Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace
Encyclopedia
Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization
that is dedicated to women's leadership
and empowerment
. In cooperation with 18 autonomous partner organizations in the Global South, particularly in Muslim
-majority societies, WLP works to empower women to transform their families, communities, and societies. The organization's president is Mahnaz Afkhami
.
WLP's primary objective is to increase the number of women taking on leadership and decision-making roles at family, community, and national levels, and to improve the effectiveness of feminist social movements in Muslim-majority societies and globally by strengthening the capacity of our partner organizations.
and solidarity capabilities. The Partnership is based on a relationship of intense and continuous communication
and ongoing cooperation
in the conception, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
of joint programs.
and cooperation
among and between the women of the world in order to protect human rights, facilitate sustainable development, and promote peace. WLP links those with access to resources, knowledge, and technologies to those without, and augments the voices and visions of the world's resource-poor majority. WLP believes that dialogue across boundaries of culture, class, gender, generation, and nation is essential for achieving socially equitable and environmentally sound development. To secure a healthy, safe, and democratic environment for all, WLP works to advance gender equity, involve men and boys in promoting gender parity, and facilitate the exchange of grassroots strategies within and across different cultures. By instituting a viable knowledge and learning framework, WLP's programs provide women and girls of the Global South with the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to participate in the global dialogue
about rights, development, and peace.
WLP has an International Advisory Council that includes heads of United Nations agencies, leaders of international organizations, and scholars and activists representing diverse professional, cultural, and religious perspectives. The international experts help WLP analyze the social, cultural, political, and gender implications of its programs and fine-tune them accordingly.
, Oxfam
Novib, Canadian International Development Agency
, Global Fund for Women
, Open Society Institute
, United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), and the Shaler Adams Foundation.
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...
that is dedicated to women's leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
and empowerment
Empowerment
Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, racial, educational, gender or economic strength of individuals and communities...
. In cooperation with 18 autonomous partner organizations in the Global South, particularly in Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
-majority societies, WLP works to empower women to transform their families, communities, and societies. The organization's president is Mahnaz Afkhami
Mahnaz Afkhami
Mahnaz Afkhami , is Founder and President of Women's Learning Partnership . She is also the Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies and former Minister of Women's Affairs of Iran...
.
WLP's primary objective is to increase the number of women taking on leadership and decision-making roles at family, community, and national levels, and to improve the effectiveness of feminist social movements in Muslim-majority societies and globally by strengthening the capacity of our partner organizations.
Background
Since its founding WLP has established a partnership model that allows for a geometric increase in the human and material resources available to partner organizations, maximum use of shared learning across regions, and increased impact of collective networkingSocial network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
and solidarity capabilities. The Partnership is based on a relationship of intense and continuous communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
and ongoing cooperation
Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
in the conception, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluation is systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.Evaluation often is used to characterize and appraise subjects of interest in a wide range of human enterprises, including the arts, criminal justice,...
of joint programs.
Mission
WLP's mission is to advance communicationCommunication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
and cooperation
Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
among and between the women of the world in order to protect human rights, facilitate sustainable development, and promote peace. WLP links those with access to resources, knowledge, and technologies to those without, and augments the voices and visions of the world's resource-poor majority. WLP believes that dialogue across boundaries of culture, class, gender, generation, and nation is essential for achieving socially equitable and environmentally sound development. To secure a healthy, safe, and democratic environment for all, WLP works to advance gender equity, involve men and boys in promoting gender parity, and facilitate the exchange of grassroots strategies within and across different cultures. By instituting a viable knowledge and learning framework, WLP's programs provide women and girls of the Global South with the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to participate in the global dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
about rights, development, and peace.
Partnership
Women's Learning Partnership is made up of WLP International in the USA and 22 autonomous and independent partner organizations based in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brazil, Cameroon, Egypt, India, Iran, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe.Programs
- Leadership and Empowerment program promotes a model of participatory leadership and supports women to take on leadership roles in their families, communities, and societies.
- Organizational Capacity Building program strengthens our partner organizations and their affiliates, contributing to the growth of a dynamic international women's movement.
- ICT Capacity Building program supports individuals and organizations to develop vital ICT skills, which can be used for collective mobilization for gender equality and social justice.
- Women's Human Rights program raises awareness of urgent women's human rights challenges and campaigns for legal reforms to improve women's status in Muslim-majority societies.
- Culture of Peace program cultivates tolerance, pluralism, and cooperation through South-South and South-North dialogue.
Management and Administration
WLP’s Board of Directors is made up of a diverse group of leading academics and NGO directors:- Hafsat Abiola, Founder and Executive Director, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (Nigeria)
- Mahnaz AfkhamiMahnaz AfkhamiMahnaz Afkhami , is Founder and President of Women's Learning Partnership . She is also the Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies and former Minister of Women's Affairs of Iran...
, Founder and President, Women’s Learning Partnership (Iran/U.S.) - Leila Ahmed, Professor of Women’s Studies in Religion, Harvard Divinity School (Egypt/U.S.)
- Zainah Anwar, Executive Director, Sisters In Islam (Malaysia)
- Marian Wright Edelman, Founder and President, Children’s Defense Fund (U.S.)
- Anne Gahongayire, Secretary general of the Supreme Court (Rwanda)
- Jacqueline Pitanguy, Founder and President, Cidadania, Estudo, Pesquisa, Informaçao, e Açao (Brazil)
- Inger Elisabeth Prebensen, former Deputy Director of the Technology and General Services Department at the International Monetary FundInternational Monetary FundThe International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
(Norway)
WLP has an International Advisory Council that includes heads of United Nations agencies, leaders of international organizations, and scholars and activists representing diverse professional, cultural, and religious perspectives. The international experts help WLP analyze the social, cultural, political, and gender implications of its programs and fine-tune them accordingly.
Funding
WLP's annual operating budget is $1.5 million USD. The organization has received funding from the Ford FoundationFord Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
, Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
Novib, Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Development Agency
The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...
, Global Fund for Women
Global Fund for Women
The Global Fund for Women is the largest non-profit foundation in the world funding women's human rights. It was founded in 1987 by New Zealander Anne Firth Murray, and co-founded by Frances Kissling and Laura Lederer to fund women's initiatives around the world...
, Open Society Institute
Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute , renamed in 2011 to Open Society Foundations, is a private operating and grantmaking foundation started by George Soros, aimed to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform...
, United Nations Population Fund
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
(UNFPA), and the Shaler Adams Foundation.
Publications
- Training Manuals:
- Leading to Choices: A Leadership Training Handbook for Women
- Montrer Le Chemin: Guide d'Entrainement des Femmes au Leadership
- Выберем лидерство: Пособие по проведению тренингов для женщин-лидеров
- التوصل إلى الخيارات: دليل تعلّم النساء على القيادة
- Liderazgo Para La Toma De Decisiones: Manual De Entrenamiento En Liderazgo Para Mujeres
- Uongozi Bora: Kitabu Cha Mafunzo Ya Uongozi Kwa Wanawake
- Memimpin Menuju Pilihan: Buku Panduan Latihan Kepimpinan Wanita
- درجستجوی حق انتخاب: آموزه های رهبری برای زنان
- Fomentando a Tomada de Decisões: Manual de Treinamento para a Liderança das Mulheres
- Zvinotungamira Mukusarudza Zvido Zvemadzimai: Bhuku Rekushandisa Kaudzidzisa Madzimai Utungamiri
- Jagoranci Zuwa Zabi: Daftarin Horar Da Mata Akan Jagoranci
- Documentaries and Multimedia Publications:
- Leading to Choices: A Multimedia Curriculum for Leadership Learning
- Documentary: Against All Odds: Women Partnering for Change in a Time of Crisis
- Documentary: Cultural Boundaries & Cyber Spaces: Women's Voices on Empowerment, Leadership and Technology
- CD: Leading to Change: Eliminating Violence Against Women in Muslim Societies
- CD: Clash or Consensus: Gender and Human Security in a Globalized World
- CD: In the Aftermath of Terror: Women Leaders Discuss Peace, Justice & Conflict Resolution In a Globalized World
- Radio: Women e-merging: Stories of Women Using Communication Technologies in Africa and the Middle East
- Other Publications:
- Guide to Equality in the Family in the Maghreb
- Toward a Compassionate Society
External links
- Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace official site
- Women Can Do ItWomen Can Do ItWomen Can Do It is a training programme for women originated in the Norwegian Labour Party Women.The aim of Women Can Do It is to make more women participate in society. The program's ideal is that because women make up half the world's population, they should have half the power and as many...
Campaigns
- One Million Signatures Campaign for Ending Discriminatory Laws Against Women in Iran
- Claiming Equal Citizenship: The Campaign for Arab Women’s Right to Nationality
Partners
- Afghanistan: Afghan Institute of Learning
- Brazil: Cidadania, Estudo, Pesquisa, Informaçao e Açao
- Cameroon: Community Education and Development Services (CEDS)
- Egypt: Forum for Women in Development (FWID)
- India: The Centre for Organisation Research & Education (CORE)
- Jordan: Sisterhood Is Global Institute/Jordan
- Lebanon: Collective for Research & Training on Development-Action (CRTD.A)
- Malaysia: Women's Development Collective (WDC)
- Mauritania: L'Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille (AFCF)
- Morocco: Association Démocratique des Femmes du Maroc (ADFM)
- Nicaragua: El Centro para la Participación Democrática y el Desarrollo (Cenzontle) and El Fondo para el Desarrollo de la Mujer (Fodem)
- Nigeria: BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights
- Palestine: Women's Affairs Technical Committee (WATC)
- Turkey: Kadın Emeğini Değerlendirme Vakfı (KEDV) or Foundation for the Support of Women's Work (FSWW)
- Zimbabwe: Women's Self-Promotion Movement (WSPM)