by Michelle Farrand, AWA Vienna
Over the past few years I have become increasingly passionate about the issue of women’s rights and equality, and was really excited about the prospect of attending the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64) in NYC in March. Of course, those plans had to be aborted as the unprecedented situation with the COVID-19 pandemic emerged and the whole world rapidly ground to a standstill.
Many of us spent March, April, and May sheltering in place and working from home with reduced hours. But one of the upsides for me has been the opportunity to take an online course with Stanford University, “International Women’s Health and Human Rights.”
For one of my course assignments I chose to interview Laurie Richardson, FAWCO's UN Liaison, to learn more about this inspirational organization. The following piece is based on my discussions with Laurie, who is also a member of AWA Vienna.
FAWCO is a network of 60 volunteer clubs in 31 countries, comprising approximately 10,000 members. My local FAWCO club is AWA Vienna, where I have been a member since moving to Vienna in 2015.
Starting out as a UN Representative in 2010, Laurie served on the FAWCO Board as Vice President of Global Issues from 2013 to 2015. She assumed her current role as UN Liaison in 2015. She works with a team of 14 UN Reps from around the world. Due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 lockdown, we conducted the interview by phone, but Laurie’s passion for the topic and her desire to make change in the world nevertheless shone through with every word, and it was a privilege to learn more about this important work from her.
Founded in 1931, FAWCO’s mission is to “build strong support networks for its American and international membership, to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide, to advocate for the rights of US citizens overseas, and to mobilize the skills of its membership in support of global initiatives for education, the environment, health, and human rights.” The 60 member organizations around the world promote FAWCO and its mission by raising awareness through education and advocacy, as well as fundraising for various development projects.
The FAWCO Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, was established as the philanthropic arm of FAWCO in 1967. This non-profit status allows them to fulfil FAWCO’s mission statement through philanthropy, “specifically by aiding charitable, scientific and educational programs, and by supporting the rights of women and children throughout the world.” Not only does the Foundation support its own members and members’ families with a variety of Education Awards, they also provide Development Grants each year in the amount of $5,000 to fund projects nominated by Member Clubs in categories aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2020, Development Grants were available in the areas of education, environment, health and human rights.
In 2009, FAWCO initiated the Target Program to raise funds for a specific development project over a period of three years. The intent behind the Target Program is for all the FAWCO clubs to pool their resources, thereby having a greater impact by raising a larger amount of money towards a common goal. Funds are raised by Member Clubs holding local events in their communities, as well as by individual donations. Similarly to the Development Grants, the Target Program is connected to the UN SDGs, but with a different focus each cycle. The Program, which started its fourth cycle in March 2020, has seen great success over the past eleven years and has so far covered the following topics:
- Environment – Tabitha Wells for Clean Water, Cambodia, 2009-2013
- Human Rights – FREE THE GIRLS: Providing Economic Opportunity to Survivors of Human Trafficking, Africa and Latin America, 2013-2016
- Education – Hope Beyond Displacement: Educating and Empowering Refugee Women and Girls, Jordan, 2016-2019
- Health – S.A.F.E. (Safe Alternatives for FGM Elimination), Tanzania, 2019-2022
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The current COVID-19 situation makes FAWCO’s work all the more important, but of course with bigger challenges. Their international conference that was planned for March was reduced to a 2.5-hour virtual event, unfortunately eliminating the opportunity for highly valued face-to-face meetings and discussions. Amazingly, they were still able to raise over $25,000 through an online fundraising auction. Fundraising events at the individual Club level have been greatly impacted by the lockdown restrictions; it remains to be seen how the efforts in virtual fundraising activities will impact the amount to be raised. At the beginning of each Target Project cycle, FAWCO clubs are invited to submit proposals. The Target Selection Committee then narrows these down to a short list of three finalists and FAWCO Clubs then vote for the winning project. Thanks to the close ties between the receiving organization and the Club who submitted the project, there is strong and continuing communication between FAWCO and the project organization. FAWCO and its members receive direct feedback on how the funds are being used and the impact the funds have in the communities. The project which just ended focused on education for refugee women and girls in Jordan, exceeded the fundraising goal of $150,000, raising over $190,000.
The current Target Project, S.A.F.E. – Safe Alternatives for FGM Elimination by Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania, is more relevant than ever, as there are reliable reports of a huge increase in female genital mutilation in Africa during the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. As always, FAWCO is doing an excellent job of raising awareness around this matter and hopefully this Target Project will be as successful as the previous ones.
From my personal involvement with this organization, and from discussions with Laurie for this interview, I truly believe that FAWCO is extremely effective in its work. The $190,000 raised to support girls’ education and women’s vocational training and leadership in Jordan shows how this large international community can rally together for an important cause. In Cambodia, 267 family wells and 370 field wells were built, improving access to clean water for 1541 families. And in Africa and Latin America, former victims of sex trafficking were able to rebuild their lives through economic empowerment as a result of funding provided by FAWCO.
With its 2019-2021 resolution “to work towards a better and more peaceful world and improve the lives of women and girls through global initiatives,” I am excited to see what FAWCO will accomplish in the future, and inspired to play my part in this important mission!