USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah to Speak on ICRW Panel
Economic Opportunity & Security
Shah to Speak March 8 about Innovative Approaches to Global Development Concerns
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2011 – USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah on March 8 will participate in an International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) panel discussion on breakthrough innovations that have the potential to transform the lives of women in developing countries.
Shah will be joined by Cherie Blair, founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Tim Hanstad, president and CEO of Landesa, and Bobbi Silten, chief foundation officer at Gap Inc. The discussion will be moderated by Andrea Mitchell, NBC chief foreign affairs correspondent.
The event, to be held on International Women’s Day, will kick off ICRW’s year-long 35th anniversary discussion series, Passports to Progress. Subsequent gatherings will address investments in ending violence against women, how to advance women’s economic potential and how to measure global progress on gender equality.
Event details:
March 8, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
National Press Club
259 14th Street N.W., 13th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20045
Media Contacts:
ICRW: Jeannie Bunton, Vice President, External Relations
Tel: 202-742-1316, BB: 202-384-0679, [email protected]
USAID: Press Office
Tel:202-712-4320, [email protected]
Cherie Blair Foundation for Women: Jillian Convey, Business and Communications Manager
Tel: +44 (0)20 7563 5059, [email protected]
Gap Inc.: Renate Geerlings, Gap Inc. Corporate Communications
Tel: 415-427-4695, [email protected]
Landesa: Amy Low,Chief Communications Officer
Tel: 206-257-6141, [email protected]
ICRW’s mission is to empower women, advance gender equality and fight poverty in the developing world. To accomplish this, ICRW works with partners to conduct empirical research, build capacity and advocate for evidence-based, practical ways to change policies and programs.
About USAID
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead U.S. government agency providing economic development and humanitarian assistance to people around the world for nearly 50 years. For more information about USAID please go to www.usaid.gov.
About the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women helps women entrepreneurs to build businesses by offering access to technology, networks, finance and business development support. Programs are in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, where there is potential for women in business to become self-sustaining in the longer term. By supporting women entrepreneurs, we not only help the women themselves to improve their quality of life, but also their families, communities and economies who benefit from their success. For more, visit www.cherieblairfoundation.org.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading global specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta brands. For more than 40 years, Gap Inc. has supported communities where we live and work through grants, in-kind donations, community outreach and employee volunteer programs. Gap Inc. strives to make a long-term impact in communities by focusing on creating opportunities for underserved youth and women through innovative social solutions. One example is Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E. (Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement) program, which provides life and technical skills training to advance the careers and lives of women factory workers. For more information on Gap Inc. community investment, please visit www.gapinc.com/socialresponsibility.
About Landesa
Grounded in the knowledge that having legal rights to land is a foundation for prosperity and opportunity, Landesa partners with governments and local organizations to ensure that the world’s poorest families have secure rights over the land they till. Founded as the Rural Development Institute in 1967, Landesa has helped more than 100 million poor families gain legal control over their land. With secure land rights, these families can eat better, earn more, educate their children, practice conservation and achieve dignity for generations. For more, visit www.landesa.org.