Women's Environment & Development Organization
Encyclopedia
The Women's Environment & Development Organization (WEDO) is an international non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

 based in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 that advocates women’s equality
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...

 in global policy. It was founded in 1990 by Bella Abzug
Bella Abzug
Bella Savitsky Abzug was an American lawyer, Congresswoman, social activist and a leader of the Women's Movement. In 1971, Abzug joined other leading feminists such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan to found the National Women's Political Caucus...

 and Mim Kelber to take action in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 and other international policymaking forums. Its early successes included achieving gender equality in the final documents of Agenda 21
Agenda 21
Agenda 21 is an action plan of the United Nations related to sustainable development and was an outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992...

 and the Rio Declaration. In 2006, the organization was named as an international Champion of the Earth
Champions of the Earth
The United Nations Environment Programme established Champions of the Earth in 2004 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders at a policy level...

 by the United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...

.

WEDO and the Center for Women's Global Leadership
Center for Women's Global Leadership
The Center for Women’s Global Leadership, based at Rutgers University, was founded in 1989 by Charlotte Bunch, the former Executive Director and an internationally renowned activist for women's human rights...

 launched the Gender Equality Architecture Reform
Gender Equality Architecture Reform
The Gender Equality Architecture Reform Campaign is a network of over 300 women’s, human rights and social justice groups around the world....

(GEAR) Campaign in February 2008 to mobilize women’s groups and allies to push for the adoption of the new UN entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

WEDO focuses its work in three programmatic areas: Gender & Governance, Sustainable Development, and Economic & Social Justice. Priority projects include MisFortune500.org, climate change advocacy, and UN Reform.

External links

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