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Stephenie Foster

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Take Action:

Education & Reference

synopsis

Synopsis

A well sourced and important workbook/toolkit, Take Action: Fighting for Women and Girls covers the basics of activism and advocacy and gives the reader specific information about four issues related to girls, women and gender equality. The power and importance of education, expanding economic opportunities, eliminating gender-based violence and participating in politics and public life. This book will help would-be activists start their work and stay focused and goal-oriented.

bio

Author Biography

Stephenie Foster (she/her) has deep and broad expertise in women’s economic and political empowerment, with decades of experience on Capitol Hill, in the Executive Branch, the nonprofit sector, and the law. She has been fighting for women and girls her entire career – empowering women in Afghan war zones, monitoring elections in Ukraine, representing the U.S. State Department in meetings with government and civil society leaders, serving as a Chief of Staff in the U.S. Senate. Having traveled, lived, or worked in over 100 countries, she has consistently used her voice and actions to change discriminatory laws and policies and help shift cultural norms and inequalities. She is a founding partner of Smash Strategies, which provides strategic advice to corporations, institutions, and philanthropists to ensure that their investments in women and girls are effective and transformational. You can reach her at StephenieFoster.com.

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Author Insight

So you want to be an Advocate?

Advocacy is critical to changing policies and laws that discriminate against women and girls. But before you jump into the activism arena, take a moment to do a little research. What is the issue you really care about? What are the organizations that are currently working on that issue? What role can you play? Who can you talk to about getting involved..at the local level and at the national level? Everyone has a special skill they can bring to the table, but pace yourself and figure out the best role for you. These sample questions can help guide you....and there's so much more in the book to support you on your advocacy journey.

Book Excerpt

Take Action:

Find an organization that works on the issue you care about and get involved.

Once you have decided an issue for your advocacy focus, it’s important to find an organization that reflects your views and approach to policy advocacy. This section has a list of questions to ask as you search for an “advocacy home.” You can also ask friends and neighbors who are already involved. In addition, many large organizations have local chapters, so look for those because they can bring a global or national perspective to work being done at the state or local level.

Here are some things to consider:

1. What is the group’s mission and vision?

Some organizations address one issue, some have a broader or multi-issue mandate. Does the organization provide direct services, advocate for policy change, and/or develop programs to impact communities? Is it focused on bringing grassroots voices to the table? Convincing elites? What does it want to accomplish? If you cannot find this information online, contact someone who can answer these questions.

DATA DRIVES POLICY CHANGE

Sex-disaggregated data highlights the differing experiences, needs, constraints, and opportunities for women, girls, men, and boys. Data disaggregated by sex is critical to structuring policies and programs.

This means asking “who questions” in a meeting, a call, an email, or a survey:

• Who owns land?

• Who works in a certain job category?

• Who drops out of secondary school?

• Who serves on corporate boards?

• Who is being hired?

• Who goes to engineering or nursing school?

• Who is elected to office?

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Stephenie Foster

Take Action:

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

So you want to be an Advocate?

Book Excerpt

Take Action:

Comment on this Bubble