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Strong Women, Strong World, Beyond Access: Accelerating Progress

SpeakerS:

Nicholas Kristof, Columnist, The New York Times
Dr. Bethany Caruso, Assistant Professor, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
Dr. Greg Allgood, Vice President of Water and Health, World Vision
Sherrie Westin, CEO, Sesame Workshop

With Lead Programming Partner

“I think it's become clear that if we want to do a better job on everything from child mortality to education, we've got to do a better job empowering women and improving their situation.” Nicholas Kristof
“All of the Sustainable Development Goals are supposed to be for achieving gender equality and empowerment; they are supposed to cut across every single one, so they should be everywhere.” Dr. Bethany Caruso
“Today we're announcing a new initiative; it's an expansion of a program that we call Strong Women Strong World Beyond Access, and what it does is it really puts women and girls at the center of our developmental model.” Dr. Greg Allgood
“Investing in reaching younger children with any of these programs, we find improved long-term outcomes, and so I think we can enhance each other's impact.” Sherrie Westin

Key takeaways:

  • Water as a lever for gender equality: Access to clean water and sanitation is not just a goal but a pathway to gender empowerment, allowing women to live with dignity and dedicate more time to education and economic activities.  
  • The heavy burden of water collection: The panelists explained that in sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls spend a cumulative 200 million hours every day collecting water, which limits their opportunities for education and livelihood improvement. 
  • World Vision’s “Strong Women, Strong World, Beyond Access” program:  The initiative aims to impact over one million people in 11 countries through water access, economic empowerment via savings groups and microloans, and promoting women’s involvement in family decision-making with a $30 million investment over five years. 
  • Collaborative partnerships: Organizations like World Vision, Emory University, and Sesame Workshop are partnering to combine their expertise in water access, public health, and educational content to empower women and girls effectively. 
  • Educational media as a tool for change: Sesame Workshop utilizes various media platforms, including WhatsApp, print materials, and storybooks, to reach children and address critical issues like gender equality and health education in underserved communities. 
  • Cultural and social barriers: Addressing and shifting cultural norms is essential. Programs focusing on mindset change involving both men and women can lead to more equitable decision-making in households and communities.
  • The critical role of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH):  Access to WASH is crucial for everyone to live with dignity. It affects women’s safety, health, and ability to participate in society fully. 
  • Impact on education and health: Lack of access to clean water and sanitation disproportionately affects women and girls, impeding their education and exposing them to health risks.

Action items:

  • Support water access initiatives: Invest in programs that provide clean water access to communities, reducing the time women and girls spend collecting water and allowing them to pursue education and economic opportunities. 
  • Promote women’s economic empowerment: Encourage and support programs that offer business skills training, form savings groups, and provide access to microloans for women to improve household incomes and financial independence. 
  • Advocate for mindset change programs: Support community initiatives that challenge and shift cultural norms by involving both men and women in discussions about gender roles and decision-making processes. 
  • Enhance cross-sector collaboration: Facilitate partnerships between organizations with expertise in different sectors (e.g., health, education, infrastructure) to address the multifaceted challenges faced by women and girls. 
  • Utilize media for education and advocacy: Leverage various media platforms to disseminate educational content, raise awareness on taboo topics, and promote gender equality and human rights. 
  • Recognize WASH as a pathway, not just a goal: Shift the perspective of water and sanitation from being just end goals to serving as foundational elements that enable gender equality and empowerment. 
  • Engage in policy dialogue: Participate in and support policy discussions that prioritize women’s rights, access to resources, and equitable development to create sustainable social impact. 

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