Open Letter from WomenForward Coalition Leaders

Girls Write Now Partners with PIMCO #WomenForward

Dear Changemakers,
The latest World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report tells us it might be 217 years before we achieve gender parity.
217 years? We don’t know about you, but we just don’t have that kind of patience.
And neither do the girls and women we support across the globe. More than 130 million girls today are out of school. Women and girls spend 200 million hours every day collecting water. About 750 million of our sisters alive today were married before their 18^th birthday. Close to 1.1 billion women in the developing world do not have access to financial services.
But this issue isn’t relegated to developing countries. A new report from one of us, Plan International, shows that developed countries also wrestle with gender parity, in large part due to harmful gender norms.
We have a moral imperative to close the global gender gap. And we would argue we have an economic imperative, too. According to a recent McKinsey Global Institute report, $12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025 by advancing women’s equality. Economies are becoming more resilient, but cannot grow to their full potential if women are excluded or treated differently than men.
So why can’t we figure this out?
As the UN’s International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, we write to you as a network for change – as 18 nonprofits and one funder – intent on empowering and advancing girls and women around the world. We know we can do more as one collective, amplified voice than 19 voices trying to cut through the noise. Our group is tearing down barriers to education for young women in post-conflict and developing countries; combatting rape culture by empowering survivors; championing  girls’ voices; helping low-income and immigrant women launch new careers and start or scale new businesses; and so much more. By unleashing women’s leadership potential, we can transform lives and communities. We must support women to develop the necessary leadership skills, mentors and networks to gain confidence and influence change.
Achieving true gender equality means tackling a host of complex issues, many deeply ingrained societal barriers that prevent progress. It requires a dedicated global partnership that brings together governments, civil society, and the private sector. Indeed, collaboration is vital.
How can you help? Join us.

• Put your dollars to work! Support organizations that build sustainable opportunities for women and girls in the U.S. and globally. Shop merchants like Mercado Global, Nomi Network, Plum Alley, Same Sky, Shopping for a Change, Hot Bread Kitchen and Thistle Farms.  Your purchasing power can offer on-the-job training, provide employment, and fund community improvement projects for women.
• Get involved. Consider investing (using your time or money) with a gender lens. The nonprofits signing this letter are looking for champions to help us further our respective and collective missions. We have extreme and everyday issues that require attention, and we could use your help. We need active participants to offer strategy and solutions – and you could be that powerful change agent to contribute.
• Use your voice to advocate. Mentor, speak up for your vulnerable neighbor, share stories of hope or action, and advocate for women’s rights and opportunities through research, policy platforms, and communications with your elected officials. Consider finding a friend or 18 friends like we did; you can connect and conspire for good, together, and really amplify your voice. Your voice, whether written or spoken, is a symbol of your leadership.
• Use your mouse. If you do nothing else, learn more about us and visit our websites (hyperlinked below). Or follow us on social media: #WomenForward. With a few clicks, you can make quite an impact.

We’ve seen just how women can come together around the world to advocate for their rights. Let’s harness the power of women working together. Please join us to unlock the potential of women around the world as we tear down the walls standing in the way of full economic, social, and political inclusion. We’ve acknowledged the challenges, we’ve prepared the actions we need to take to right the wrongs, and so let’s get out there and do it now.
Signed by:
Acumen
BUILD NYC
Callisto
Figure Skating in Harlem
Girls Write Now
Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA)
Hot Bread Kitchen
International Women’s Health Coalition
Mercado Global
Plan International USA
Rising Tide Capital
SHE-CAN
Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE)
Thistle Farms
Trickle Up
Women for Women International
Women’s Refugee Commission
Women’s World Banking
The PIMCO Foundation