If you follow us, you've probably noticed we are strong advocates on various topics, like sustainability, diversity, and self-love. As the tides have changed in recent years, we've seen a growing trend of equality like never before. Gender equality and empowerment, in particular, have been trending upwards in recent years and is an area that we'll see take more of center stage in 2022.
It's become the norm to build our peers up rather than burn them down. It's all about collaboration over competition. And we are all learning how to step up—and show up—for our minority counterparts in the face of inequality and discrimination.
If you're looking to be a more thoughtful and compassionate human towards your peers, this article is for you. We talk about ways you can empower others, and we highlight ten gender equality and empowerment foundations to support in 2022.
8 Ways To Empower Others
When we become more aware of the disempowerment minorities experience daily, it allows us to aid and influence others on how to handle certain situations from both sides. Being more mindful will ensure the future will someday be entirely fair, just, and equal, no matter your gender. We've compiled a list of simple things you can do every day to empower those around you.
Boost Self-Esteem
Speak Up For Others
Share Your Experiences
Cheer Your Peers
Influence and Mentor
Support the Cause
Know Your Worth
Show Appreciation
Boost Self-Esteem
Without self-esteem or self-worth, it can be difficult for a person to stand up for themselves or even recognize when they are not treated fairly. For the minority acquaintances in your life, whether they be friends, family, or colleagues, boosting their confidence through words of praise and encouragement can make a world of difference to a person's self-esteem.
Speak Up For Others
Don't be afraid to speak up for other people if you witness unfair treatment. Doing so in a respectful but assertive way lets the offending person know they're in the wrong, and the affected person knows you are there for them. Having that back-up can give a person more confidence, and adding to my first point, it can help a person with their self-esteem.
Share Your Experiences
Sometimes a person doesn't quite understand how their actions affect other people. And although it can be difficult to show your vulnerability to others, telling them when you were treated unfairly and how it made you feel can help them understand the consequences of their actions. It could also stop a person from disempowering others.
Cheer Your Peers
If a colleague is doing an excellent job, or if there's a higher position they'd be great at, tell them. Or better yet, tell your boss. Cheering on your peers to become more successful will empower them, boost their confidence, and will fortify the working relationship between you and your colleague, as they'll see you as a collaborator rather than a competitor or threat.
Influence and Mentor
Become a positive influence or mentor to others. Teaching others how to recognize discrimination or prejudice or empower others is a valuable and useful tool for the 21st century; education and awareness foster change and growth.
Support the Cause
Show your support through signing petitions, donating money to causes, and attending protests. It doesn't cost you anything to support a cause and show you care for your comrades.
Know Your Worth
If you're a minority, knowing your worth and standing up for yourself can influence those around you. For those who mistreat you, standing up to them educates the offender on how not to treat you—and others. For your peers, they learn what behaviors should and shouldn't be tolerated.
Show Appreciation
Sometimes the best way to empower someone is to show them your appreciation just for their mere existence. Show them through verbal and physical affirmations. Or go one step further and figure out their love language so you can show them in a way that they'll really respond to. This builds on most of the other points I've mentioned above.
The Top 10 Gender Equality and Empowerment Foundations in 2022
In 2022, compassion and empathy are trending hard. Generation Z is leading the way for a more inclusive and equitable society. There are many foundations you can support that focus on empowering others, so here are just a few.
Moriah Fund
In 2002 Robert and Clarence Efroymson founded Moriah, a fusion of their separate foundations. Their respective foundations supported human and civil rights both in the United States and Israel. Moriah now supports women's rights and reproductive health and conservation and environmental issues.
Moriah offers programs in:
- Education, helping at-risk and disadvantaged children
- Civil Rights and social justice in Israel and Ethiopian communities
- Human Rights, such as women's reproductive rights
Established in 1985 to perpetuate the lifelong philanthropic commitment of its founders, our fund's philosophy is rooted in fundamental Jewish values: a concern for the disadvantaged and an emphasis on self-help; a commitment to equity and justice.
Mary's Pence
The catalyst for Mary's Pence came after two Catholic sisters realized the inequality within the Church. Priests and other male colleagues were often granted funds for their work, yet women's work was often overlooked, and grants for their work were often declined. "What we need is a Mary's Pence," one of the women announced at a prayer meeting. This was a play on Peter's Pence, the Pope's annual church collection for the poor.
Mary's Pence funds women's organizations in the US working with their local community to create long-term systemic change. You can donate to Mary's Pence here.
Envisioning a world where empowered women and their communities flourish in solidarity and justice. Providing resources and support to make it happen.
Seventh Generation Fund
Advancing the effectiveness of Indigenous-led work is why Seventh Generation Fund was founded. The fund offers small grants, fiscal management, program-related training, peer learning opportunities, and leadership development to empower indigenous people. They work collaboratively with other foundations and collectives to bring awareness. One such collective is Indigenous Women Worldwide. You can support Seventh Generation Fund here.
Dedicated to Indigenous Peoples' self-determination and the sovereignty of Native nations.
The Hadassah Foundation
Another Jewish-centric fund is the Hadassah Foundation. This fund was founded in 1998 to bring awareness and support to improve gender inequality in the US and in Israel. They accomplish this through grants and programs that support the leadership advancement of women and girls. They break glass ceilings to allow women and girls opportunities to succeed in all spheres of life, increase female political representation, and eliminate religious barriers that create unequal or separate playing fields for women. Show your support here.
We accomplish our goals through grantmaking with a gender lens, supporting organizations that build upon the unique strengths, perspectives, and experiences of women and girls. In turn, we create lasting social change, transforming individual lives, institutions, public policies, and entire communities.
What started as a conversation amongst five feminists in Amsterdam in 1983, quickly became the first international women's fund. They offer grants and funding to women, girls, and trans in regional areas, and they also have educational programs and a blog. You can support the cause here.
Mama Cash supports women, girls and trans people, and intersex people who fight for their rights. Activists who tirelessly and fearlessly make their voices heard. Who criticize oppressive or restrictive norms and practices, and lobby for fair laws. Who demand their political and economic rights, and insist on bodily autonomy.
Together with these activists and our donors, we work towards a more just world for women, girls, trans people, and intersex people.
Third Wave Fund
Third Wave Fund started in the early nineties when the four female founders were shocked by the inequalities between men and women. White men usually had the final say when it came to sexual harassment, rape, race in America, reproductive health, economics, and class. The fund provides grants for various minorities, and it also works to empower and influence others through their philanthropy and encouragement to collaborate. Third Wave's definition of feminism explicitly connects women's issues to issues of race, sexuality, class, and ability. Support them by hosting a party, promoting the fund, or donating here.
Third Wave Fund resources and supports youth-led, intersectional gender justice activism. We build on the brilliance of our communities using responsive and participatory grantmaking so we can sustain our movements and thrive—now and long term.
Malala™ Fund
We all know the story behind Malala Yousafzai. Well, she and her father founded the Malala™ Fund in 2013, which was a catalyst of Malala's philanthropy work she has been doing since before she was almost fatally shot in 2012 for her outspoken support of girls' education in Pakistan. The fund invests in education advocates and activists to spread awareness and challenge policies and practices that prevent girls from getting an education. Support the cause here.
Malala Fund is working for a world where every girl can learn and lead.
Pro-Mujer Fund
The idea behind Pro-Mujer Fund came when the founders wanted to elevate and empower women in Latin America. They work collaboratively to educate and provide ongoing support and resources to women in Latin America to reach their greatest potential and become independent leaders. You can support them here.
"Ilu" is an Aymara word meaning "to plant," and it represents our commitment to cultivating a world where women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean lead their fullest and most productive lives. The Ilu Women's Empowerment Fund focuses on unleashing the power of women and girls through financially sound, gender smart investments.
Global Fund for Women
The Global Fund for Women was founded in 1987 in Palo Alto, California, by four passionate women. The four women believed that human rights were essential to social, economic, and political change worldwide for the benefit of us all. Yet, so many women had and still don't have the same equal rights as their male counterparts in many countries. Some of the efforts Global Fund for Women has accomplished over the past 30 years have ended civil wars, had female Presidents elected, and secured laws giving new protection to millions. Support the cause here.
We support gender justice movements to create meaningful change that will last beyond our lifetimes.
Madre Fund
Madre Fund was founded in 1983 from a belief that together we can make a difference. The founders were in Nicaragua at the time and were horrified and angered to learn about the bombing of daycare centers, schools, and clinics by contras supported by the US. They started Madre Fund to bring awareness to the effects US policies have on communities worldwide. The fund now works to end gender violence, advance climate justice, and get more women into peace negotiations. Support them here.
MADRE funds community-based women's organizations to meet urgent needs and achieve their long-term goals. Our grants enable life-sustaining and community-changing interventions and are sometimes the sole source of financial support in the places where we work. These are communities that war or disaster have rendered difficult to fund and challenging to reach.
While many injustices still occur worldwide, you can make small yet impactful changes to help facilitate gender equality. Adopt some of the steps into your day-to-day to help minorities around you feel more empowered and support foundations to directly impact the future of gender equality. Let's put an end to inequality and discrimination against humans beings.
Emma Jade has been a trained esthetician for over 15 years. She is a sustainable skincare writer, educating and building awareness around proper skin health that doesn't cost the Earth.
Some of the products promoted in our blog are from our online store. Many others are brands we have researched and found to be great examples of sustainable, ethical, and innovative brands in their field, and we don't profit from mentioning them in our blog. #CollaborationOverCompetition
