“The Global Partnership for Women and Girls (formerly the Muslim Women’s Fund) is another example of an organized philanthropic effort established by women.”
“Gender equality and the empowerment of women can only become a reality if we put the necessary resources into education and training for women and girls.”
~ Dr. Michelle Bachelet
Under Secretary General, Executive Director UN WOMEN
March 2011
Why the Global Partnership for Women and Girls ?
There are more than 800 million Muslim women and girls in the world who represent 1/8th of the world’s population. Muslims represent 25% of the world’s population, yet Muslim countries only contribute 11.2% to Global GDP. According to the data from the World Economic Forum and the UN, much of this gap can be attributed to gender inequality, even though Islamic teachings supports gender symmetry and equality of all people. GPWG is dedicated to the education and economic advancement of Muslim women and girls.
There is a broad consensus that investing in women and girls is not only a good social policy, it is “smart economics”. Goldman Sachs published two critical pieces of research, “Womenomics” and “Women Hold up Half the Sky” which found that investment in women –through increased education and labor force participation — can lead to real economic growth in developed and developing countries. The Global Partnership for Women and Girls (GPWG) helps to advance the dialogue, investing in women to help fuel thriving economies, spurring productivity, growth and sustainable peace.
GPWG is inspired by the rich historical traditions of scholarly and entrepreneurial examples of the wives of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Hadhrat Khadijah, a successful businesswoman and Aisha, a renowned scholar of Hadith and a military leader. Time and again, the teachings of the Quran and Hadith say that acquisition of knowledge and human equality are intrinsic and fundamental to the teachings of the faith.
About GPWG
GPWG, founded by women for Muslim women and girls, is a US based global fund and a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) and as such, RPA serves as our fiscal agent.
As a grant making organization, the Fund supports projects that promote the educational and economic development of women and girls so that they can contribute to their families, engage with their communities, and build bridges to peace.
GPWG an apolitical not for profit; Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors serves as our fiscal agent.
How Does GPWG Work?
GPWG invests in strategic, replicable, innovative grassroots NGOs in countries with Muslim populations. While the challenges are global, we believe the solutions are local and rely on the knowledge of and trust in our local partners to work towards the advancement of women and girls.
Vision and Impact
Women have extraordinary opportunities to change their societies. They play a positive and important role in society and represent an untapped potential in creating peaceful families, peaceful communities and peaceful societies. GPWG supports women to become educationally and economically advanced and become empowered stakeholders and change agents in their societies. Empowered women enjoy dignity and economic security, and create peace.
Mission
To focus on the education and economic advancement of Muslim women and girls and the communities they live in. GPWG supports unleashing the human potential of the more than 800 Million women and girls globally with a focus on supporting Millennium Development Goals in education, gender parity and economic advancement. Please see the GPWGPilot Projects listed on our Website.
GPWG Supports Millennium Development Goals
UN Millenium Development Goals
Global Partnership for Women and Girls Links
Donations
Working with our partners on the ground, your valuable tax-deductible gift helps us advance our global mission to strengthen women and girls, benefit families and communities and build bridges to peace.
Support GPWG. Donations to the Global Partnership for Women and Girls are greatly appreciated. We invite you and/or your organization to join us by making a contribution by check, e-payment or online donation.
1) Donation checks can be sent to RPA/Global Partnership for Women and Girls:
Attention: Shermane Bilal
(The Global Partnership for Women and Girls)
6 West 48th Street, 10th Floor,
New York, NY 10036
Please include: ‘Global Partnership for Women and Girls' in the notes field in your check. In addition, please include your name and address so that a letter of recognition can be sent to you.
2) On-line Donations:
http://www.rockpa.org/GPWG/donate
Executive Committee
*Co-Founders
- SARWAT MALIK, M.D., F.A.C.P*
- NADIA S. MALIK*
- IBRAHIM ALHUSSEINI
- AHD KAMEL
- SALMA MERCHANT RAHMATHULLA
Global Ambassadors Council:
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SALEHA M. ABEDIN, PH.D. Vice Dean, Institutional Advancement, Dar Al-Hekma College / Editor, Journal of Muslim Minority Affair
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PENNY ABEYWARDENA Head of Women and Girls Program / Associate Director, Commitments, Clinton Global Initiative
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MUNA ABUSULAYMAN Media Personality
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LOREEN ARBUS Philanthropist / Former Head, Showtime & Lifetime
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AMBASSADOR WENDY J. CHAMBERLIN President, The Middle East Institute / Former US Ambassador to Pakistan
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NADEREH CHAMLOU Senior Advisor, Office of the Chief Economist, MENA, The World Bank Group
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LEAH HUNT HENDRIX Ph.D. candidate
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VIRGINIA GRAY HENRY Director, Fons Vitae & Quinta Essentiam
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HELEN LAKELLY HUNT, PH.D. Philanthropist / Founder, The Sister Fund
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BARBARA IBRAHIM, PH.D. Director, Gerhart Center for Philanthropy & Civic Engagement, American University in Cairo
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SHAISTA MAHMOOD Philanthropist
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DR. NAFIS SADIK Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General
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GLORIA STEINEM Women’s’ Rights Advocate / Author / Founder, Ms. Foundation
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JOHN PARKE WRIGHT IV Managing Director, The Royal Palm Group
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SAKENA YACOOBI, PH.D. Founder, Afghan Institute of Learning
Contact Us
Mailing Address:
Global Partnership for Women and Girls
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Attention: Shermane Bilal,
6 West 48th Street, 10th Floor,
New York, NY 10036
Grant Applications
Thank you for your interest. Our first priority is to build a community of donors to support our mission and the work of the many vital NGOs serving Muslim women and girls. We are embarking on an aggressive fundraising campaign. Once we have met our goal, we will issue a Request for Proposals and will accept applications for funds at that time. Please visit this page in the future for updates on our progress!
“The rights of women are sacred. See that women are maintained in the rights assigned to them.”
~ Prophet Muhammad,
Peace and Blessing Upon Him