Ford Foundation

#DemocracyDelivers greater equality and expanded rights for all. We are proud to partner with USAID and leaders from around the world to support openings for democracy. Tune in today: https://lnkd.in/gYVYZsiK #UNGA #UNGAxFord #UNGA79

It was great to speak with women philanthropists in India on the catalytic role of philanthropy in shaping a gender-equitable future in #India and globally. The Ford Foundation is proud to support gender equality efforts and women’s economic empowerment, safety, and civic participation.

Thank you, Ambassador Garcetti, for your leadership on the potential of philanthropy to contribute to the India@2047 vision. The Ford Foundation is a committed partner to economic opportunity, civic engagement, and gender equality in #India.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by constant negative news and societal challenges. But by turning our feelings of despair into action, we can make a positive impact in our communities. Actor, musician and philanthropist Kevin Bacon shares how he found a sense of purpose through service, and started SixDegrees.Org. #IdeasAtFord fordf.org/HeartlandVoices

I am excited to be in #India this week where the Ford Foundation has been a proud partner for over 70 years. I was pleased to meet with women leaders and hear about their leadership journeys from the grassroots to the boardroom, highlighting the significant impact of women’s leadership across India and globally. These leaders are developing innovative solutions grounded in the local context and becoming the catalysts for building a resilient country.

Centering gender in #India is on a determined path. Millions of women and girls are bending the long arc of this journey towards justice. To get there requires collective action from the state, from philanthropy, the private and public sectors, and citizens alike—a unified front in pursuit of a better future. Read more in my article in Foreign Policy: https://lnkd.in/ddYiw_TA

Ford history: The Government of #India initiated the Community Development program to raise standards of living in villages through improved agriculture, education, and sanitation. The Ford Foundation supported the CD program and as a pivotal aspect, extension workers were trained to serve in villages. 📸: A couple who left their jobs in Calcutta, West Bengal, working as Village Extension workers in the mid-1950s. (Credit: Ford Foundation)

This month in Ford History: September In September 1995, over 17,000 international leaders gathered in Beijing, China, for the fourth World Conference on Women, a pivotal step forward in the global partnership toward gender equality. Representatives from governments, nonprofits, and legal organizations discussed strategies to ensure and expand rights for women and girls, combining five decades of legal advances into the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It laid out a map for greater gender equality across 12 areas, including education, health, the economy, and the media, and was ratified unanimously by all 189 countries in attendance. The World Conference on Women, which Ford supported as a partner to the United Nations, was also the launching pad for the United Nations Development Fund for Women, which continues to provide financial and technical assistance to work that fosters women's empowerment and gender equality. Next March, world leaders will convene in New York for Beijing+30, the United Nations’ 30th anniversary conference, to celebrate the progress of three decades and recommit to supporting those who fight for greater gender justice. Ford will continue to partner with UN Women and women's rights and gender justice organizations for Beijing+30, working to convene discussions and events that center and amplify the voices of feminist, community, and gender justice leaders from around the world. Read more in our September newsletter: fordf.org/LatestSeptember #UNGA #UNGAxFord #Goal5 #GenderEquality

This month, world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly (#UNGA) and #ClimateWeekNYC, working together to address humanity’s most pressing challenges. At the Ford Foundation, I was inspired by so many inclusive and constructive conversations, and the innovative solutions that are being driven by local communities at our #UNGAxFord events. I joined grantee leaders from around the world to address issues from gender-based violence and harassment, to decolonizing aid, protecting #CivicSpace, to ensuring a just energy transition. At #FreeFuture24, I reflected on why "the issue of gender-based violence is personal," and committed the initial $1 million of the $5 million Tarana Burke’s Me Too Movement is raising for its crucial global expansion. #MeToo #EndGBV The #WeAreEqual convening brought together African First Ladies, partners, and allies to advance gender equity and close the gender gap across the continent. OAFLAD/OPDAD Together with USAID, we hosted #DemocracyDelivers, joining leaders from around the world in supporting openings for democracy, and announcing $8 million in support for this effort. In addition to so many heads of state I met during UNGA, thank you to H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, William Samoei Ruto PHD, President of Kenya, and Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada for taking the time to meet with me. I’m proud to have received #Concordia24’s leadership award at this year’s summit. I look forward to seeing the partnerships for social impact that this unique gathering can catalyze. Concordia I was also excited to return to the Clinton Global Initiative stage for #CGI2024, as part of the lineup focused on solutions. I joined Secretary Hillary Clinton and Shonda Rhimes for a great conversation about the role of telling and elevating diverse stories in changemaking. Throughout the week, leaders, particularly from the Global South, brought their lived experience, their solutions, and their vision for a just world. We must heed their call today and in the times ahead. 📸 1, 6, 8: Darren Walker 📸 2, 3: Monnelle Britt 📸 4: Lorenzo Bevilaqua / OAFLAD 📸 5: USAID 📸 7: William Ruto 📸 9: Riccardo Savi/Getty Images 📸 10: Craig Barritt/ Getty Images

In order to combat inequality, and empower underrepresented and marginalized communities, we must safeguard #CivicSpace. Don’t miss this highlight from this year’s #GlobalCitizenFestival. #UNGA #UNGAxFord Global Citizen European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting