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Empowering women means including women by making it convenient for them to participate in the decision-making process. This means helping women and girls become meaningfully engaged in conversations, discussions, and dialogues about laws, policy, neighborhood needs, and problem solving. An effective way to think about this is the phrase “Nothing about them without them.” It’s as simple as that.

Women must:

•    Have access to balanced, objective information upon which decisions about them and their community are being made

•    Actively participate in all consultations and meetings

•    Actively collaborate and engage with policymakers in each aspect of decision making

•    Be empowered to retain control over these important decisions

But most women are “time poor,” responsible as they are – even if they also work outside the home – for the majority of household chores, for caregiving, and for procuring and preparing food three times a day. These responsibilities have been highlighted across continents and social spectrums as people shelter in place during the COVID pandemic.