Women, Water and Technology: Stories and Solutions
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Dr Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women
Wednesday 15 May 2013
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Podcast available HERE (mp3 format 30MB)
We hear a lot about the storm - the dangers and challenges raining down on women and girls around the world: violence, discrimination, health, environmental ruin, poverty. In that mindset, women are victims. Musimbi Kanyoro tells a different story.
The 25 year story of the Global Fund for Women, which has supported nearly 9,000 women, led groups in a 174 countries to the tune of US$100+ million. Dr Kanyoro will share the amazing success stories of women leaders revolutionizing the world today and demonstrating their power to challenge oppression. She tells how women are doing this in a world where access to water is becoming one of the most critical issues across the globe. In her presentation, Dr Kanyoro shares how, with technology and tenacity, women are demonstrating their entrepreneurial skills and leadership in accessing resources ranging from water to land rights and, in so doing, shaping a new world order.
Musimbi Kanyoro is the president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women and has been a passionate advocate for the health, development, and human rights of women, girls, and minority groups throughout her life. The Global Fund for Women is the largest public grant making foundation that advances women's rights by making grants that support and strengthen women's groups around the world. Prior to the Global Fund, Kanyoro led the Population and Reproductive Health Program at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. She also served as the general secretary of World YWCA for ten years, leading advocacy initiatives around women's reproductive health and the impact of HIV/AIDS.
A champion for young women, Kanyoro has successfully spearheaded practices to ensure the representation of women under 30 on local, national, and global boards. Dr. Kanyoro is a passionate advocate for Women and girls' health and human rights, and social change philanthropy. She serves on the Global Committee of the Council on Foundations, is a member of the Aspen Institute Leaders Council and the UNFPA/IPPF High level taskforce for Reproductive Health. She also serves on the boards of Intra Health, CARE International and CHANGE. Dr. Kanyoro has more than 20 years of experience with international organizations, served on the international steering committee for the Beijing world conference on women and has led delegations to five United Nations World Conferences throughout the 90s.
Dr. Kanyoro has a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Texas, Austin and Doctor of Ministry in Feminist Theology from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She was a visiting scholar of Hebrew and the Old Testament at Harvard University. She has received three honorary doctorates and several recognition awards, including a leadership award from the Kenya Government.
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