Rosa, the only UK-wide fund for women and girls, is inviting women and men up and down the country to join in and celebrate on International Women’s Day. Rosa funds innovative and exciting projects to tackle inequality. So over the past four years Rosa has funded projects working to challenge the media representation of young women, like Susie Orbach’s “Anybody” organisation. And Rosa gave the first grant to UK Feminista, helping to launch the campaigning group across the UK.
Rosa’s starting point is that there are not enough women in key decision-making roles in the UK – whether it is in business, the media, politics or public services. Rosa’s leadership work has sought to challenge the status quo and find ways of supporting and promoting women and the issues which matter to us.
The events for International Women’s Day are being organised by groups and individuals across the UK – a local authority in the Midlands, a working Mum in Chester, a private shopping event in London – in schools and colleges, workplaces, by businesses and individuals. The idea is for each person attending to think of a woman who has inspired them and who they want to celebrate – it could be their Mum, sister, boss, teacher, Tracey Emin or Hillary Clinton! At the event itself, by donating money to Rosa, and bringing along a photo or memento of their inspiration – or even an anecdote! – everyone attending can mark International Women’s Day and support Rosa’s work at the same time.
Since Rosa was launched in 2008 we have made grants totalling over £250,000. Rosa is this year funding research to show how the economic situation has hit women’s organisations and funders; we are working with Community Foundations to support women’s groups in local areas, and we are setting up networking events for funders and women’s groups to come together to explore the issues that organisations are tackling on the front line. The themes for Rosa’s funding are economic justice, leadership, health and wellbeing and safety.
It is clear that we have a long way to go to reach equality in the UK.
Rosa’s work is to help fund the change we need, and to convince other funders of the importance of these changes. With your support, we can do even more in 2013.
Visit www.rosauk.org to find out more.
