Global Fund for Women has joined the With and For Girls Collective – the global awards initiative that finds and funds locally-led and girl-centred organisations working with and for girls – as the 11th member in a collaborative effort to advance gender equality globally.

Global Fund for Women joins EMpower, FRIDA, Mama Cash, NoVo Foundation, Plan International UK, Comic Relief, Stars Foundation, The Global Fund for Children, Nike Foundation and Purposeful – the Collective’s convening partner. This will be the first collaboration which sees both Global Fund for Women and Global Fund for Children working in partnership.

‘We are delighted to join the With and For Girls Collective and to expand our direct support to grassroots girl-led groups,” said Global Fund for Women President and CEO Latanya Mapp Frett. “Global Fund for Women believes in the power of girls to change their own lives, to write their own stories, and to create their own futures. As leaders and decision-makers, girls are key to achieving systemic transformation that will build a world grounded in justice, fairness, and equity. That’s why we are committed to embedding the needs, solutions, and leadership of girls into our work.’

With and For Girls came together in 2014 in response to the significant lack of international aid directed toward adolescent girls. Through their yearly Awards process, they have since awarded close to $3 million of flexible funds to 60 girl-led and girl-centred organisations in 41 countries, alongside capacity development support and profile-raising opportunities.

Corey Oser, Vice President of Programs, Global Fund for Children said ‘Global Fund for Women is a leading voice for the power of girls and women to define and lead positive change in their lives. As one of the first women’s funds, Global Fund for Women is an inspiration for those of us in the sector who support community-led change. As gender inequity is a cross-cutting concern that affects the distribution of resources, discrimination, and injustice that many of us seek to challenge, Global Fund for Women’s voice as a powerful champion for girl and women-led social change will be a critical addition to the With and for Girls Collective.’

All awards are decided by regional panels of adolescent girls between 14 – 18 years old from grassroots girl-led and girl-centered organisations around the world.  The awards will be given out to organisations in five geographic regions – Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, The American Continent and the Caribbean, and The Middle East and North Africa. After winning a With and For Girls Award, organisations can access additional funds for further support including coaching for self-care and collaborate with other With and For Girls Winners or girl-led groups on any projects they believe they need to do.

Swatee Deepak, Director, With and For Girls said ‘We know girls experience particular injustices at the intersection of their gender and age. We also know girls are often the last to be seen and invested in within the community and within philanthropy. This needs to change – girls are smart, have opinions and should make decisions on matters that affect them. We see so many of our peer philanthropists and funders in the sector agree and back the principle of girls being decision makers but a hesitancy to make it happen, for fear of doing it wrong. We believe funders can and must include girls in the decision making. We are extremely excited to welcome Global Fund for Women as a Strategic Partner of the With and For Girls Collective, bringing their outspoken approach, deep knowledge, commitment and expertise on reimagining a world in which girls rights are realised, girls voices amplified and girls are leading us all.’

For more see: http://www.globalfundforwomen.org