Empowering the World's Women Economically Begs Top Billing

Timed with the New York Times special issue Saving the World’s Women, and its article on giving The Power of the Purse, the future of women-centric philanthropy is moving front and center in hearts and minds.

New research like the findings of the recent Barclay’s wealth survey “Tomorrow’s Philanthropist”, indicate that donors are receptive to arguments that make funding global women a top giving priority.

In fact, philanthropy targeted at women could well become one of the most powerful social change agents in the history of civilization. That’s a big statement, but just as the Grameen Foundation has changed the global landscape in the field of microloans for women, making entrepreneurs out of village women worldwide, wealthy women may become one of the most potent forces fighting the fundamentalist attitudes, threatening to disempower the world’s women, children and global civilization.

Creating a class of small-scale, global female entrepreneurs may be a far better financial investment than military funding. Reality is, however, that in the foreseable future, military operations will be a top government funding priority.

Empowering women creates family-focused and community-building infrastructure. While entrepreneurship doesn’t make women co-equals in fighting the growing, oppressive, masculine-led forces of global fundamentalism, it gives women a sense of productive identity and self-worth.

To the best of our knowledge, there’s no existing study on the ability of micro-loan rich parts of the world to withstand or push back the forces of fundamentalism. Logic says that we should see a difference in areas where women have a direct stake in their financial and family’s future.

An interesting evolution in attitudes around giving, is documented in the Barclay’s Wealth survey, “Tomorrow’s Philanthropist”. The findings confirm the emergence of the‘ Go Giver’, a new, ambitious and younger breed of wealthy philanthropists.

Members of the Obama generation and younger believe that giving will become more incumbent on the wealthy because of governments being overburdened with debt.

via Flickr’s DavidDMuirAccording to “Tomorrow’s Philanthropists”, the next generation philanthropist is also increasingly interested in supporting global causes. 59 per cent of 18-34 year olds stated more interest in global charitable causes, compared to less than a quarter (24 per cent) of 35-44 year olds and a fifth of 44-45 year olds.

The amount of work needed to manage and target global programs for women is awesome. But a number of key factors underscore that the world’s women are the best investment not only for the entire planet, but ultimately for America’s own children.

If you believe that the US is ‘safe” militarily and economically from events around the world, than this Traditionalist argument makes no sense. But you believe that potent forces of environmental disasters, economic hardships, war, famine and ideology creep across all borders in today’s world, then investing in women halfway around the world makes a whole lot of sense. Anne

Anne of Carversville articles on Women and Philanthropy:

Smart Sensuality Women Support Philanthropy that Delivers Results

Women Philanthropists Give Differently than Men

It’s a Bull Market for Women Philanthropists Supporting Women’s Causes in Every Corner of the Globe