EMpower and Grantee Partners Featured in Forbes Series on Gender, Funding and COVID-19

Posted 14 May 2020 in EMpower News, Grantee Partner News   |   Share

EMpower and Grantee Partners Featured in Forbes Series on Gender, Funding and COVID-19

EMpower was featured in a series in Forbes focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on gender and grantmaking. The series written by Bonnie Chiu, a gender equality advocate and entrepreneur, highlights the far-reaching impact on girls and women that COVID-19 has. Alongside other leading organizations working to promote gender justice, the series shows the fragile state that girls and women find themselves in during crises and the critical importance of emergency funding during such times.

In the series, EMpower President Cynthia Steele shares the gendered challenges that are being exacerbated due to the pandemic. Steele describes how “home is not a safe place for many women and girls. Gender-based violence – affecting 1 in 3 women globally over their lifetimes – is a risk now with COVID-19. Mandatory lock-downs trap and isolate; other sheltering options are inaccessible; added stresses trigger perpetrators; medical care and psychological support are overburdened”.

The series explores the important role that funding organizations play during crises to best serve the shifting needs of local communities. In the past, EMpower has responded with emergency funding when grantee partners have experienced sudden hardships such as natural disasters, but the scale and impact of COVID-19 globally has been unprecedented. In addition to flexibility in current funding, EMpower COVID-19 Emergency Appeal in order to further help grantees navigate this difficult time. The continued commitment and bravery that has been shown by EMpower partners is extraordinary and demonstrates how now, more than ever we must remain committed to protecting and empowering youth.

Check out the articles in Forbes below!

Gender Justice Funders Address Impact of COVID-19 On Women and Girls Addresses the exacerbated inequalities that girls and women will experience because of COVID-19 on girls and women. The article highlights why a girls-focused response is necessary. Read the article here.

Gender Justice Funders Lead the Way In Providing Flexible Funding emphasizes the important role funders have during crises to alleviate and responding to the shifting needs of partners. EMpower’s response in funding is exemplified as a key factor that will help country partners recover from the devastation brought by the pandemic. Read the article here.

How Six Gender Justice Funders Are Providing COVID-19 Emergency Funding highlights the initiatives that funders have taken in the wake of the COVID-19 challenges. EMpower Vice President of Programs, Kristen Woolf features the quick action EMpower grantee partner NOYED in Ghana has taken in response to COVID-19 and the current challenges they are facing. Read the article here.

Three Ways That Gender Justice Funders Show Solidarity During COVID-19 shares stories from grantee partners and funders about the important action that organizations have taken to mitigate hardships from COVID-19 in their communities. Highlighted in this article is EMpower grantee partner KELY Support Group, which provides educational and wellbeing programming to ethnic minority youth in Hong Kong. Read the article here.

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