Women's Caucus

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    Democrats Abroad affirms the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women around the world, including the right to education, healthcare, legal protection and legal standing before the law, the right to physical and psychological safety, self-determination of reproductive rights and equality of opportunity and remuneration.

    Activism in Small, Medium and Large

    Opportunities to participate in our caucus are as varied as our members.

    There is no "one-size-fits-all" level of involvement.
    We also encourage membership by all genders because women's issues impact all of us.
    What our individual sections do depends very much on their size and location.

    Learn more...

    Statement of Purpose:

    The Women's Caucus of Democrats Abroad is committed to fostering and promoting gender-informed perspectives in issues analysis, communication and policy-making and ensuring that issues that impact woWe will take action to address policies that negatively impact women and their families and so, by implication, the economy and our democracy.

    We propose to:

    • Act as disseminators of information  to  Caucus members and Democrats Abroad members at large, and as a catalyst to action on issues which affect American women both in the United States and internationally;
    • Ensure that the women’s perspective is effectively incorporated in all the work of Democrats Abroad, including issues advocacy, communication and GOTV strategy, planning and execution;
    • Stay current and ensure that issues and policies which impact women are discussed in the Caucus and by Democrats Abroad and included in the Democrats Abroad and Democratic Party platforms;
    • Promote Democratic Party candidates committed to policies that positively impact women’s lives;
    • Support Democratic Party candidates who are proposing to improve women’s standings and rights in society at every level, in their election campaigns for State and Federal Government positions and in their appointments to judgeships and high positions in Government offices and agencies;
    • Monitor and, with Democrats Abroad, lobby for or against legislation affecting women directly or indirectly;
    • Inform our communities of injustices against women in areas of civil rights, economic equality, health, and welfare;
    • Engage with other women’s caucuses for the purpose of information sharing, mentoring and maintaining solidarity; and
    • Make our voice heard nationally and internationally with members of women's groups and all groups fighting for justice, equality and the rule of law around the globe

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    DA Women's Caucus Leadership:

    Ann Hesse
    | Chair, Global Women's Caucus
    Christina Skovsgaard
    | Vice Chair Norway
    Shari Temple
    | Global IT Team Chair; Global Women's Caucus Steering Team; ERA Project Coordinator
    Carol Moore
    | GWC Steering Committee, Former Chair, DAUK, Founding Co-chair, DAUK Women's Caucus, Co-Chair DAUK PNR Healthcare Team, ERA Project, Florida Rep, DAUK Tax Reform Committee
    See all Leaders

    News

    Global Women's Caucus May Newsletter

    posted by | GWC Writing Team
    May 15, 2019
    It’s been a busy month in the fight for women’s equality. Back home in the U.S., the House held its first hearing on the ERA in 36 years, and Democratic legislators introduced the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act to combat workplace harassment. Here at the DA Global Women’s Caucus, we are working to drive that momentum forward.

    Democrats Abroad will hold its 2019 Global Meeting from May 17-19 in Washington, D.C. Members from around the world converge and work to prepare for the 2020 primary and general elections. Over three days, we will attend to the regular business of the organization, discuss charter amendments and resolutions, run training sessions and hold our executive committee elections. There will also be regional meetings to elect Regional Vice Chairs and conduct other business. Find out how you can get involved, including the opportunity to virtually participate in the Democrats Abroad 2019 Global Meeting, set for May 17-19 in Washington, D.C.

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    DA Happenings: DAUK Hosts “RBG” Film Night

    On April 12, our friends in the UK Women’s Caucus teamed up with the DAUK Film Committee to hold a screening of “RBG,” the award-winning documentary about cultural icon and civil rights champion, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

    Building on the momentum of Women’s History Month in March, the event included an after-screening discussion, featuring a panel of three DAUK women members who trained as lawyers, on topics such as opportunities for women in the legal profession, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and RBG’s legacy.

    Is your chapter hosting an event you’d like to see featured here? Let us know! Reach out at womenscaucus@democratsabroad.org.


    In the US: Congress Introduces the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act

    In early April, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) introduced a bill to increase protections and transparency related to sexual harassment in the workplace: H.R.2148, the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act.

    Vanita Gupta, president, and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said in a statement, “People are fed up with harassment and discrimination being business as usual at work. It is time for laws and policies that prevent and remedy these all too common violations of working people’s civil rights. The Be HEARD Act will do just that.”

    Among other things, the legislation would fill in gaps in current federal discrimination laws. For example, it would extend protections to groups excluded from the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including workers at small businesses, independent contractors, interns, LGBTQ workers, and volunteers. Furthermore, the bill seeks to address problems in the judicial system related to processing workplace harassment claims. Click here for more on how the bill will fight workplace discrimination.


    ERA Update: House Holds First ERA Hearing in 36 Years

    On April 30, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee held the first ERA hearing in nearly four decades. Actress Patricia Arquette spoke and said, per Emily Peck of HuffPost, “There’s a groundswell in this country. Women are rising by the millions and saying we will not be sexually assaulted, we will not get paid less, we will not be treated as subhuman and we will have their voices heard.”

    Did you know:

    • Women do NOT have equal rights in the U.S. Constitution
    • The word ‘women’ is mentioned only one time in the Constitution (19th Amendment), the word ‘men’ is mentioned 39 times
    • 85% of all countries have equal rights in their constitution, including every industrial nation except the U.S.
    • Over 90% of Americans think the U.S. should have equal rights in our Constitution
    • YOU can make a difference

    Of the 13 states that have not ratified the ERA, 10 submitted bills in their state legislature this year. (The three that did not were AL, OK, and UT.) The bills have already failed for the 2019 sessions in AR, AZ, FL, GA, MS, SC and VA, but there’s still some hope for the other three – LA, MO, and NC. If you vote in one of these states, please contact your state legislature members to support the ERA.

    Regardless of voting state, everyone can help by contacting their U.S. Senators and Representatives to express support for equal rights for women and encourage them to vote for the ERA bills currently in Congress. Find all the details on how you can help by going to www.democratsabroad.org/era.


    We are looking for volunteers to join our Global Women’s Caucus Comms team. If you are passionate about women’s rights and have 10 hours a month to volunteer to our caucus, we need you! We are looking for volunteers with the following areas of expertise:

    Social Media
    • Create original content for our website and social media
    • Monitor social media channels
    • Assist in the preparation of online campaigns
    • Other activities as required

    Writing

    • Write about women’s issues that are important to the GWC
    • Conduct interviews
    • Draft resolutions in support of women’s issues
    • Create original content for our website and social media
    • Proofread content
    • Research women’s topics
    • Other activities as required

    Design & Graphics

    • Design layouts for web pages and social media channels
    • Design promotional material including posters, flyers, etc.
    • Help create and maintain a unique brand identity for our caucus

    Events

    • Organize online events including WebEx calls
    • Develop “Event in a Box” toolkit
    • Liaise with external groups to collaborate on events
    • Plan offline events including marches

    If interested, please connect with us via email at gwc_comms@democratsabroad.org.


    Reminder: Join BOOKS ABROAD for “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin

    We invite you to join the Books Abroad international feminist reading group on Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 a.m. EDT for a discussion about a historical piece of feminism, Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening.” First published in 1899, this novel presents the intellectual and sexual awakening of Edna Pontellier, an affluent, married white woman with two children.

    Please click here to read more about the book and RSVP to receive the link for the meeting.

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    Our Global Women's Caucus Chair, Ann Hesse, is profiled this month. She talks about her life and her activism. Read her story.

    Thanks for reading,

    Global Women's Caucus
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    Global Women's Caucus April Newsletter

    posted by | GWC Writing Team
    May 15, 2019
    As spring approaches, we look back on an inspirational International Women’s Day and a wonderful event with Christine Pelosi. We also look ahead to important fights in the U.S., including our continued mission to support the ratification of the ERA.

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    DA Celebrates International Women’s Day Around the World

    March 8, 2019: The DAUK Women’s Caucus spent International Women’s Day with Stacey Abrams! The inspiring politician told members we can’t count on anyone to open doors for us — so we must work together to create our own doors and, when that’s not possible, knock down walls entirely.


    DAUK Women’s Caucus members feelin’ the love with Stacey Abrams on IWD! L to R: Meghan Feeks, Courtney Plummer, Stacey Abrams, Jihann Pedersen, Lan Wu.

    IWD festivities were in full force in Oslo, Norway and included a screening of the documentary “RBG,” a speech by Hillary Clinton and a march of thousands starting in Youngstorget. Check out the full recap of events in Oslo!

    GWC steering committee member Christina Skovsgaard is one of the thousands at the IWD march in Oslo, this year focusing on abortion rights and equal pay.

    Caucus members in Canada celebrated IWD and Women's History Month at Second City Toronto for the hilarious, subversive, political show: “She the People: Girlfriends’ Guide to Sisters Doing It For Themselves.”

    Toronto & Canada WC Chairs Karin Lippert and Brooke Scott join as members laugh and cheer for the cast, the show and each other.


    The GWC hosted a webinar with Christine Pelosi on March 10. 

    She is a very motivating speaker. During her talk she discussed her Congressional Candidates Bootcamp, staying engaged from abroad, HR1, the comprehensive reform package designed to strengthen the rights of voters at home and abroad and much more. Watch this information-packed webinar, you will not be disappointed.


    No ERA Vote in Virginia: Update and How You Can Help!

    The Equal Rights Amendment is back in the news. Here’s a quick update on what’s happened.

    The ERA was first introduced in 1923. Unfortunately, although it finally passed in the U.S. House and Senate 47 years ago (March 22, 1972), it has still not been ratified by the needed 38 states. It had only 35 when it “expired” in 1982. However, based on the 27th Amendment being ratified 203 years after it was submitted to the states, it has been deemed that the deadline was not valid. Nevada ratified it in 2017 and Illinois in 2018 – needing ONE more state to ratify it.

    This year, bills have been introduced in 10 of the 13 unratified states. Sadly, it has already failed to get out of committee for 2019 in Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia. Bills are still in play in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The three states that did not even introduce a bill are Alabama, Oklahoma, and Utah.

    In addition, more states are seeking to add equal rights to their state constitutions. Currently, 26 states have already included it.

    Here’s a three-minute video on Why We Need an Equal Rights Amendment. You can also watch the “Legalize Equality” video, the 30-minute must-see video on ERA – just RSVP here for the free link.

    Also please check out www.democratsabroad.org/era for the latest status along with ways ALL members of DA can help no matter where you vote or live. We need your help.


    What You Can Do: Help Call DA Virginia Voters!

    Just a few weeks ago, Republicans stopped the ERA in the Virginia Legislature by a single vote! We were devastated, but not defeated!

    DA has just set up new global phone banking campaigns to reach out to DA voters in Virginia where the 2019 state elections will decide the majority in both the House of Delegates and the VA State Senate.

    Let’s take a majority in the VA legislature and ratify the ERA!

    Sign up here to be on the phone banking team and join the Campaign for Virginia.


    COMING UP! Eyes Wide Open: Books Abroad Reads “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin

    In June, Books Abroad will step back into a historical piece of feminism, Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening.” First published in 1899, this novel presents the intellectual and sexual awakening of Edna Pontellier, an affluent, married white woman with two children. After years of succumbing to the limited social expectations for women, Edna expresses a profound dissatisfaction with her life and begins to defy those boundaries.

    We invite you to join the Books Abroad international feminist reading group on Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 a.m. EDT for a WebEx discussion about this landmark piece of literary fiction. Please click here for more information on the book and to RSVP!

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    It has been so inspiring to join in fellowship with women all over the world to celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. Although we have faced a setback with the ERA in Virginia, there is much to be hopeful about! We have incredible female candidates for President, we have elected a record number of women to Congress and we have more women of color serving in office than ever before.
    And we are more motivated than ever to push forward, fighting until equality is a reality for everyone. Stay tuned on our Facebook page for all the latest news.

    In solidarity,

    Your Global Women's Caucus Team
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    Upcoming Events

    Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 06:00 PM through December 30, 2019 · 58 rsvps
    Online

    Watch the Film Legalize Equality

    The Equal Rights Amendment resolution passed unanimously in Tokyo where we committed to do whatever we can to help get the ERA ratified.  See the resolution here.

    Watch the video "Legalize Equality."  This 30-minute video gives an excellent overview of the Equal Rights Amendment and why it is critical to be ratified.  

    You can watch the video until 31 December 2019.

    To receive the streaming link and password, click RSVP and you will receive an email with the information in it.

    Feel free to share the link and password to DA members that want to view it.  However, please do NOT post the link and password on the internet in any way.  Only Democrats Abroad has access for this private screening and we need to honor this special access given by Equal Means Equal and Heroica Films.  

     

     

    Additional References to learn more about ERA:

    www.equalrightsamendment.org

    www.equalmeansequal.org

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment

    https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/31/us/equal-rights-amendment-illinois-states-trnd/index.html

     

    RSVP
    Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 08:00 AM through June 04, 2019
    Phone Banking in Richmond, VA

    Let’s flip Virginia for the ERA!

    Help us call DA Virginia Voters --Only 1 Vote Will Flip the State Legislature!

    Just a few weeks ago, Republicans stopped the Equal Rights Amendment in the Virginia Legislature by a single vote!
    We were devastated, but not defeated!

    Democrats lost control of the VA House of Delegates in the last election by a single vote--the deciding seat was tied and Republicans won it on a COIN TOSS!  If we'd had one more voter in that final district the delegate would have been a Dem and we'd have had a legislative majority and, with one more vote, VA would have ratified the ERA.

    So now we’re getting ready to take back Virginia!  

    The entire VA state legislature up for election in November and the primary deadlines are coming up!

    We’ve just set up new global phone banking campaigns to reach out to DA voters in Virginia where the 2019 state elections will decide the majority in both the House of Delegates and the VA State Senate.

    Let’s ensure a majority in the VA legislature and ratify the ERA!

    Sign up here to be on our phone banking team and join the Campaign for Virginia!

    Because Our Rights are too important for a coin toss!

     

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