From national parliaments to local councils, women are underrepresented in policy-making. The global average of women’s representation in national parliaments is 24 percent. Without a seat at the table, women don’t have a say in crafting legislation, negotiating peace talks or shaping agendas for future reform. Women who are able to become part of that 24 percent often lack access to opportunities, leadership positions and networks of women counterparts.
With the support of Freeport-McMoRan, Vital Voices is launching a signature fellowship, VVEngage, through which we aim to increase the capacity, decision-making power, and effectiveness of women leaders in public life, shifting culture around women’s public leadership and moving towards equality in public representation globally. VVEngage is a one-year fellowship that provides technical skills and leadership development to the most outstanding women leaders who are policy makers and policy influencers across the globe.
Through this fellowship, Vital Voices will support women’s public leadership by enhancing advocacy, leadership, and governance skills with training by world-renowned experts, such as professors from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. The fellowship will also connect participants to a global network of peers and mentors, such as former women heads of state through the Council of Women World Leaders, with whom they can brainstorm and share challenges and best practices.
The customized VVEngage curriculum includes inspiring and rigorous online courses, as well as two in-person gatherings. Fellows will first come together in person at the Leadership Gathering, a three-day training focused on political leadership, communications, and networking. Several months later, Fellows will re-convene for the Skills Workshop, a five-day intensive training on negotiations and personal narrative led by professors from the Harvard Kennedy School. Throughout the rest of the year, Fellows will participate in virtual training on other modules, such as governance and policy. The curriculum is designed to help women address the many challenges to political participation that they face and hone their skills as leaders in making and influencing policy globally.
Vital Voices is thrilled to announce our inaugural VVEngage Cohort: 22 incredible women influencing and making policy from 17 different countries from around the world.
Deputy Chairwoman, TODOS Political Party
Guatemala
Former National General Secretary, National Students’ Union of India
India
Chairperson, Local Government Finance Commission of Uganda
Uganda
Member, Board of Directors, Movimiento Manuela Ramos
Peru
Undersecretary of Sustainable and Safe Mobility, Government of the City of Buenos Aires
Argentina
Member of Parliament, Ghana
Ghana
General Secretary of International Relations and the Diaspora, Cameroon People’s Party
Cameroon
Executive Director, Mentoring Women Ghana
Ghana
Innovation Advisor, Former Dubai Government
United Arab Emirates
Executive Director, Ciudadanos al Día
Peru
Founder and Executive Director, Educate Me
Egypt
Director, Women’s Institute, Municipality of Naucalpan
Mexico
Founder and CEO, Red Elephant Foundation
India
National Director, Civil Society Agriculture Network
Malawi
Member, National Executive Committee, Partido Morado
Peru
Founder, Lone Star Parity Project
United States
Deputy Governor, County Government of Taita Taveta
Kenya
Executive Director, Mzalendo Trust
Kenya
Deputy Mayor, City of Darebin
Australia
Founder and Managing Director, JO Branding Advertising; Co-Founder, Women In Front
Lebanon
Communications and Innovation Advisor; Founder and Managing Director, Softpower Connections Consulting
Chile
Leader, Economy and Workforce Divison, ‘Aisyiyah Muhammadiyah
Indonesia
For more information, please contact VVEngage@vitalvoices.org.