Rise in women’s movement prompts growth of organizations to empower women

Original story published on The Nightly Beat

WASHINGTON – Coined as “The Year of the Women,” 2018 has seen a lot of changes in the way women work together to empower and support each other. Many organizations for women by women have been created to offer a safe space where they can learn skills to further their careers.

Women in Technology, an organization centered in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, has been focused on helping women navigate through the tech world for 25 years.

The organization has a mentorship program that provides members the opportunity to work with someone with first-hand experience in the field. Members can attend courses and events including a job fair to help them to network and make connections.

“We feel like we are making a change and we see the programs are making a difference,” said Margo Dunn, president of Women in Technology. “Our job fair went from being once a year to twice in 2015 because of the need for diversity and companies coming to ask for help.”

Different organizations have different focuses and techniques to help unit women. Focusing on giving a voice to women, organizations bridge the gap in the skills and confidence needed to get equal opportunities.

Along with helping women learn new skills for potential jobs, Women in Technology created the Leadership Foundry, to focus on increasing the number of women in leadership positions.

The foundry concentrates on the corporate gender gap in the Washington area and provides women with the information they need to gain a seat on board positions.

According to research done by the Leadership Foundry, since 2010 the number of business with no women on company boards in the Washington area has gone down from 89 to 34; it’s the lowest point since the organization began tracking the data.

“We have a long way to go but I am optimistic,” said Jill Klein, interim dean in the School of Professional & Extended Studies at American University, which partners with the Leadership Foundry to do research and oversee program curriculum. “l value this annual check-in. It does not move a lot but every year I am so encouraged by the number of studies being done at the academic and professional level.”

A 2018 study by McKinsey & Company and Lean In titled “Women in the workplace,” outlined four years of data showing the steady growth of representation of women in the workplace.

Although the numbers have slightly gone up, there is still a significant difference in the men-to-women ratio on all levels, especially in political representation.

With a record high number of 108 women in Congress, that is still only 20.2 percent of the seats, according to a study by the Center for American Women and Politics.

This gain, although small in comparison to equality, in representation has shown the role of women in politics in a new light. Not only have women gained more seats than ever, but they have also made strides for race and LGBTQ communities.

Some organizations, like the Independent Women’s Forum, combat inequality through policy work, focusing on the impact of politics on the lives of women.

The organization gives a voice to women by developing policy and research surrounding topics like women at work, culture and education, and women and politics. They provide information and the resources women need to understand how to take action.

“It is always the year of the woman and women are engaging more with our democratic system,” said Hadley Heath, director of policy at the forum. “Women are involved whether it is voting, running for office or influencing their congressperson. It is important to keep them informed on what is going on in politics.”

Along with providing aid to women already in the work force, many organizations have begun to focus on a younger audience. A focus on younger women gets the conversation started at an early age and prepares them on how to handle inequality.

More recently, the organization Women in Technology has led a program for a younger audience called Girls in Technology. Girls in Technology offers courses and works with STEM Her to give girls an early start in STEM-related careers.

“We know it is making a difference. We know what we are doing is working and we are always looking at new ways to make sure we are being relevant,” said Dunn.

#BUILTBYGIRLS also focuses on women in high school and college, giving them access to advisers and events showing the various routes a career in engineering and tech can lead too.

“Men have long supported each other in their careers, so it is harder for women to break in. If we provide them a network from a young start, we can make a change from the beginning,” said Ciara Bush, the head of UX Insights and Design for #BUILTBYGIRLS.

Similarly, the organization Girls Inc. works closely with schools to help girls from a young age to become, as their mission states, “strong, smart, and bold, through direct service and advocacy.”

Founded in 1864, the organization pairs girls with mentors and supportive community members. Girls Inc. gives their members the opportunity to explore their interests and combat inequalities faced in the real world with the help of mentors.

“It is important to reach young people because it affects their whole lives. Our program of building relationships, education, and safe environment sets them in a trajectory to be successful in their lives and achieve their dreams,” said Sonja Breda, the advocacy outreach coordinator at Girls Inc.

The growth of women organizations is a positive outcome of the rise in women’s movement. The conversation brings light to the situation of inequality and mistreatment of women and many are participating to change the future for young girls.

Although the number show slow progress, women have been making strides in closing the gap. It is not solely about the numbers, but the organizations all have one thing in common: creating support, connections and opportunities to all women.

“There is a lot of evidence that we can change. You have to force people out of their comfort zone and into things they think shouldn’t be done,” said Mieke Meurs, a professor in the program for gender analysis in economics at American University.