Happy International Women's Day!

Today is International Women’s Day which has been observed since the early 1900s (here’s a good history).  On March 8th every year, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire and celebrate women.   The UN highlights a different theme for International Women’s Day.  This year’s theme is a call to action to end violence against women.
The United Nations Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, BabyCenter, The Huffington Post, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have joined forces to  launch a social fundraising campaign called “Global Mom Relay”.  From now until May 8, moms are powering an online conversation about motherhood to unlock donations.   Every time you share a relay post on Facebook, Twitter, or email or donate $5 or more as part of the relay, a $5 donation (up to $8,000 per day) will be donated by Johnson & Johnson and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to one of four initiatives that are helping women and children lead healthy and happy lives.
The four initiatives include:

What I like about this campaign is that every day from today until Mother’s Day, there is a different woman (and there are a few men) who are influencers in the field of maternal health that will share a post and activate their networks.   I also like the fact that when you share, you are actually donation – and $5 at a click!  The support goes to four different, but complementary campaigns or organizations that support women.   It would be interesting to learn more about their measurement framework and results, but for now – Happy International Women’s Day.   Donate or share some content through your social channels.

On side note, today is the launch of the publication Women in the Global Economy: Leading Social Change explores the landscape of women’s participation in the economy and the key role that women play in fueling economic growth by creating stable societies.  The book is published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) Foundation.  The book notes the trajectory of transformation that has gained a foothold in recent years, where investing in women is increasingly seen as a driver for social and economic development.  I’m honored to have contributed a chapter titled, “Women and the Global Social Network: Social Media and Women’s Economic Sustainability in the MENA Region.”   You can learn more abut the book here.