USNC re-Launch Campaign

Women and girls around the world still suffer from human trafficking, unspeakable violence, feminized poverty, the ravages of HIV/AIDS, and much more.  This is unacceptable.  We do not accept the violence and poverty imposed on women and girls and we know that you will not accept it either.  Progress must begin today. 

Why are we so focused on this need right now?  In 2010, as part of its reform agenda, the United Nations launched a new entity called UN Women to be the global champion for women and girls.  Michelle Bachelet, the first women president of the Republic of Chile, was appointed Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director.  She brings incredible experience to our cause as a national leader, a doctor, and a mother.  The launch of UN Women under Ms. Bachelet’s leadership allows us to accelerate progress and more effectively coordinate programs for women and girls worldwide.  She is raising awareness of these issues, driving both understanding and funding efforts.  In her new role, Ms. Bachelet is also dealing with the practical side of empowering women by drawing attention to the urgent need to invest in gender equality.  Stressing that investing in women is not only the right thing, but also the smart thing to do and central to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction, she is calling on leaders to accelerate actions to advance women’s rights.

Ms. Bachelet’s discussions and actions for change focus on a range of issues, from enhancing women’s economic empowerment and sustainability to ending violence against women — a global pandemic — to supporting women’s leadership worldwide, including in the current transitions across the Middle-East and North Africa.

The US National Committee for UN Women (USNC), as UN Women’s representative in this country, is one of 20 worldwide National Committees that support UN Women.  Each of these National Committees is an independent non-governmental organization supporting UN Women through dynamic membership programs, advocacy, public education on global women’s issues, and fund raising efforts to support UN Women programs in developing countries.  Of the approximately $800,000 total contributed annually by all National Committees, the US National Committee for UN Women (USNC) typically contributes only $50,000.  Think about it … in no way does this level of support represent the spirit and passion of our membership and our country.  We must do better, much better!

With the new international organization now in place, USNC must step up its efforts.  As the United States representative for UN Women, we must lead the way for women around the world.  After careful planning, the USNC has set a target of $1 million, to be raised by June 2013 and payable over 3 years, to guarantee an adequate income stream for infrastructure and leadership.  We intend to work more effectively to make certain the United States contributes at a much more appropriate level. 

With a stronger funding infrastructure, we can better fuel education, advocacy, and financial support for UN Women.  This must be our first priority.  Our supporters care deeply about our mission and we are committed to:

• consistently inform you of our global activities,
• offer more opportunities to lend your voice to policy efforts,
• better empower your philanthropic goals, and
• take time to thank you for your support.

There is no excuse for not delivering greater financial and political support.  We are determined to ensure greater impact and we are re-Launching the USNC to do that!We need your support.  Will you join us by making a contribution this year?  Your contribution, and the contributions of others like you, have enabled us to get this far.  Now we ask that you please help us go the distance. 

Why Support Women?

Supporting a woman in a developing nation impacts our world in many ways by:

• Advancing economic and social development.  The 3rd UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of  achieving gender equality and empowering women recognizes the importance of women in overall development.  Societies that deny equal rights for women will never develop sustainably.  Gender equality, such as equal access to education for girls and the inclusion of women in the electoral process, is the key to reaching  all 8 MDGs (for more on these important goals, see UN Millennium Development Goals).
• Raising the overall level of health worldwide.  A woman’s health affects not only the health of her children and family but that of her community.  Investing in a woman’s health, such as ensuring access to pre-natal healthcare and combating gender-based violence, will improve the level of economic and social development in her country.
• Improving the global environment.  Only when women are equal stakeholders in decision-making is progress on the impact of climate change possible.  According to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, gender equality is a crucial element of effective action on climate change.

Why Support UN Women?

UN Women is the only multi-lateral grant-making body in the world that works to improve the lives of women and girls.  Its mission is to support longer-term programs that address deeply embedded cultural and political attitudes/practices that limit and harm women.  UN Women programs and grant recipients help women to:

• Achieve economic independence;
• Attain political equality;
• Protect and educate themselves about HIV/AIDS; and
• End gender-based violence against women and girls.

At the heart of all of UN Women’s work is the conviction that women and girls have the right to live a life free from violence, poverty, and discrimination.  UN Women consolidates the resources and mandates of UNIFEM and 3 other, previously separate, UN bodies on gender. 

Why Support the US National Committee for UN Women (USNC)?

The USNC is UN Women’s legal 501(c)(3) representative in the United States and UN Women’s voice within the United States.  Our mandate is to:

• Educate our members and the American public about UN Women and its global projects;
• Advocate by engaging US policymakers to financially support UN Women and  to implement international agreements on women’s rights; and
• Raise private funds to support UN Women projects.

What is Changing at UN Women and the USNC?

• UNIFEM officially became UN Women:  In July 2010, the UN General Assembly voted to create a new UN agency to accelerate progress for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide.  UN Women is a result of many years of negotiation between UN member nations and will build on the work of 4 previous UN bodies committed to women’s issues, including UNIFEM.  This significant step and the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the head of UN Women represent a greater commitment to women’s rights both within the UN system and around the globe.
• USNC – internal development:  The USNC is expanding its infrastructure and capacity to increase outreach and fundraising efforts in the United States.  Initial steps, accomplished in 2010-11, included the purchase of upgraded/additional computers and greater office space for additional staff.  Now we are ready to move forward with true capacity building. 
• USNC – external development:  Once our infrastructure has been strengthened, we will focus advocacy efforts and deeper engagement in communities across the US.

Background on UN Women and the USNC

UN Women is the women’s fund at the United Nations.  The predecessor organization, UNIFEM, was created by a 1976 UN General Assembly resolution, following a call from women’s organizations at the  UN First World Conference on Women in Mexico City.  UN Women’s role has been clearly defined:

• Support inter-governmental bodies such as the Commission on the Status of Women in their formulation of policies, global standards, and norms;
• Assist developing countries’ implementation of these standards, provide technical and financial support to  requesting countries, and forge effective partnerships with the rest of the world; and
• Help the UN system to be accountable for its own commitments on gender equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.

Active in all regions and at different levels, UN Women works with developing countries to create and implement laws and policies to eliminate gender discrimination and promote gender equality.  Examples include land and inheritance rights, decent work for women, and ending violence against women.  UN Women also aims to transform institutions to make them more accountable to gender equality and women's rights, to strengthen the capacity and voice of women's rights advocates, and to change harmful and discriminatory practices in society.  UN Women provides longer-term, in-country programs that help ensure cultural, political, and economic changes that help women to gain control of their lives.  UN Women currently operates programs in 80 countries. 

Through its 18 National Committees, UN Women raises money and awareness for its programs. USNC is one of UN Women’s national committees.  Chartered in 1983, the USNC is a volunteer-driven organization with thirteen chapters across the United States and additional chapters in development.  With nearly 5,000 supporters across the U.S., the USNC has one full-time, paid employee headquartered in Washington, DC, and an important network of additional volunteer resources at both the national and local chapter level.

As UN Women’s sole outreach organization in the United States, the USNC fosters financial, public, and political support for UN Women.  The USNC works to increase awareness of such issues as human trafficking, violence against women, and gender-based poverty.  The USNC raises funds annually  for UN Women and also sponsors fund drives such as the special appeal for UN Women’s efforts in Haiti.  The USNC, often in cooperation with other women’s organizations, works to garner support for legislation such as the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).  Finally, the USNC works closely with UN Women to promote UN Women’s specific campaigns, including the global “UNiTE - Say No to Violence” effort. 

 

USNC-UN Women – 2012-2013 re-Launch Campaign

The US National Committee for UN women, working with a network of volunteers and one paid staff, has historically given approximately $50,000 per year to UN Women.  We can significantly increase this amount if we expand our capacity, primarily by providing more support to our all-volunteer workforce through the expansion of our Washington, DC facility and additional features to our recently upgraded database and website.  The US holds vital resources that could be brought to bear on the current state of women across the world.  Our ability to better tap these resources to promote support for UN Women will ensure much greater progress. 

Our objective is to improve our capacity one step at a time.  We undertook Step 1 in 2011 with a targeted infrastructure campaign.  Through the dollars raised we enhanced our capacity by:

• Increasing our office space;
• Updating computers, software, printers and other equipment needs; 
• Developing a more robust fund development strategy and training our volunteer board to leverage our ability to raise increased funds  in the private sector; and
• Engaging additional paid services to assist in moving our capacity building plan forward.

Now we are ready for Step 2, which is to raise $1M payable over 3 years, thus providing the appropriate income stream to support the following:

• Hire a  fund development executive to drive greater giving  that more accurately reflects the spirit and passion of our country;
• Add staff to assist management, the board, and chapters in fund development;
• Build stronger membership and additional chapters across the country, creating a more persuasive voice for advocacy and education; and
• Establish the US as the world leader in the fight to ensure women and girls have the right to a life free from violence, poverty, and discrimination.

Step 2 will enable the USNC-UN Women to become a more impactful representative within the US through an expanded staff that allows our committed network of volunteers to increase our effectiveness and expand our external reach.  This will enable us to build a fund development engine capable of raising real dollars and broader awareness.  Our ability to become true and effective advocates will be secured.

We believe the current level of US support of UN Women, including both government and private support, is unacceptable.  We believe the US can and should lead the way in moving the needle closer and faster to improving the lives of women and girls and eliminating violence against them in large part.  We are ready to re-Launch and we are ready to embrace you as our partner.