Today, the world is facing unprecedented environmental challenges and we need social entrepreneurs to bring new ideas to light (and to scale) before it’s too late. Women are poised to offer solutions, but they aren’t getting the support they need to take their concepts to the next level. We aim to shift this disparity.
After identifying a similar disparity on environmental boards, which led to the founding of Rachel’s Network, Winsome McIntosh recognizes an urgent need for more women in Congress. Unequal representation carries repercussions not only for women, but all sectors of society. “Having learned about the beneficial impact women have on decision-making at all levels, I’ve become convinced that our future progress as a country depends on bringing gender parity to our political leadership,” Winsome says. “We owe it to ourselves and to the women of America to move towards making this a reality!”
Our collaboration with The 2012 Project helped recruit women from fields largely underrepresented within policymaking bodies – including health, science and technology, energy, and the environment. Efforts like The 2012 Project contributed to a record-setting year for women’s participation in races for the U.S. House and Senate.
The reminder: Together, we must give a face and a voice to the women and children whose decisions impact the world’s future. Currently, women are forced to walk farther for kindling and water, work harder for the same crop yield, and make choices between their children’s education or keeping them at home to assist with the burden that environmental devastation has already caused for rural households. These impacts are not isolated to rural areas; urban areas are now burgeoning with environmental migrants whose farms could no longer produce enough income due to unpredictable rainfall and desertification.
In 2005, Rachel’s Network established the Congressional Women’s Networking Initiative (CWNI) to create a collegial atmosphere in which women leaders could work together to promote issues important to women.
