May 30 - Our film, Kakenya, is being featured on the homepage of YouTbe as our month-long media campaign with Board Member Diane von Furstenberg and YouTube Video Volunteers comes to an end. Throughout May, we partnered with Video Volunteers to spotlight women’s empowerment organizations working to make a difference in the lives of women and girls around the world.

We called out to organizations and their supporters, inviting video submissions about nonprofit organizations advancing the status of women. The three winning videos chosen were: The Power of One, Where we are from & where we are going, and Women’s Media Center - watch all three alongside our film on the homepage of YouTube today and then visit our site to learn three ways to Raise Your Voice.

Vital Voices alumna, Zimbabwean Vongai Chikwanda, writes about a recent dialogue held in her home country on women’s political and economic empowerment. Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, was among the high-level participants, who gathered to discuss the implementation of the Zimbabwean Global Political Agreement (GPA), which posits a new political and economic order following years of political turbulence in the nation.

From April 26-20, Zimbabwean Women hosted former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, and six prominent women leaders in Africa, including: Brigalia Bam (South Africa), Chairperson of the South African Independent Electoral Commission, Dr Achola Pala (Kenya), former Chief Advisor Africa Desk UNIFEM, Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda (Zimbabwe), General Secretary YWCA and Regional Director of East and Horn Of Africa UNIFEM, Lois Bruthus (Liberia), Liberian Ambassador to South Africa and Zimbabwe, Elizabeth Lulle (Uganda), World Bank Africa, Dr Thelma Awori, former UN Resident Representative to Zimbabwe.

Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson:

“The coming together of Zimbabwean women across their diversities provides a new impetus and bridge for implementation of the Global Political Agreement.”

The aim of the dialogue was to raise the momentum on the equal participation of women in the constitutional, transitional justice, national healing, reconciliation and peacebuilding processes. The women leaders had a dialogue with more than 500 women, including politicians, policy makers, rural women, Christian women, businesswomen, and human rights defenders. They also met with advocacy groups, civil society organizations, the UN and the diplomatic community. They shared experiences on women’s participation in national processes, and the Zimbabwean women drew lessons from the delegation members’ experiences of leadership and effective participation. Mary Robinson also emphasized the need to bring young women’s voices in the public arena to ensure that they are heard.

The delegation of women leaders identified two critical issues:

1. The constitutional reform process is pivotal to the success of the Global Political Agreement. The delegation highlighted how important it is, therefore, that women fully participate in this process so that their rights are enshrined in the new constitution.
2. Given the present economic constraints, resources are required to stimulate women’s economic activities so as to better position their participation in the economy and development.

On the evening of April 30, women’s organizations and High Level Delegation witnessed the leaders of the women’s wings of the three main political parties sign a resolution to work across their political divides to accelerate implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and build a common agenda for women’s empowerment.

The signing of this historic resolution was witnessed by Olivia Muchena, Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development; Sekai Holland, Minister in the Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration; Mary Robinson and Lois Bruthus. Lastly, as a way forward, Mary Robison proposed an International Symposium/ Colloquium in Zimbabwe based on the UNSCR 1325. She also urged the regional and international communities to support the efforts of Zimbabwean women.

Melinda French Gates, 2010 Vital Voices Global Trailblazer, posted a new blog on her recent trips to India and Malawi. While traveling, she met with women who felt the impact of advances in maternal health. Melinda shares her experience in the post, read it here.

In an article featured in the Opinion section of CNN.com, Vital Voices board member Sally Field and CEO Alyse Nelson reflect on their shared experience at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, 15 years ago. The two women attended the historic gathering as delegates of the United States. While much progress has been made, according to the advocates, there remains a great deal to be done before global gender equality is attained.

“Our campaign for equality has come out from the darkness of the periphery. We are moving into an age that enables progress and an environment that sustains it.”

Read the full article on CNN.com.

In a recent post by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somalian author writes about a new proposal by the American Academy of Pediatrics that would permit doctors to assist families in the ritual of female circumcision.

Read the full post on The Daily Beast.

Only a few days are left to submit a video about your favorite women’s empowerment organization - upload a video today and your organization or one you care about could be featured on the homepage of YouTube at the end of the month!

All this month, Vital Voices is partnering with YouTube for an exciting women’s empowerment social media campaign and we want you to join us!

In honor of Mother’s Day, YouTube Video Volunteers and Vital Voices board member Diane von Furstenberg will shine a spotlight on women’s issues by calling out to volunteer filmmakers to create a short video about a women’s organization they care about.

The top three videos will be chosen by Vital Voices and Diane von Furstenberg, and they will appear on the homepage of YouTube for one day on May 30.

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams profiles Vital Voices May 17 for the “Making a Difference” segment. Academy Award-winning actress and Vital Voices board member Sally Field will be in the studio with Brian, talking about our work to identify, invest in and bring visibility to extraordinary women leaders around the world.

Highlights of the broadcast:

• Rebecca Lolosoli, founder of Umoja Uaso Women’s Village in rural Kenya, created a safe haven for Samburu women and girls. The village has a community center for learning leadership skills and indigenous handcraft entrepreneurship. Rebecca was honored with the Fern Holland Award at our 2010 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards.

• The FORTUNE/U.S. State Department Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership is a high-touch program pairing America’s most accomplished women leaders in business with aspiring women professionals and entrepreneurs around the globe.

• Andeisha Farid, founder AFCECO - the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization, runs a network of orphanages in Afghanistan and Pakistan that foster tolerance and mutual respect among the more than 500 children served. Andeisha was honored with the 10,000 Women Entrepreneurial Achievement Award at our 2010 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards. Watch Brian Williams meet Andeisha in action.

Check local listings and tune in to NBC on May 17!

During the President’s Summit on Entrepreneurship, Secretary Clinton announced the “Secretary’s Innovation Award for Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment.” Funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, the recognition will be presented to two awardees along with a grant of up to $500,000, which will be used to expand the size and scope of their idea to empower women and girls.

“The award…is founded on the premise that the major economic, security, governance and environmental challenges of our time cannot be solved without the full participation of women at all levels of society.”

Read the press release here.

The U.S. Department of State released a joint statement about women’s rights on May 7, following the U.S. - Norway Global Issues Dialogue. Representatives from the two countries included Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer, and Norwegian State Secretary, Gry Larsen. The nations pledged their commitment to “protection and promotion of women,” and discussed ways to work together to combat violence against women in areas of conflict.

Read the full statement.

Vital Voices is partnering with YouTube for an exciting women’s empowerment social media campaign and we want you to join us!

In honor of Mother’s Day, YouTube Video Volunteers and Vital Voices board member Diane von Furstenberg will shine a spotlight on women’s issues by calling out to volunteer filmmakers to create a short video about a women’s organization they care about.

The top three videos will be chosen by Vital Voices and Diane von Furstenberg, and they will appear on the homepage of YouTube for one day on May 30.

Get involved! Watch to learn more:

Over 11 million people visit YouTube on any given day. Share this opportunity with your networks and invite them to make a film about your work. The deadline for submissions is May 26.

As partners in women’s empowerment initiatives around the globe, help us and spread the word about this amazing opportunity to raise awareness and showcase our collective work in making the world a better place for women and girls.

Learn more about YouTube Video Volunteers »

Get your organization listed on YouTube, so when video volunteers are looking for great women’s organizations to profile, they’ll find you!