Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative

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Programs: Mayors' Commission on Women

Asset Development
Mayors' Commission on Women
Unita Blackwell Young Women's Leadership Institute

“Human Rights are for Southern Rural Black women as well as women in Africa and China”
- Member Mayors Commission on Human Rights

Access to Power and Decision Making SRBWI chose Human Rights as a framework for our work because it recognizes that civil, cultural, economic and social rights are universal, interdependent and interrelated, regardless of status, identity or country and it provides a value based operations system. Using this framework SRBWI is establishing Mayors Commissions on Human Rights in small cities and towns located targeted counties in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi

Goal of Commissions is to end governmental discrimination against women by creating opportunities for understanding of and involvement in government at the local, county and state level.

Strategic Objectives are to:

Ensue access to and full participation in power structures and decision making
Increase women’s capacity to participate in decision-making and leadership

Existing Commissions

ALABAMA
-Gainesville
-York
GEORGIA
-Douglas
-Darien
-Rochelle
MISSISSIPPI
-Anguilla
-Metcalfe

Commissions are in formation in Hayneville, Alabama and Hollandale, Mississippi

SRBWI Technical Assistance and Training

Each Mayor’s Commission receives training and technical assistance to further its human rights agenda.

Initial Training for Council Members include:

An introduction to Human Rights
Duties of Mayor and Commissioners
How to develop an Action Agenda
Techniques in surveying the status of women in their community
Development of work plans for the Commission

On going Technical Assistance

Topics identified by commissioners as needed in their community
Assistance with a community assessment on the status of women
Training in human rights, leadership and survey techniques
Assistance with identifying other organization that may provide funding

Training Manual

Contents of the Mayors Commission Training Manual

SRBWI Introduction to Human Rights
Establishing a Human Rights Framework
Using Human Rights as an Agenda for Social Change
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Expectations of Commissions

Timeline

Memorandums of Understanding between SRBWI and Commissions

Statistical data on the Status of Women in their state, county and town
A community survey on the Status of Women
Self-sufficiency Standard for Women
Information on Children and Families

Goals of Commissions in 2006

Complete survey on the Status of Women
Compile survey results
Participate in an advanced Human Rights Training
Select an area of concern to be addressed by the Commission
Select young women to mentor as junior Commissioners
Develop an Action Plan for a local and state advocacy agenda

For more information contact:

Winifred Green
Senior Consultant, SRBWI
722 Mazant St.
New Orleans, LA 70117
504 218-8908
wgreen32@cox.net