International Day of the Woman 2008

The Plight of Women and Children in Sierra Leone and Kenya

KENYA

Ethnic Groups

Kikuyu 23%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 11%, Kamba 10%, Kisii 6%, Meru 5%, Maasai 1.8%, Turkana 1.5%, Embu 1.2%, other African (including Somali, Taita, Swahili, Samburu, Pokomo, Giriama, Rabai , Duruma, Chonyi, Digo, Kauma , Orma, Oromo , Wasanye, Wanyoyaya, Borana, Rendille, El Moran, Malakote , Teso, , Ndorobo) 15%, non-African (Asian/Desi, Anglo-African/European, and Arab) 1%.

Sierra Leone

• Sierra Leone is the lowest ranked country on the Human Development Index and seventh lowest on the Human Poverty Index,[11] suffering from endemic corruption,[12] suppression of the press[13] and the HIV/AIDS pandemic.[14]

• The Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive Act (GROWTH Act) has recently been introduced in the United States Congress. This act creates important changes in U.S. international assistance and trade programs by prioritizing economic opportunities for women living in poverty.

• Soroptimist is proud to partner with Women's Edge to ensure the passage of this important legislation.

• Women Thrive Worldwide (formerly the Women's Edge Coalition) is the leading non-profit organization shaping U.S. policy to help women in developing countries lift themselves out of poverty.

• Clubs in the United States are asked to make sure it gets passed by holding a club meeting about the act and encouraging elected officials to support it.

• Clubs outside the U.S. are asked to encourage U.S.-based friendship links to support this important legislation and also examine how their countries distribute international assistance and to ensure that women's needs are being met.

How Would the GROWTH Act Help Women Living in

Poverty?The GROWTH Act would shape U.S. assistance and trade policy to empower women in these areas:– Small Business: Help poor women start and grow

their own businesses– Property Rights: Help increase women's land and

property rights– Wages and Working Conditions: Help improve

women’s wages and working conditions by emphasizing training and education

– Access to Global Trade: Ensure that increased trade benefits women and families living in poverty.

– Local Women’s Organizations: Encourage U.S. agencies to recognize women and to work with local organizations that focus on women's needs.

Why Economic Opportunities for Women?

•Investing in women is the surest way to end global poverty.

•In many poor countries, women produce the majority of the food supply and are more likely to spend their income on food, education and healthcare for their children.

•However, they face unequal barriers to lifting their families out of poverty.

•Women often work longer hours in the lowest-paid sectors, earn less stable incomes, and receive less training and fewer economic opportunities than men do.

Why Is U.S. Policy Important?

•As the largest economy in the world, a powerful trading partner, and major international donor, the U.S. can have a huge impact on the lives of women worldwide.

•By improving our policies, we can help help millions of mothers, daughters, and sisters around the world escape poverty.

What can Soroptimist clubs do to support the GROWTH

Act?1. Writing letters to federal legislators urging them to

support the GROWTH Act

2. Soroptimist clubs can begin supporting the GROWTH Act in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

3. The goal of the advocacy campaign is to raise awareness of the issue; let elected officials know that this is an important matter to constituents; and encourage them to become co-sponsors of the GROWTH Act and to support the legislation when it comes to a vote.

4. Soroptimist will contact interested clubs at each point in the process. To that end, it is important to let SIA headquarters know of an interest in participating in this advocacy project by contacting program@soroptimist.org.