2007 Tax Appeal

	Women in Asia hold only 16% of all seats in Parliament.   In the Pacific, women’s representation is 2.5%, the world’s lowest.   Young women are an asset that the world cannot afford to ignore.   They deserve equal rights in the household, workplace and political arena.

The empowerment of young women is key to transforming societies beset by poverty, conflict and injustice. Nothing is more effective in strengthening communities than giving young women a voice.

Women and girls continue to be marginalised and face discrimination in education, employment, the family, politics and social structures. In some regions their very lives are endangered. In fact, more than 60 million women and girls worldwide are missing as a result of sex-selective abortion and female infanticide. *

Real change will take time – and requires an investment in the next generation.

Young women need opportunities to develop skills in leadership, decision-making and negotiation. IWDA’s project partners in Asia and the Pacific are creating these opportunities for young women in their communities.

On the Thai-Burma border, young Shan women – an ethnic minority group in Burma – undertake a year-long internship with the Shan Women’s Action Network, where they gain the skills and confidence to be leaders in their communities and support Burmese refugee and migrant workers in Thailand.

In Fiji, young women are learning to produce and broadcast community radio shows on women’s rights and peace building with our project partner FEM’link, allowing their voices to be heard and educating their communities.

In Vanuatu, youth trained in reproductive health and rights are providing education and services to other young people in isolated regions. This is reducing sexually transmitted diseases, encouraging family planning and transforming young people’s attitudes to reproductive health.

You can contribute to creating opportunities for young women in Asia and the Pacific. This tax-time, a donation to IWDA will support young women to reach their potential and enact positive change in their lives and communities. Young women are our future – they are the most effective investment we can make.

Your donation can make a difference now and in the future!

Printable version of the 2007 Tax Appeal

*Statistic source: Amnesty International 2007, estimate by Amartya Sen, 1998 Nobel Laureate for Economics

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 13th, 2007 under Uncategorized.