation received in March 2017, we can report that the platform has to date secured 861,702 users, of which almost a third are female and 82 percent are youth. The platform has supported these entrepreneurs with inspirational content, toolkits, the course, and youth leadership, alongside very active mentoring via twitter chats, discussion forums and webinars with UN Women. While these numbers mean they are currently 17 percent to target nearly two years in, Executive Director Rona Kotecha confirmed to Global Citizen that they remain committed to the original goal, and are launching a new version of the Mara Mentor platform with enhanced features and language functionality, while remaining low bandwidth to enable the platform to reach more women and young people globally.
"We're very confident we will reach this goal by the target date — the launch of the new platform will be key and the fact that we are increasing the number of countries we work in. We feel the new platform will enable us to enter developing countries where other languages are spoken. We are also looking at working in refugee camps to enable entrepreneurs with the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council and UNDP. We hope to see a rapid growth by the end of 2017 and Q1 next year. " — Rona Kotecha, Head of Global Partnerships, Director - Mara Foundation
In addition, Mara Foundation launched the Ashish J. Thakkar Global Entrepreneurship Index to support and encourage businesses to start and grow. The Index assesses 85 countries globally and is enabling Mara Foundation to work with governments in around nine developing countries to support policy changes that will see economic environments that are more supportive to small and medium sized enterprises.
Lives set to be affected: 5,000,000 Lives impacted: 861,702 ___________________________________________
17.23% of target met
Photo Credit: World Bank
Women's economic empowerment In progress — awaiting some information Since 2015, Global Citizens have campaigned for Women Entrepreneurs, youth employment, and to bridge the labor force gap with equal pay. Rwanda — At 2015 Global Citizen Festival, President Paul Kagame committed to making the role of women in agriculture and nutrition a top priority to end global hunger by changing policy on laws which prevented women from owning and inheriting land. He announced that millions of computerized land titles had been issued, with a majority going to women. Global Citizen is currently seeking information on progress for women benefitting from land ownership titles since September 2015. Turkey — At 2015 Global Citizen Festival, Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu committed by video message to use his position as chair to call on leaders of the G20 present at the at the G20 Antalya Summit in November 2015 to redouble efforts to see a reduction in the workforce gender gap by 25 percent by 2025, to see 100 million more women gaining access to fair and equal work around the world. He also called on G20 leaders to reduce the number of youth-at-risk in society by 15 percent, allowing them access to quality education and work. At the end of the G20 Leaders Summit on 16 November 2015, President Erdoğan set out three fundamental concepts, "inclusiveness, implementation and investment", which is significant to create quality employment and eliminate inequalities while spreading prosperity. In highlighting these principles Turkey aimed that all segments of society, particularly women and youth receive a larger share of economic growth, making tackling youth unemployment a serious priority for many G20 countries. The Antalya Leaders' Communique, demonstrates that Turkey secured a quantitative target to reduce the share of young people at most risk of being permanently left behind in the labor market for the first time. This was a target to reduce unemployment by 15 percent by 2025. This followed the 2014 commitment of the Australian Presidency of the G20 who agreed to reduce the labor force participation rate between women and men by 25 percent by 2025. Therefore, Turkey not only called on G20 Leaders to deliver on these commitments on the "25 by 25 G20 Gender Gap Commitment", but also on youth unemployment. The Turkish presidency also saw various steps were taken on this issue, the most prominent being the establishment of WOMEN-20 as the sixth engagement group of the G20. Significantly, Turkey ensured delivery of these commitments would be held accountable as the OECD and the ILO have agreed to monitor progress. When China took over the G20, Turkey's inclusive growth agenda including women and youth was continued, and will continue for the German presidency, and the summit later this year. Our contacts in Turkey have reached out to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on our behalf, to help us establish national implementation of Turkey's commitment. We remain in contact with the turkey G20 Sherpa team, and through them the Turkey W20 and Y20, who are continuing to share relevant information on progress with the Global Citizen team. Sources: http://g20.org.tr/press-conference-held-president-erdogan-g20-antalya-summit/; http://g20.org.tr/fact-sheet-g20-antalya-summitoutcomes/; http://w20turkey.org/about-w20/; https://www.g20.org/Content/DE/_Anlagen/G7_G20/2016-g20-praesidentschaftspapier-en.pdf? __blob=publicationFile&v=2; https://www.g20.org/Content/DE/_Anlagen/G7_G20/2016-g20-praesidentschaftspapier-en.pdf? __blob=publicationFile&v=2; http://www.womenseconomicempowerment.org/; http://www.womenseconomicempowerment.org/reports/
Female Entrepreneurs and the labor gap In progress South Africa — At the 2015 Global Citizen Festival, Mr. Khathutshelo Ramukumba, CEO of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) announced the launch of an Integrated Youth Development Strategy. He also pledged to develop a youth employment plan to 2030. The Integrated Youth Development Strategy aimed to empower youth through six pillars: education, reproductive health, economic participation, youth resourcing and social cohesion, with investment from the South African government of 4,465,000,000 South African Rand, or an estimated $370 million over the next five years. This included funding for a business program, sports meccas and recreation centers. The NYDA has not yet responded to our questions on the strategy and its annual report for 2017-17 is not due for publication until July. The pledge to develop a youth employment plan to 2030 included a target to reduce youth unemployment from 70%, one of the highest rates in the world, by creating 11 million new jobs. A recent BBC news article suggests this may be off track. Global Citizen has reached out to South Africa for a response on progress toward both of these areas but is yet to receive a response. Sources: http://www.nyda.gov.za/About-Us/strategy/Pages/Annual-Reports.aspx ; http://www.gov.za/issues/government-priority-creating-decent-jobs; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worldafrica-36367703
Google — At Global Citizen Festival India, Google reaffirmed their commitment to bridge the online gender gap by training women in 300,000 Indian villages on how to use the Internet by the end of 2018. Google is clearly underway with this commitment, working with partners Internet Saathi, Tata Trusts and Women Will. Already, more than a million women have benefitted, of which over two million women have benefitted from training by 18,000 internet Saathi's across 60,000 villages since Global Citizen Festival India at December 31 2016. Women are trained on usage and benefits of Internet for women through specially designed Internet cycle carts which visit areas in villages which women can easily access. One of the internet teachers or Saathi is Bujji (pictured). She lives with her in-laws and two daughters. Before taking lessons herself, she had never used a smartphone, but is now one of the best trainers, having taught more than one thousand other women in Somavaram, Vijayawada area. One of the women she trained was her neighbor, Nagakakshmi, who is now able to use the internet to research sari blouse designs and to learn how to stitch more intricate clothing. Together with researching the prices of saris online, Nagakashmi has tripled her earnings, and is using the extra money to send her daughter to the best school in the area. Sources: https://www.google.com/about/values-in-action/internet-saathi/; https://hwgo.com/ ; http:// www.tatatrusts.org/article/inside/Tata-Trusts-and-Google-join-hands-to-launch-Internet-literacy-campaignfor-women-in-rural-India-and-their-communities Photo credit/ case study source: https://hwgo.com/stories/bujji.html
Supporting NGOs and the international community Global Citizen is a committed champion for the efforts of the international community on achieving gender equality
Photo Credit: Global Citizen
Half the Sky Movement At Global Citizen Festival 2012, Global Citizen partnered with Half the Sky Movement, created by Show of Force in partnership with Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, to secure funds on efforts for girls and women in developing countries. In coalition with 15 NGO partners, Half the Sky Movement coordinated a commitment to raise $165.9 million for women' empowerment by December 2017.
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Photo credit: Kennedy Odede and Jessica the The Kibera School for girls, Nairobi, Kenya. Audrey Hall/ Show of Force (c) 2015 (Above). Photo credit: Olivia Wilde introduces the Half the Sky Movement pledge at Global Citizen Festival 2012. Global Citizen. (Left)
15 NGOs efforts to collectively raise $165.9 million Complete — exceeded At the inaugural Global Citizen Festival in 2012, Global Citizen piloted our impact and commitment model, working with NGO partners to see if the campaign and platform surrounding the festival could successfully be leveraged to secure new funding commitments. One of the largest commitments was driven by our partners Half the Sky Movement, a coalition of 15 NGOs supporting women and girls in support of the book and documentary series Half the Sky created by Show of Force in partnership with Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Collectively, they announced commitments to raise new funds with a total value of $165.9 million. In the years since, we have checked-in with these organizations to assess progress, and to get feedback on our measurement and evaluation model. Show of Force continues these efforts to change the lives of women and girls through Show of Force: Social Good.
Fundraising target: $165,900,000 Funds raised: $193,208,332 ___________________________________________
116.5% of target met
We are pleased to report that together the 15 NGOs successfully raised $193.2 million toward efforts for girls and women, exceeding their target by 16.5 percent. Global Citizen also used our learning from the Half the Sky Movement commitment to inform our impact strategy following the pilot model at 2012 Global Citizen Festival. Based in part on our observations from this commitment and feedback from the NGO sector, we focused future Global Citizen campaigning less on securing fundraising commitments from NGOs, and much more on working with these same NGOs to secure policy and funding change from governments and business leaders as the best means to use our platform to achieve the catalytic impact required to realize our vision - the end of extreme poverty by 2030. Combatting Fistula - The Fistula Foundation's commitment made an impact for Celestine. Fistula is a hole that can occur between the vagina and the bladder or rectum caused by prolonged obstructed labor, perhaps lasting, which is avoidable when the labor is attended by trained medical staff. Fistula causes incontinence in the mother, and her baby will most likely die. A woman with fistula is often rejected by her husband and pushed out of her village due to her foul smell. Only one woman in fifty has an attended labor and at least one million women today suffer from untreated fistula. And with just 15,000 fistula repair surgeries each year, only one woman in fifty receives the surgery she needs. Fistula Foundation has trained 54 surgeons in 20 countries since 2012. Celestine from Kenya suffered a fistula causing urinary incontinence after an obstructed labor with her sixth child. She was lucky as she was able to deliver her son safely with a caesarian section and her husband ensured she found treatment. “One day, my husband came back home earlier than his usual time and in very high spirits,” she says. After two years of searching, he had found someone who could help with her condition. They would go to Gynocare Fistula Center, in Eldoret, the very next morning. Celestine was so excited that the night felt longer. Today, she is thankful for the fistula treatment that ended her two years of misery. “I am so grateful to have another chance to live a life of dignity and honor as a woman,” she says. Learn more at: https://www.fistulafoundation.org/story/celestine/#sthash.C2SC6I7E.dpuf
Photo Credit: Fistula Foundation. Celestine
15 NGOs efforts to collectively raise $165.9 million Complete — exceeded Afghan Institute of Learning committed to raise $3 million over three years to support and implement education and gender equality programs and health services for 500,000 Afghans per year in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Published financial statements show funds raised totaling $4,633,208, exceeding their target. Apne Aap Women World Wide committed to raise $355,000 in 2013 to aid women and girls at risk of prostitution and sex trafficking in India. Their annual report and accounts show they succeeded within one year, by raising $1,165,487. This impacted the lives of 21,124 girls, women and their family, by protection from the sex industry through the Apne Aap ten asset program.
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The Fistula Foundation committed to raise $11.6 million in the next three years to double the number of women treated and to train at least thirty new surgeons in Africa, Nepal, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The organization's annual reports and accounts over the period indicate that they exceeded their goal, raising $17,818,450, impacting the lives of 5,076 women through treatments of their fistula. Futures Without Violence committed to a $15 million endowment challenge with the Ford Foundation to ensure the long-term sustainability of FUTURES core programming throughout the US and around the world. Their annual report shows they completed the challenge at 89.45 percent of target, securing $13,415,327 from the Ford Foundation endowment over the course of the year. International Rescue Committee committed to raise $10 million over two years towards the protection and empowerment of women and girls in Africa, South Asia, South East Asia, Gaza, Western Asia and Haiti. Based on information from IRC and a review of their accounts, Global Citizen is confident this commitment has been met. Kashf Foundation committed to raise $100,000 by November 2012 to directly fund 380 female entrepreneurs and support women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan. Within a year, they completed and exceeded their commitment, raising $230,000. Opportunity International committed to raise $25 million over the next three years for their “Women Investing in Women” initiative in Africa, India, Asia and Latin America. Their annual report and accounts over the three year period show this target was achieved. Population Council committed to investing $12 million over the next year in an effort to ensure that vulnerable girls and young women in developing countries lead full and productive lives by conducting rigorous research and developing and implementing programs aimed at improving reproductive health, reducing sexual and gender-based violence, and strengthening social support networks and financial knowledge and skills, working closely with policymakers and program managers to inform, shape, and improve services and policies to change the way communities and leaders think about the value of investing in these important populations. Their 2013 Annual Accounts indicate they achieved their goal within one year.
15 NGOs efforts to collectively raise $165.9 million Complete — exceeded Room to Read to raise $20 million over three years to support the education of 82,000 girls in Asia and Africa. Based on Global Citizen's examination of published accounts, and a monitoring response from the organization received in 2013, we estimate that Room to Read exceeded this aim, raising more than $30 million for girls education. However, published impact numbers indicate 38,503 girls were reached with those funds, just 47.5 percent of target. Save the Children committed to fundraise over $54 million in the next three years to support health programs, child protection and education that will help transform the lives of millions of marginalized women and girls around the world. Based on research by Global Citizen and conversations with Save the Children, we believe this commitment to have been met or exceeded.
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Shining Hope for Communities committed to raise $2.5 million over the next five years to serve 75,000 people living in Kenya’s urban slums, building urban promise from urban poverty. They achieved this goal in less than two years. Somaly Mam Foundation committed to raise $3 million by the end of 2015 to aid 60,000 women and girls exploited in the sex trade in Southeast Asia. Following allegations of fraud against the founder, this NGO was wound up in 2014, and the commitment was not met. Tostan committed to raising $1 million to empower women and girls in Somalia through its community-led development programs. At the end of year one, Tostan shared with Global Citizen they had raised $300,000 toward this aim. Global Citizen research on what happened since then shows that Tostan revised their strategic operations and, while the Community Education Program (CEP) continued in six West African Countries, they stopped working in Somalia. Over three years, Tostan successfully raised more than $11 million toward their mission, to empower African communities to bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on respect for human rights, ensuring every person—woman, man, girl, and boy—is able to live a life of dignity. Since a change in strategic direction is an important tool for achieving impact, Global Citizen consider this commitment met, with a change in target audience. World Vision - Women of Vision committed to fundraise $1.5 million over five years to combat harmful gender norms in Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Bolivia and El Salvador. Global Citizen research indicates that $2,559,860 was raised by the Women of Vision by the end of September 2015, exceeding their goal. Women's World Banking committed to fundraising $8.5 million over two years to reach women and girls with financial services and education. This target was almost achieved in year one and by the end of year two, they had raised $19,400,000, exceeding their target.
Catapult Commitment abandoned Fundraising target: $60,000,000 Funds raised: estimated $7,000,000
At Global Citizen Festival 2012, Catapult committed to raise $30 million from the public, matched by private-sector and philanthropic partners, for a total $60 million raised by the end of 2015 for projects supporting girls and women.
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estimated 11.67% of target met
Founded by designer and activist, Maz Kessler and incubated by girls and women NGO Women Deliver, Catapult was a start-up entrepreneurial crowdfunding project back in 2012, when this commitment was made.
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Catapult's unique model saw it pass-through donations made through the platform to partner NGOs, who were then responsible for reporting back on the progress made on the projects funded. Catapult raised more than $7 million in funds for 432 projects reaching 1,702,145 girls and women in 86 countries, working with 192 partners. This includes raising more than $4 million through a concert held in partnership with current Global Citizen partners, CHIME FOR CHANGE in London in April 2014. In 2015, Catapult was recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative for its "exemplary impact." Catapult is to be praised for its project-level impact reports. For example, one project in Pakistan raised $16,800 to create a child marriage free zone in Pakistan with partners PiggyBankKids and Idara-e-Taleem-oAagahi (ITA) by mobilizing youth, parents, parliamentarians, education departments to reduce and eliminate child marriage in the Matiari district of Pakistan. The project created seven campaigning groups, affecting the lives of 918 girls and trained 50 marriage registrars on marriage laws and the implications of child marriage.
Photo Credit: Catapult Sources: www.http://catapult.org/; http://catapult.org/create-child-marriage-freezone-pakistan-2/; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/up-for-school-/12-years-ofschooling-can_b_8312310.html; http://catapult.org/catapult-recognized-by-cgi/
However, following its initial incubation period, Catapult has undergone leadership changes, and was placed on hiatus in 2015, with the most recent public update from August 2016 reporting that they remain on hiatus until "new leadership is in place." As Catapult is no longer actively fundraising, we consider this commitment abandoned, with 11.67% of the initial target met. Since Catapult is on hiatus, Catapult has not responded to our information requests.
The State of Global Citizen Girls & Women Commitments March 2017 – Version 1.0 A Global Citizen Accountability Report For further information about Global Citizen's impact work and additional data and reports, go to www.globalcitizen.org/impact
With our grateful thanks to Malta, current Chair-In-Office of the Commonwealth, and the United Kingdom as incoming chair in 2018, for supporting our Commission on the Status of Women Event held on March 13 2017, where this report was launched.
