Women Forward International

ADVANCING WOMEN TO ADVANCE HUMANITY.

SINCE BEING FOUNDED IN 2019, WOMEN FORWARD INTERNATIONAL HAS MET A NUMBER OF MILESTONES RESULTING IN TANGIBLE IMPACT IN ITS FOUR KEY AREAS OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT: HEALTH & WELL-BEING; LEADERSHIP IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION; ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION; AND SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS.IN THE AREA OF WOMEN'S HEALTH & WELL-BEING, WFI COLLABORATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM'S RIGHTS LAB ON A PROGRAM THAT EXPLORED ETHICAL, ARTISTIC WORK BY SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY. THIS PROGRAM WORKED WITH SURVIVOR LEADERS TO DELIVER PARTICIPATORY CREATIVE WORKSHOPS WITH MODERN SLAVERY SURVIVORS IN THE ENGLISH EAST MIDLANDS, SUPPORTING THEM IN PRODUCING ETHICAL, CREATIVE WORKS OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND STORYTELLING (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)WHILE PROTECTING THEM FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF RE-TRAUMATIZATION AS A RESULT OF RECOUNTING THEIR EXPERIENCES.WFI'S PROGRAM WITH GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IN COLLABORATION WITH AFGHAN PEACEBUILDERS, IDENTIFIED AND TRACKED PRIORITY AREAS REQUIRING DISCUSSION AND IMPROVEMENT DURING THIS TRANSITION PERIOD IN AFGHANISTAN. THIS PROJECT MELDED ISLAM AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS WITH WPS INDEX INDICATORS TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS. THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF WFI'S FOCUS ON WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION.WITHIN WOMEN & SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS, WFI HAS SUPPORTED FIVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE A MORE EQUITABLE AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM. FOR EXAMPLE, WFI EXPANDED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ANANDA GROUP TO FOCUS ON LAUNCHING THE ASSOCIATION OF VEGAN ENTREPRENEURS IN MEXICO'S (EVM) FOOD RESCUE PROGRAM. THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE STRATEGIES THAT ENGAGE MORE RESTAURANTS AND OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESSES, EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING TO INCREASE PURCHASES BY CUSTOMERS, AND WAYS TO REACH NEW GEOGRAPHIES, SPECIFICALLY, MORE ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING WOMEN WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (GBV).WFI ALSO DEVELOPED FIVE PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO WOMEN'S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. WFI'S PROGRAM WITH LYNN UNIVERSITY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AFGHAN INSTITUTE OF LEARNING DEVELOPED AN ONLINE FORMAT THAT WILL FORM THE BASIS OF A VIRTUAL COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL IN AFGHANISTAN SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN. LYNN UNIVERSITY'S TEAM PROVIDED RESEARCH ON BEST PRACTICES FOR INSTRUCTORS ON DISTANCED LEARNING TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE ONLINE COURSES PROVIDED THROUGH THIS VIRTUAL COLLEGE AND RESEARCH ON DISTANCE LEARNING FORMATS AND RELEVANT PEDAGOGICAL INFORMATION. AN EXAMPLE OF WFI'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS IS ITS COLLABORATION WITH THE PRINCE'S FOUNDATION, ROSE TOWN FOUNDATION, AND KINGSTON CREATIVE ON A THREE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOCUSED ON THE CREATION OF A COHORT OF LOCAL ARTISANS DEVELOPING THE CRAFT SKILLS NECESSARY TO EARN A LIVING SELLING UNIQUE, HIGH-QUALITY TEXTILE PRODUCTS TO BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL FASHION MARKETS. WFI CONVENED ITS ARTS COUNSEL, ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND SUBCOMMITTEES THROUGHOUT 2021. DISCUSSIONS WERE FOCUSED ON THE CURATION OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT EVENTS FEATURING WFI'S STUDENT TEAMS AND PROGRAM AFFILIATED ARTISTS, ALONG WITH DISCUSSIONS TO ADVANCE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY-STAGE PRODUCTION OF WFI'S DOCUMENTARY SERIES THE HOUR.