Atlanta is one of two American cities among the 13 selected globally for a Carter Center program aimed at improving women’s lives through access to information.
The “Inform Women, Transform Lives” campaign is to work with city leaders to correct a core imbalance the center has observed in its global work: women who arguably need access to information most to make decisions about their families and livelihoods are often kept out of the loop. They’re also more likely to be illiterate or poor and less likely to speak up.
With COVID-19 making it all the more clear how safeguarding what the Carter Center views as a human right can be a life-and-death matter, the initiative is launching amid the pandemic with the following cities:
- Atlanta
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Chicago
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Dublin, Ireland
- Guatemala City
- Kampala, Uganda
- Lima, Peru
- Monrovia, Liberia
- São Paulo, Brazil
The goal of the program is to increase the number of women accessing information from city governments, demonstrate how having the right information can make a difference in the lives of women and those around them and overall, raise awareness through targeted media campaigns empowered by Carter Center-generated marketing and social media materials.
After applying, the first crop of cities was selected by judges who weighed their commitment to transparency on gender equality.
“We’ve chosen to work with city governments because they have a direct impact on people’s everyday lives,” said Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander. “Information gives women a more meaningful voice, increases their awareness of economic opportunities, allows them to participate in decision-making and helps them access public services. The participating cities will experience first hand the transformative impact that giving women access to information can have.”
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta is among the “global changemakers” and “innovative leaders” committed to driving the campaign.
The campaign will officially begin March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day.
Learn more in the video below or at the Carter Center’s website.
