Women's Issues

information packages

Women's History Month Links

Women's History Month
http://amlife.america.gov/amlife/diversity/diversity--offering-a-place-for-everyone.html

Presidential Proclamation on Women’s History Month
http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2009/March/20090303154833eaifas0.2482721.html&distid=ucs
Obama pays tribute to women who helped preserve, protect the environment

United Nations: International Women's Day
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/iwd/index.html
Since 1975, the United Nations has celebrated International Women's Day on March 8. The theme for 2008 is "Investing in Women and Girls."

Bureau of the Census Facts for Features: Women's History Month
http://www.census.gov/011179.html
Want facts? There are 4.2 million more females in the United States than males. This site will tell you how many American women are military veterans, and much more.

League of Women Voters
http://www.lwv.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
Established in 1920, this nonpartisan political organization encourages citizen participation in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Library of Congress: Women's History Month
http://www.loc.gov/topics/womenshistory/
This site includes links to Library of Congress resources for the study of women's history and culture, veterans' stories, photographs and other media, and materials for teachers.

Library of Congress - American Memory Collection: Woman Suffrage http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/naw/nawshome.html
The National American Woman Suffrage Association collection consists of 167 books, pamphlets and other artifacts documenting the suffrage campaign.

Library of Congress - The Learning Page: Women's History http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/start/inres/ushist/women.html
This site offers annotated links to approximately 40 resources on the history of women in the United States.

National Museum of Women in the Arts
http://www.nmwa.org/
This is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to recognizing the contributions of women artists.

National Women's History Project (NWHP)
http://www.nwhp.org/
Every year in March, the NWHP, which was founded in 19980, coordinates observances of National Women's History Month throughout the United States.

Places Where Women Made History
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/pwwmh/
The National Park Service provides an itinerary of 75 sites in New York and Massachusetts with significance in women's history.

Women and Social Movements Today
http://womhist.alexanderstreet.com/links/today.htm
Annotated links to some two dozen organizations doing research and advocacy on women's issues are provided by the Center for the Historical Study of Women and Gender http://chswg.binghamton.edu/ at the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Online Reading on Women's Rights

Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (1848)
http://www.america.gov/20050531160341liameruoy0.2459375.html
This declaration, issued at the women's rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848, demanded equality with men before the law, in education and employment. It was the first pronouncement demanding that women be given the vote.

Human Rights
http://democracy.america.gov/democracy/rights/index.html
America.gov's online package on the United States' efforts to defend human dignity and freedom throughout the world.

Poverty

Comparative Research Programme on Poverty (CROP)
CROP, established by the International Social Science Council in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is a program founded on the logic that reliable data and sound theories provide a basic tool for poverty alleviation. CROP has created an arena for social scientists from all over the world, working on different aspects of poverty. CROP, established by the International Social Science Council in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is a program founded on the logic that reliable data and sound theories provide a basic tool for poverty alleviation. CROP has created an arena for social scientists from all over the world, working on different aspects of poverty. CROP, established by the International Social Science Council in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is a program founded on the logic that reliable data and sound theories provide a basic tool for poverty alleviation. CROP has created an arena for social scientists from all over the world, working on different aspects of poverty.

The Global Fund for Women
This international organization, which focuses on female human rights, supports work on issues as diverse as literacy, domestic violence, economic autonomy, and the international trafficking of women.

Microcredit Summit: Fulfillment Campaign
On February 2-4, 1997, over 2,900 people, from 137 countries, attended the Microcredit Summit in Washington, D.C. The Summit launched a nine-year campaign to reach 100 million of the world's poorest families, especially the women of those families, with employment, financial, and business services by 2005.

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
UNIFEM "promotes the economic and political empowerment of women in developing countries. It works to ensure the participation of women in all levels of development planning and practice. UNIFEM also acts as a catalyst within the UN system to link the needs and concerns of women to all critical issues on the national, regional, and global agendas." See especially the page on Strengthening Women's Economic Capacity, which provides tools, resources, networking, and project information aimed at expanding women's opportunities to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

The Virtual Library on Microcredit
A repository of information on alternative, non-conventional financial systems and microcredit. Contains tools, such as guides, strategies, courses, and methodologies; case studies and other success stories; articles; and resources on current policies, programs, projects, and other initiatives.

Education & Training

American Association of University Women
A "national organization that promotes education and equity for all women and girls." Composed of a 150,000-member association that lobbies and advocates for education and equity; a foundation, which funds research on girls and education, community action projects, and fellowships and grants for women worldwide; and a legal advocacy fund.

Artemis Guide to Women's Studies Programs in the U.S.
The site is a comprehensive list of links to women's studies sites in the U.S.

Feminist Theory Website
This site provides "research materials and information for students, activists, and scholars interested in women's conditions and struggles around the world." It promotes research on the feminist theory and dialogue between men and women across the world.

Florida Education/Employment Council for Women and Girls
A task force on the educational and employment well-being of women and girls in Florida. Maintained by the University of Central Florida.

Gifts of Speech
An on-going project from Sweet Briar College, Gifts of Speech contains a searchable and browsable collection of contemporary women's speeches from around the world. Other resources include a list of the top 100 speeches of the 20th century, full text interviews from Salon and other magazines, and links to organizations, research projects, news, and women's studies programs.

National Women's History Project
The National Women's History Project was founded in 1980 as a nonprofit educational organization with the "overarching goal of promoting gender equity through education about women's diverse lives and accomplishments."

UNESCO Worldwide Action in Education
This electronic brochure outlines goals and programs for education by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The United Nations International Research and Training Institute
Through research, training, and the collection and dissemination of information, INSTRAW stimulates women's advancement and highlights their contributions to development.

U.S. Dept. Of Education. Office for Civil Rights.
Excellent source of information on Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; the latest regulations, and discussion of their implications.

Women's Research & Education Institute
Major sections of this site address issues related to women in the military, women's health, and women veterans. Links to an extensive list of women's organizations and WREI's useful publications are also provided.

Health

American Cancer Society
The stated purpose of the American Cancer Society, Inc. is to "disseminate knowledge concerning the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of cancer; to investigate conditions under which cancer is found; and to compile statistics in regard thereto.

The American College of Nurse-Midwives
The mission of The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) is to develop and support the profession in order to promote the health and well-being of women and infants within their families and communities. Includes listings of nurse-midwifery practices and Net resources.

The American Medical Women's Association
The American Medical Women's Association is a national organization of women physicians and medical students dedicated to improving the personal and professional well-being of its members and increasing the influence of women in all aspects of the medical profession.

Demographic and Health Surveys (DH+)
DH+ collects and analyzes data on population, health, and nutrition and has provided technical assistance for over 100 surveys in Africa, Asia, the Near East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Implemented by Macro International Inc., in partnership with the Population Council and the East West Center, the program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. News, publications, and statistics can be accessed through this site.

The National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations
The National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO), a network of breast cancer organizations, provides information, assistance and referral to anyone with questions about breast cancer, and acts as a voice for the interests and concerns of breast cancer survivors and women at risk.

The National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC)
The NBCC is a "grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to fighting breast cancer." Its mission is to eradicate this disease using education and outreach programs to influence change. NBCC sponsors advocacy training, research, legislative activities, think tank meetings, and other special events.

Online Birth Center -- Midwifery, Pregnancy, Birth and Breastfeeding
Learn about pregnancy, birth, homebirth, midwifery, and breast feeding. The site also includes a variety of general health resources, including alternatives to the Western approach to medicine.

Society for Women’s Health Research
The Society for Women’s Health Research is the nation’s only non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the health of all women through research, education and advocacy. The Society encourages the study of sex differences between women and men that affect the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.

World Health Organization
The objective of WHO is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health, as defined in the WHO Constitution, is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Yahoo! Women's Health
Users are able to access health research and expert advice from a wide-ranging list of women's health issues.

Violence Against Women

ACT Adults and Children Together Against Violence
ACT consists of a national multimedia campaign and community-based training programs. The violence-prevention campaign focuses on adults who raise, care for, and teach children under nine and provides the children with "positive role models and environments that teach nonviolent problem solving." The site is available in English and Spanish.

American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence
The American Bar Association's Web site on domestic violence features information on publications, resources and legal resources related to domestic violence. The commission seeks to develop a national response to the problem of domestic violence and to enhance existing policies and solutions.

American Institute on Domestic Violence, Inc.
This non-profit organization offers on-site workshops and conference presentations addressing the corporate cost of domestic violence in the workplace. Information about their programs, trainers, schedule, catalog, and additional resources is available on the site.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
Recognized as the "first national medical organization to respond to violence against women as a public health issue," ACOG's Web page provides links to screening tools, state and national resources, descriptions of ACOG's efforts, conference information, and related links.

Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence
To eliminate family violence and strengthen Asian families and communities, the task force conducts outreach, education, violence prevention, counseling, and advocacy programs. The task force's resources are specifically directed toward Asian families, providing multicultural and multilingual programming in Chinese, Khmer, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, and Hindi.

Battered Women's Justice Project
The Battered Women's Justice Project "provides training, technical assistance and other resources through a partnership of three nationally-recognized organizations: Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence."

Call to Protect
Call to Protect is a domestic violence prevention project which provides those in danger with instant access to help using wireless phones. The Wireless Foundation in cooperation with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and telephone companies provide free, preprogrammed wireless phones and airtime to aid victims and their advocates.

End Violence Against Women: Information and Resources
The Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs compiled this online resource of documents, reports, journal articles, policy documentation, training materials, posters, radio programs, novelty items, and other information. The site is intended to provided needed information and materials to researchers, health communication specialists, policy makers, and others working to end violence against women.

Ending Violence Against Women
According to this report published by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and the Center for Health and Gender Equity in December 1999, around the world at least one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the abuser is a member of her own family. The authors report that violence against women is found in virtually every culture, everywhere around the globe and the victims almost always know their abusers. The report pulls together original research from more than 2,000 studies to present a global overview of violence against women.

Family Violence Prevention Fund
Founded in 1980, the Family Violence Prevention Fund works to "improve the health, judicial, law enforcement and public policy responses to domestic violence."

Feminist Majority Foundation: 911 for Women
This gateway has general information about violence against women as well as information on emotional abuse, stalking, and self-defense. It also lists research sites, organizations, shelters, services and other state and national resources. The Feminist Majority Foundation also compiles a useful list of Domestic Violence Hotlines and Resources.

Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community
This institute provides leadership and an interdisciplinary forum for scholars, professionals, and others interested in preventing family violence in the African American community. Perspectives on family violence are articulated through research findings, the examination of service delivery and intervention tools, and the identification of appropriate and effective preventive responses.

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges - Family Violence Department
The Family Violence Department of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (FVD) is dedicated to improving the way courts, law enforcement, agencies and others respond to family violence while recognizing the legal, cultural, and psychological dynamics involved with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of domestic violence victims and their children.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service
U.S. Government's National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is an on-line collection of resources.

MINCAVA: Minnesota Center against Violence and Abuse
Hosted by the University of Minnesota, this site offers information, links to resources and organizations on a range of issues including domestic violence, violence against women, and welfare and domestic violence.

National Coalition for Domestic Abuse Awareness
The mission of the coalition is to provide legislators, law enforcement, members of the bar, media, judiciary and domestic abuse field practitioners with accurate and useful information. Statistical resources are available for 19 states with more to follow. The site also links to the television documentary, "Living with the Enemy," shown on CBS's "48 Hours."

National Domestic Violence Hotline
Part of the milestone legislation of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides callers with information from a database of more than 4,000 shelters and service providers throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since its inception, the hotline has answered "more than 650,000 phone calls from victims of domestic violence, family members and friends from all over the world. Currently, more than 13,000 callers reach out to the Hotline every month for crisis intervention, referrals and general information about domestic violence." To reach the hotline dial 1-800-799-SAFE or 1-800-787-3224 (TDD).

Safe Horizon Domestic Violence Shelter Tour
Safe Horizon, which operates a 24-hour domestic violence hotline, has designed this site around people needing help. Features include a tour of a domestic violence shelter, essential information for battered women, issues surrounding domestic violence, a map to locate domestic violence resources around the country, and links to resources throughout the world.

U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence against Women
Located in the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office "leads a comprehensive national effort to combine tough new federal laws with assistance to states and localities to fight domestic violence and other crimes against women."

Violence Against Women Online Resources
"This site is a cooperative project of VAWO - the Violence Against Women Office, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Dept. of Justice, and MINCAVA - the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse at the University of Minnesota. The site is advised by a National Advisory Board made up of professionals from a spectrum of criminal justice and related professions." In addition to an events calendar and a list of significant links, the library portion contains documents related to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, children, research and evaluation, and model programs and legislation.

Women and Violence
This United Nations policy paper describes UN programs to combat violence against women and was published by the United Nations Department of Public Information in February 1996.

Economic Well-Being of Women

Advancing Women
Advancing Women "helps women network together to meet workplace challenges by tapping into a larger, better connected world of successful women with common career goals and shared strategies."

Catalyst
Working to advance women in business and the professions, Catalyst provides advisory services to corporations, research on women in the workforce, a speakers' bureau, a corporate board placement service, and a national clearinghouse on women and work.

Center for Women’s Business Research
Center for Women’s Business Research, founded as the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, is the premier source of knowledge about women business owners and their enterprises worldwide.

Creative Investment Research
Creative Investment Research provides investment information on minority and women-owned brokerage firms, banks and thrifts. The investment advisory company was founded in 1989 and is a minority-owned firm.

Global Fund for Women
This international organization, which focuses on female human rights, supports work on issues as diverse as literacy, domestic violence, economic autonomy, and the international trafficking of women.

National Partnership for Women and Families
Founded in 1971 as the Women's Legal Defense Fund, the National Partnership promotes "fairness in the workplace, quality health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family." This site describes the organization's various advocacy activities and contains links to numerous reports and publications on family, work, and health care.

National Women's Business Council
The National Women's Business Council was created by the U.S.Congress to serve as "an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, the Congress and the Interagency Committee on Women's Business Enterprise on matters of importance to women business owners.

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
"Promotes the economic and political empowerment of women in developing countries. It works to ensure the participation of women in all levels of development planning and practice. UNIFEM also acts as a catalyst within the UN system to link the needs and concerns of women to all critical issues on the national, regional, and global agendas."

U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau
Authorized by the U.S. Congress 1920, the Women's Bureau is the "single unit at the Federal government level exclusively concerned with serving and promoting the interests of working women."

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) was created by the U.S. Congress in 1953 to provide the small business community with technical and financial assistance. SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership was established by Executive Order of President Carter in 1979, to aid and stimulate women's business enterprise.

Women and the Market
This article, reprinted with permission from The Freeman, is sponsored by the Advocates for Self-Government. The Freeman is published by the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE).

Women in Technology International (WITI)
Founded in 1989, WITI's mission is to "increase the number of women hired and promoted to management and executive level positions, help women become more technology literate and financially independent, and to encourage young women to choose careers in technology and science."

Women, Ink. -- Women and Development Resources
Women, Ink. is a project of the International Women's Tribune Centre to market and distribute resources on women and development world wide. It includes 200 titles from publishers all over the world, and is the exclusive distributor for publications from the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

WomenWatch: The UN Internet Gateway on the Advancement and Empowerment of Women
The activities of UN entities with regard to women's advancement and empowerment are highlighted here. The site is a joint initiative of the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), UNIFEM, and the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).

The World Bank
Since its beginnings in 1946 the World Bank has been a leading provider of funds for development projects around the world. This site's search engine can provide descriptions of projects -- by country or subject --designed to promote the economic well-being of women.

Power & Decision Making Among Women

Advancing Women
Advancing Women describes itself as "an international networking site for women in the workplace to meet and network with each other, on a global basis, to develop strategies and shape opportunities to advance career or personal goals." The organization offers news, information, mentoring, a chat room, and international message boards in English and Spanish.

American Association of University Women
The AAUW is a politically active women's organization focusing on feminist issues, and is a source for scholarships and grants for women.

Center for the American Woman and Politics (CAWP)
A unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, CAWP's mission is "to promote greater understanding and knowledge about women's relationship to politics and government and to enhance women's influence and leadership in public life." See especially the Election 2002: Summary of Potential Women Candidates as well as newsletters and fact sheets.

Feminist.com
This non-government organization is dedicated to making "networking for women -- both off and online -- easy to do. " The site offers information of health, business, activism, and other related topics.

The Feminist Majority Foundation On-Line
Eleanor Smeal, President of this non-government organization, explains that "The Feminist Majority and The Feminist Majority Foundation are committed to empowering women and winning equality through research, the sharing of information of value to feminists everywhere, and effective action. Our work is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of caring feminists -- women and men -- all across the USA and around the world."

Independent Women's Forum
"Provides a voice for American women who believe in individual freedom and personal responsiblity." Links to the Women's Quarterly, the newsletter ExFemina, and other reports and publications, such as the online Media Directory of Women Experts.

International IDEA (Institute For Democracy and Electoral Assistance)
"The institute's objective is to improve and enhance women's effectiveness in political positions and to strengthen their impact in decision-making forums."

League of Women Voters
A leading force in advancing political activities among women, the League of Women Voters is "a multi-issue organization whose mission is to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government and to influence public policy through education and advocacy."

Legal Information Institute (Cornell University)
Contains key legal texts, Supreme Court decisions, and links to major Internet sources on feminism and the law, curricular resources, women's studies, and women's rights.

National Right to Life Committee
This national, grass roots, pro-life group is committed to the protection of human life from abortion, euthanasia, and infanticide. Activities include education, outreach, citizen action, research, lobbying, a speakers' bureau, and publication. In addition, the national organization works with state affiliates to develop new chapters and address relevant state legislation.

National Women's Political Caucus
NWPC is a national, grassroots membership organization dedicated to "increasing the number of pro-choice women in elected and appointed office regardless of party affiliation." In addition to increasing women's participation in politics, the organization also identifies, recruits, trains, and supports women in public office; recognizes superior media coverage of women's issues; and advocates passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Network of East-West Women (NEWW)
Founded in 1990 by women from across the former Soviet bloc and the United States, "NEWW links 800+ women's advocates in more than 30 countries who work in partnership to promote tolerance, democracy, non-violence, health, and respect for the institutions of a civil society."

The United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women
The United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) acts as a focal point for coordination and mainstreaming of gender issues in the United Nations system. It has been the Secretariat of the four UN World Conferences on Women: 1975 (Mexico), 1980 (Copenhagen), 1985 (Nairobi) and 1995 (Beijing).

Wish List
WISH, which stands for "Women In the Senate and House," is a nationwide political network created to raise funds for Republican pro-choice women candidates. Since 1992, WISH has contributed more than $2 million to women running for federal and state offices. The Democratic counterpart to the WISH List is EMILY's List described above.

Women's Campaign School at Yale University
Designed for "women who wish to enter politics or move further up the political ladder," this special program cosponsored by Yale Law School and Yale Women and Gender Studies helps women gain the access and necessary campaign skills through short-term, intensive sessions.

WomensNet
"WomensNet is a non-profit computer network for women, activists and organizations using computer networks for information sharing and increasing women's rights. Members of WomensNet have access to unique information resources such as databases and electronic conferences not found on the Internet and can create their own mailing lists, electronic conferences and WWW pages."

Women & Armed Conflict

The Carter Center
The Center, founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, is guided by a "fundamental commitment to human rights, wages peace by bringing warring parties to the negotiating table, monitoring elections, safeguarding human rights, and building strong democracies through economic development. It [also] sows the seeds of peace in other ways--by fighting disease, increasing crop production, and promoting preventive health care in the United States and abroad."

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
The mission of the ICRC is to "help all victims of war and internal violence, attempting to ensure implementation of humanitarian rules restricting armed violence." This informative site includes texts of the Geneva Conventions, and devotes pages to Children and War, Women and War and International Humanitarian Law.

Peace, Conflict Resolution and International Security
This extensive list of links to organizations is part of the the World-Wide Web Virtual Library.

PeaceNet
PeaceNet is a "world-wide computer network dedicated to peace, social and economic justice, human rights and the struggle against racism. PeaceNet offers full Internet access, electronic publishing, and a members only network with a plethora of information on issues important to progressive activists."

United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs
The United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs was created to "mobilize and coordinate the collective efforts of the international community, in particular those of the UN system, to meet in a coherent and timely manner the needs of those exposed to human suffering and material destruction in disasters and emergencies. This involves reducing vulnerability, promoting solutions to root causes and facilitating the smooth transition from relief to rehabilitation and development. " The site includes ReliefWeb and the United Nations Demining Database.

The War Child
Founded in 1993, this non government organzation provides food, medicine and other care to children and other innocent victims of war.

Institutional Mechanisms for Advancement

EMILY'S LIST
An acronym for "Early Money is Like Yeast" (because it makes the dough rise), EMILY's List identifies viable pro-choice Democratic women candidates for key federal and statewide offices and supports them raising campaign contributions,building strong campaigns, and mobilizing women voters.

International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)
Focusing primarily on women in developing and transition countries, this private, nonprofit organization is "dedicated to promoting social and economic development with women's full participation." Empirical information and technical assistance is provided on women's productive and reproductive roles, their status in the family, their leadership in society, and their management of environmental resources.

The League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is a "multi-issue organization whose mission is to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government and to influence public policy through education and advocacy."

National Council for Research on Women
Composed of a working alliance of women's research and policy centers, affiliates, and international centers, the council's missions include generating and facilitating collaborative research, communication, and cooperative exchange; expanding national and international networking opportunities; disseminating current information on research, policy and action initiatives; and promoting visibility for feminist research and analysis.

National Women's Political Caucus
Founded in 1971, the National Women's Political Caucus (known as NWPC or the Caucus) is a national, non-government organization "dedicated to increasing the number of women in elected and appointed office at all levels of government, regardless of party affiliation. More than 50,000 women participate in the Caucus's activities each year."

Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI)
Dedicated to the support and promotion of women's rights at the local, national, regional, and global levels, SIGI works toward empowering women and developing leadership through human rights education. The site offers information about resources, education manuals and other publications, a newsletter, events, and action alerts.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Gender in Development
UNDP initiatives demonstrate gender mainstreaming in programs and institutional processes, as well as, women's empowerment.

United Nations (UN): Economic and Social Development: Women and Gender
The site provides information on many United Nations programs devoted to increasing the roles and effectiveness of women in decision-making.

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
UNRISD is "an autonomous agency that engages in multi-disciplinary research on the social dimensions of contemporary problems affecting development."

U.S. Women Connect
This network of women's organizations and NGOs developed after the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Its mission is to connect American women and girls "working for rights and empowerment, and to link them with other activists and advocates around the globe." Therefore, the site contains extensive resources on developments in the global women's movement as well as advocacy in the United States.

Women Leaders Online: Women Organizing for Change
An international activist resource center. Users can find information on a variety of subjects, including NGOs, calendars, resources, human rights, development, the U.S. State Department and other U.S. government sites, United Nations women-specific sites, and other multilateral links.

Human Rights

Center for Women's Global Leadership
Based at Rutgers University, the Center "develops and facilitates women's global leadership toward women's human rights and social justice worldwide." The Center sponsors institutes, strategic planning activities, international mobilization campaigns, global education endeavors, publications, and a resource center.

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
The site describes the roles of this UN committee and provides a summary of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women.

Global Fund for Women
This non-government organization is "the only United States-based organization that exclusively supports international women's rights groups. The Fund's three areas of concern are female human rights, women's access to media and communications technology, and women's economic autonomy."

Human Rights
This section of the United Nations Internet site contains treaties, programs, and information on the U.N.'s activities to protect and promote Human Rights around the world.

Human Rights Internet
Founded in 1976 in the U.S. and headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, HRI" is an international network of groups and individuals involved in human rights and social justice work worldwide, a documentation centre, and a publishing house."

International Organization for Migration
The IOM's mission is to solve refugee, manpower, and population problems. Its research activities focus on reviewing and analyzing migration trends and issues, including the worldwide traffic in women. See also the Bibliography of IOM Materials on Migrant Trafficking, including Trafficking in Women.

RAINBO
Rainbo (Research, Action & Information Network for Bodily Integrity of Women) is "a not-for-profit organization working at the intersection between Health and Human Rights."

The United Nations and the Status of Women
The site describes the array of programs and international agreements pertaining to women around the world, including the role of the Commission on the Status of Women.

U.S. Department of State. The Office of the Senior Coordinator for International Women's Issues

The Office of the Senior Coordinator for International Women's Issues coordinates the integration of women's issues into the broader U.S. strategic, economic and diplomatic goals.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Complete text of the historic document, adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948.

University of Minnesota Human Rights Library
This on-line library "contains a collection of over ninety of the most important international human rights treaties and other instruments;" the documents can be searched by keywords and are often available at this site in French, Spanish, and English.

Women, Law & Development International
This organization "promotes women's full and equal participation in nations around the world by advancing universal respect for human rights, expanding rights education and legal literacy among women, and challenging discriminatory socio-economic barriers."

WomenWatch: The UN Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE)
The activities of UN entities with regard to women's advancement and empowerment are highlighted here. The site is a joint initiative of the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).

Women's Human Rights Resources
Maintained by the Bora Laskin Law Library, University of Toronto, this site is part of the international Project DIANA electronic human rights library and contains Internet links, essential documents and a bibliography.

Women's Rights

American Women's History: Women's Rights
A research guide to women's rights with links to bibliographies, biographical sources, archival collections and much more.

Carrie Chapman Catt Childhood Home
Her efforts ensured equal voting rights for women in America. In addition to providing information about Catt, the woman suffrage movement, and efforts to restore her 1866 rural Iowa home, the site includes links to academic programs, other museums and historic sites, and related organizations.

Documents from the Women's Liberation Movement
The materials in this on-line archival collection at Duke University focus specifically on the "radical origins of this movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s."

Jane Addams
Jane Addams was the founder of Hull House in Chicago, an early settlement house, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. This site from About.com includes a biographical sketch and a list of quotations. It also provides links to her writings on various topics, bibliographies, and other resources.

National Women's History Museum
Although the physical museum itself is yet to be built, the organization has been sponsoring and collaborating in women's history initiatives across the United States. The first exhibit in the NMWH cybermuseum, Motherhood, Social Service, and Political Reform: Political Culture and Imagery of American Woman Suffrage, marks the 150th anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention and "examines the development of a distinct female political culture and imagery that evolved to promote voting rights for women."

National Partnership for Women & Families
Founded in 1971 as the Women's Legal Defense Fund, the National Partnership is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that uses public education and advocacy to promote fairness in the workplace, quality health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.

The National Women's Hall of Fame
Formed by citizens of Seneca Falls, New York, in 1969, the National Women's Hall of Fame was created to recognize the contribution to society of American women.

The National Women's History Project
The National Women's History Project is a non-profit corporation, founded in Sonoma County, California in 1980. Its services include establishing National Women's History Month, maintaining the clearinghouse for U.S. women's history information, and coordinating the Women's History Network, a national participant organization. NWHP also offers resources for celebrating Women's Equality Day.

Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony
This is the companion Web site to the Public Broadcasting Service's documentary film on Stanton and Anthony. It presents an overview of their lives and the nineteenth-century women's movement, as well as resources on the history of women's rights and selected articles, essays and original documents.

One Hundred Years Toward Suffrage: An Overview
This chronology, compiled by E. Susan Barber, traces the major events of the U.S. suffrage movement from 1776 to 1923 and is available through the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.

Sophia Smith Collection
Located at Smith College, the Sophia Smith Collection is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, photographs, periodicals and other primary sources in women's history.

Susan B. Anthony Center
Sponsored by the University of Rochester, the Susan. B. Anthony supports the university's commitment to the equality of women and men, educating the community about women's achievements at the regional, national and international level.

"Votes for Women" Selections from the National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection,1848-1921
From the Library of Congress, this site features NAWSA's collection of 167 books, pamphlets and other artifacts documenting the suffrage campaign. The collection includes works from the libraries of other members and officers of the organization including: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Alice Stone Blackwell, Julia Ward Howe, Elizabeth Smith Miller, and Mary A. Livermore. The "Votes for Women" Suffrage Pictures, 1850-1920 collection is comprised of 38 pictures related to the American women's suffrage campaign.

Woman Suffrage
These links from About.com focus on woman suffrage in the United States. They include articles and biographies for more in-depth information on the long struggle to win the vote for women and include information on Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the Pankhursts, Mathilda Jocelyn Gage, and others.

Woman Suffrage and the 19th Amendment: Primary Sources, Activities, and Links to Related Web Sites for Educators and Students

The National Archives' salute to women's suffrage, including primary sources, activities and links to related websites for educators and students.

Women 2000: Worcester Women's History Project
In 1850, a new constituency for women channelled sentiment and outrage into political action when, for the first time, a national woman's rights convention gathered in Worcester and created the American feminist movement we recognize today. The Worcester Women's History Project is about reclaiming that heritage and remembering those women and their successors.

Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000
This Worldwide Web site is intended to serve as a resource for students and scholars of U.S. history and U.S. women's history. Organized around the history of women in social movements in the U.S. between 1600 and 2000, the website seeks to advance scholarly debates and understanding at the same time that it makes the insights of women's history accessible to teachers and students at universities, colleges, and high schools.

Women's History in America
Sponsored by the Women's International Center, this website gives a brief history of women in American society.

Women's Rights National Historical Park
Information about the Women's Rights National Historical Park and the First Women's Rights Convention from the National Park Service.

Media

Voices of Women
The site offers "articles on a wide variety of topics, a Calendar of Events, Bridges to Other Destinations on the Web, a Directory of Woman-Friendly Businesses and a Marketplace as tools to empower you on your journey."

Ladies Home Journal On-Line
This is the electronic version of the "the oldest, most respected women's service magazine" in the U.S. A Media Guidebook for Women: Finding Your Public Voice Produced by the United States Information Agency, this guidebook, "although intended primarily for women who have not had experience in working with the media, is designed for anyone who wants to become more familiar and skilled in dealing with the media."

Women and Media - Section J
This section of the WomenAction site focuses specifically on Women and Media (Section J of the Beijing Platform for Action). It includes: consultations and reports; alternative reports on women and media; review and monitoring activities; policy documents and declarations; research and evaluation; and articles and publications.

Environment

Environment
From the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International and Scientific Affairs, this comprehensive site contains important documents and speeches on topics ranging from Biodiversity to Sustainable Development.

Environmental Web Sites
U.S. Embassy Ankara, Turkey has compiled many links on environment.

The Sustainable Energy and Economy Network (SEEN)
A project of the Institute for Policy Studies (Washington, DC) and theTransnational Institute (Amsterdam), SEEN works in partnership with citizens groups internationally on "environment and development issues with a particular focus on climate change, energy, gender equity, and economic issues."

WE International
Formerly titled "Women & Environments," this magazine, based in Toronto, Canada, examines "women's multiple relations to their many environments -- natural, physical, built, and social -- from a feminist perspective. It provides a forum for academic research and theory, professional practice, and community experience."

Women and Sustainable Development
A Resource Guide to People, Ideas and Information compiled by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, in partnership with the Sustainable Development Research Institute, Vancouver. See also the bibliography Selected Sources -- Women, Environment and Development , compiled by Marlene Roy, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)
This international advocacy, monitoring, and education network was co-founded by Bella Abzug in 1990. The organization actively works "to increase women's visibility, roles and leadership in public policy-making through peace, gender, human rights, environmental and economic justice campaigns; through advocacy nationally, regionally, at the United Nations
and in international financial institutions; and through local actions."

The Girl-Child

Accelerating Girls' Education: A Priority for Governments
These information sheets, prepared in advance of the Fourth World Conference on Women by the Population Council and the Rockefeller Foundation, give a "global overview and a more in-depth understanding of not only why girls' education is an important priority, but also the challenges we face in implementing a plan to attract more girls to school and keep them there longer."

Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. Work on its drafting began in 1979 -- the International Year of the Child -- and was unanimously adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. The Convention entered into force in September 1990.

Equity Initiatives
Maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, this web page outlines programs for advancing education for girls. See also Gender Equity in Education: Additional Resources, a bibliography and contacts list for further information on improving education opportunities for girls.

FGM Research Home Page
This site is dedicated to research pertaining to and related to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and presents material "from a variety of perspectives: psychological, cultural, sexual, human rights, etc." The site links to a range of information and organizations concerned with FGM.

The Girl Child
Using simple language and many illustrations, this UNICEF Voices of Youth web site describes the perilous life often faced by girls in many parts of the world. See also Thehttp://www.oneworld.org/unicef/index.html United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Home Page, and the UNICEF press release"Focus on Girl's Education Needed to Break Apartheid of Gender."

Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.
With a current membership of 3.3 million people in the U.S. alone, the Girl Scouts remain "the world's largest voluntary organization for girls."

Girls Incorporated
Girls Incorporated is a U.S. youth organization "dedicated to helping every girl become strong, smart and bold. For over 50 years, Girls Incorporated has provided vital educational programs to millions of American girls. Today, innovative programs help girls confront subtle societal messages about their value and potential, and aim to prepare them to lead successful, independent and complete lives."

RAINBO
Rainbo (Research, Action & Information Network for Bodily Integrity of Women) is "a not-for-profit organization working at the intersection between Health and Human Rights.

Last updated on March 6, 2009

Embassy of the United States