My name is Annette Mukabera, a young retired Politician from Uganda. I got to know WIN through an inter-cultural exchange programme while I was serving as a Member of Parliament in the Parliament of Uganda(2001-2006). WIN provided me with oppotunities that have empowered me to serve my Country especially the most under privilaged. Through the WIN connections, I have received training, Awards for hard work and I have been humbled by the dedication and determination of this organisation that has crossed all possibly named barriers to bring the plight of women to the front and strengthened the womens' circle in the world to unite Women. My first experience happened in 2001 when I had just been elected as a Woman representative. I had so many ideas but was not really focused in relation to my priorities. Howeverr this exchange exposed me to the possiblities of change through planning, partnerships, networking, fundraising and prioritising my work. since then I am systematically working for my country. At any given time I am proud to have known WIN for I have the strength to cause change in my work.
Hi, I am a supporter of the Women's Intercultural Network. WIN recently participated in a major Trade Mission with the Phillipines. It involved many US based Political and Business leaders. The action items from this trade mission were reason enough to justify the mission and investment. The overall business benefits involving targeted cultural investment far exceed our expectations of return.
WIN has sent delegates to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women every year since Beijing 1995,and taken the Beijing Platform for Action to every county in California, linked women internationally and shared effected models and strategies with other NGOs. WIN is a major proponent of a UN NGO 5th World Conference on Women.
I have been associated with WIN-CAWA for the past decade during which time, visibility of women’s concerns and impact on public life has grown tremendously in this region. They have been most effective in bringing to the forefront some critical issues to women’s empowerment through their regular legislative alerts, such as: what factors promote women’s access to representative politics in order to meet the goal of gender parity? Under what conditions can they and their male allies be effective in producing gender-sensitive public policy? I have greatly appreciated how WIN-CAWA has been able to play a central role in highlighting women’s struggles and connecting activists like me to so many others in the field. It has been so inspiring and motivating for me to promote similar issues such as CEDAW locally. The founder of WIN Aileen Hernandez and its current Director Marilyn Fowler are great examples of how to coordinate and mobilize support to fight for women’s justice and equity.
I got to know about WIN when I attended the fourth International Women Conference in Beijing, China. I felt so connected to the vision and philosophy of WIN that few months after we came back from the conference I contacted the SF Office and we have been involved since. I was in touch few years, then member and then serving on the board
I have been associated with WIN-CAWA since 2003 and I have done pro-bono work designing their web site as well as Art Director and Designer for major marketing collateral pieces – Author of mission statement and Editor for annual business plan. When I met the founder of WIN-CAWA she was a shining star who works harder than any one I know for the benefit of women and children. WIN-CAWA fights for women's rights in communities around the world giving them a voice in areas where they are barely considered human. It is incredible WIN-CAWA's ability to bring women together to fight for the rights of women and empower women. "when you lift a woman up you lift up the world"
The George-Straley Foundation has been impressed with the achievements of WIN-CAWA ever since its founding to implement the Platform for Action from the 4th UN World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. We especially applaud the organizational efforts within California which have led to WIN-CAWA's representing some 700 women's organizations. And now the replication of this network in 30 additional states is amazing (U.S. Women Connect). The email alerts provided frequently keep us all apprised of critical legislative & advocacy priorities. Kudos to WIN-CAWA!
Two things -- one related to policy, the other related to practice. Two goals emerged from the meetings following on the United Nations 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 for the Task Force on The Girl Child: The ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women ( CEDAW, also known as the Women's Rights Treaty), and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Although almost all countries have done it, albeit with reservations, neither convention has been ratified by the USA. This is an embarrassment that needs to be addressed. I believe in WIN's commitment to realizing this next step toward universal human rights. Also: I support the ways that WIN/CAWA is creating a global network for women and girls to realize their full potential. It is exemplary.
From my introduction to the Women’s Intercultural Network to my involvement with WIN as a current board member, I have developed an appreciation for the dynamism of WIN in connecting women across cultures personally and virtually for collective action and mutual understanding. More than a million women and organizations are currently connected internationally and nationally in 30 states in the United States and ever growing under the leadership and management of WIN’s President and CEO Marilyn Fowler. Marilyn has more than 30 years of experience in organizing and managing organizations to respond to the concerns of women and girls. WIN’s strength is that WIN does not duplicate what other women’s organizations do. WIN connects these organizations and amplifies what they do for collective action for the common good. I know of no other organization whose mission is to be the mechanism to allow women on the ground the ability to communicate beyond geographic boundaries what they do to tackle tough issues affecting women and girls. These issues are identified in the platform for action developed from the United Nations Beijing Women’s conference in 1995 to advance the goals of equality and equity for women and girls. As an NGO with consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, WIN is in a strategic position to organize educational venues at the UN and represent women’s interest to international policy makers. WIN is a testament to what can be accomplished with an effective organizational model and dedicated leadership. WIN has been the premiere network that organizes; not an organization that networks. With your financial assistance, WIN has the potential to amplify the voices of many more women and girls. Join now so WIN can amplify what you are as a woman and what your organization represents on behalf of women. Check out WIN’s website at http://www.win-cawa.org.
I went to the UN Commission on the Status of Women Beijing + 15 with WIN in New York City, March 1.- 12. 2010. After this inspiring and motivating meeting I volunteered with WIN, writing articles and developing social media sites. I am now a compassionate member of the WIN Global Advisory Counsil. WIN connects women and girls across cultures, differences, and countries. From my hometown Oslo, Norway, I realize over and over how important this mission is. Women's organizations need to be connected to work for change locally and globally. I am now looking for Norwegian organizations to connect with WIN.
When I returned from the Fourth World Conference for Women in Beijing I was moved and motivated to become even more of an activist for Women's Rights. I became connected with CAWA and WIN and we have been on the same path ever since..Our passion has been to stay connected with others all around the world CAWA is our model for what we do in our own community. As the CAWA Co-Coordinator for Ventura County with Cecelia Fargo(now deceased) we began organizing locally while we continued to think globally to impliment the goals Beijing Platform for Action believing that we could impact the lives of women at the local level on the various issues that have kept women from being equal partners in our society. Through CAWA we have hosted women from Uganda and Afganistan in Ventura and educated local women about their issues so we could understand and help improve their lives. At the local level with CAWA as our model we have organized a Collaborative effort with various other Womens Organizations. We have held three Forums addressing the issues of Economic Injustice, Educational InJustice and Economic Insecurity including Poverty all based on the 12 Critical Areas of Concern established in Beijing We are working crossculturally on empowering poor women and immigrant families with other community based organizations on problems of homelessness,women in jail,environmental concerns,health care, family violence and many other issues. A lack of adequate funding is our biggest stumbling block. Imagine what we could do...............
After attending the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing China - I was inspired, being based in California the Women' Intercultural Network was the organization linking women, sharing resources, communications, insights and linkage to the local work making it international right here at home. we have been able to work with delegations from Uganda, Afghanistan and other global women working local. an amazing experience that has shared the world's wisdom from women with women across the globe.
Through this organization I have received help on promotion and participation in organizing women throughout California to join in our parades in Sacramento to honor the suffragettes who won the vote for all women. I have learned what went on in Beijing 15 years ago and hope to participate in the planning for another world meeting of women. I have been honored to meet with women from other countries who then become real persons rather than names or numbers in a report. I feel that this organization holds the key for bringing women together to work for a better world for all.
With a gifted and inspirational founder and leader, the Women's Intercultural Network has created a model for connecting and serving women and girls around the world. I have observed the strategic planning and consensus of women's voices that emerged into diverse, yet unified programming in Japan, Uganda, Afghanistan and multicultural communities of women in major US regions. The organizing network has served as a model for implementing the Beijing Platform for Women, into the California Agenda for Women and the US WomenConnect Project. It is an inspirational and motivational nonprofit that merits increased visibility and appreciation.
Since I became involved in the Women's Intercultural Network, Inc. (WIN)over ten years ago, I have been astounded at the number of conferences and events organized by its executive director up and down the state of California, primarily with volunteers. WIN brings women's rights to marginalized communities in a unique and inspiring way that develops advoacy strength and expertise for people. And personally, the regular updates about critical issues locally, statewide, nationwide and globally affecting women and girls are extremely helpful and interesting. I will continue to donate to this organization because of the essential work they are doing so well.
I traveled to the United Nations Women's conference in Beijing 1995. Upon returning home to San Fransisco Bay area we had a debriefing of experiences there that was my first contact with WIN. I later helped organize CAWA California Women's Action Agenda to put to task all the goals of the 5th UN COnference on Women. WIN was the leader in that movement. This model of grassroots organizing has been replicated in local county platforms. Then gone on to use the California model for organinzing women around the United States. Really exemplfying the motto "think global work local!" My life has been dramatically changed as a result of all this exposure and opportunity for leadership. Allowing me to step into a global leadership role in Human rights for women and children. I served as chair for over five years traveling to Afghanistan, Uganda and China as a delegation representative promoting Human Rights and supporting networking through these countries. Also through my own organization on behalf on Human Rights for indigenous people traveled to New Zealand linking California Pomo Indians with Maoris. Traveled to Ecuador promoting indigenous human rights. Also to Korea to receive Ambassador for Peace award from the World Federation For Peace. All of these things became possible due to the vision and hardwork of WIN Director Marilyn Fowler who works as volunteer director and tirelessly for human Rights. WIN has consultative status with the United Nations and creates access for all her members to travel and give first hand reports to the UN at various global forums on enviornment; human rights; Indigenous issues. Whatever issues call to WIN members we have opportunity to speak on behalf of our constiuencies and consceince. This has a ripple effect that can not really be measured by normal standards! It goes into the collective vocabulary and governance at such intimate yet cross cutting issues as to be formative for many countries and governments.