SILVER SPRING, Md.—Nearly a century after International Women’s Day (IWD) was first observed on March 8, 1911, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) recommits its work to empower women, recognizing the importance of gender equality in helping communities achieve their development goals.
 

“In recent years, the distance that many countries have traveled to accept the importance of gender rights and women’s empowerment has truly been amazing,” said Charles Sandefur, president of ADRA International.  “However, for women around the world to truly achieve equality, much more must be done.”
 

In October of 2009, in partnership with the Women’s Ministries department of the Adventist Church, ADRA launched a global awareness campaign called enditnow™ to encourage communities to bring an end to gender-based violence and other oppressive practices aimed at women and girls worldwide.
 

“Through this campaign, we want to make it clear that violence against women and girls can not and will not be tolerated in any form, and motivate others to do the same,” continued Sandefur.
 

The campaign encourages millions of people to stand up against gender-based violence.  Currently ADRA and Women’s Ministries are collecting a total of 1 million signatures from more than 200 countries around the world, which will be presented to the United Nations to advocate for new policies to protect women and girls.
 

Through this ongoing campaign and the many other projects currently running around the world, ADRA is working to build lasting social change in the lives of women and girls providing beneficiaries with valuable skills to improve their household incomes, and standard of living, strengthen their voices within their communities, build their confidence, and give them the strength they need to resist harmful practices, including violence, abuse, and exploitation.
 

To learn more about the enditnow™ campaign, click here.
 

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 60 percent of the world’s poorest people are women and girls. Two-thirds of children who are currently out of school are girls, and at least one out of every three girls worldwide have been victims of some form of gender-based violence.
 

“Where we see progress towards [development] lacking the most is where the needs of women and girls are not given enough attention or prioritization,” said Helen Clark, administrator for the UNDP in a recent speech.  “Achieving gender equality is a prerequisite for meeting [our development goals].”
 

Other projects that ADRA is utilizing to empower women include a microfinance project in Peru for low-income women in Peru, and various development projects that improve the quality of life for Roma women in Bulgaria.
 

The microfinance project currently being implemented in Peru helps beneficiaries to fund their dreams, through the project’s Community Banking Program.  As members of the project, Community Associations consisting of between 15 and 40 women receive loans that can be used to start and operate personal businesses, which range from baking, and tailoring to candy shops, grocery stores, and hairdressing salons.
 

“This promotes the continued growth of the beneficiaries’ families and communities,” said Indira Melgar, director for the ADRA Peru Microfinance project. “At the same time, it encourages the economic independence of the participants, fostering collective and individual saving habits.”
 

 In Eastern Europe, ADRA has been working for many years with Roma communities in Bulgaria, placing special priority on the needs of Roma women. Over the years, ADRA these projects have provided them with improved health education, medical attention, vocational training, and information on family planning and budgeting. ADRA also encourages them to be more active participants within their own communities.
 

“Through these activities, the [participating] women’s capacity to contribute to the development of their society has improved,” added Velinova. “This has increased the power they hold as community members, directly impacting issues such as the education of their children, and their chances to have a better life.”
 

To learn more about other projects that ADRA is involved in to empower and protect women and girls, visit us at www.adra.org.
 

International Women’s Day is commemorated every year on March 8, as part of a global celebration of women’s past, present, and future achievements.  Although organizations are free to choose different themes each year, for 2010, the United Nations theme is “Equal rights, equal opportunities:  Progress for all”.
 

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ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.
 

For more information about ADRA, visit www.adra.org.
 

Author: Nadia McGill