August 18, 2020 – SINGAPORE AND PANAMA – IIX Foundation (IIX), a registered 501(c)3 organization dedicated to building a more inclusive world, has partnered with Green Cross (GC), a global non-governmental organization addressing the combined challenges of environmental security, poverty and environmental degradation, to bring women to the forefront of climate action.
With the shared goal of creating a sustainable and inclusive future for all and driving progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), IIX will be collaborating with GC on IIX’s flagship SHE IS MORE 2020 advocacy initiative, in a continued effort to change the narrative of women as victims to climate change and to recognize them as solution-builders. SHE IS MORE 2020 celebrates the value of women through a global youth art competition (May-September), virtual exhibition and fundraising auction (November). To date, hundreds of youth from 17 countries have participated in SHE IS MORE 2020, submitting artwork depicting the theme SHE IS COURAGE.
IIX CEO and Founder, Durreen Shahnaz, said: “SHE IS MORE 2020 is a part of IIX’s vision to drive women’s empowerment by enabling everyone to play a role in building a more sustainable, gender-equal future – especially our next generation of leaders. SHE IS MORE is paving the way for a global movement, and we are very happy to have Green Cross as part of the journey.”
Green Cross International was launched in 1993, by Mikhail Gorbachev, the former president of the USSR and 1990 Nobel Peace Prize winner, as an international body to respond to ecological issues and environmental problems. As a global network, Green Cross International today has achieved consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is an admitted observer organization with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Green Cross Executive Director, Ruy Campos-Dugone, said: “We are excited to be working with IIX for SHE IS MORE 2020. As the pioneer of impact investing, IIX’s dedication to building a more inclusive world is well-aligned with our mission. Moreover, a decade of experience with bringing impact to the underprivileged across 46 countries has ensured their accuracy in measuring the true impact brought to the communities. It is through such efforts and initiatives that we can ‘give humanity a chance, give Earth a future,’ in the words of Mikhail Gorbachev, our Founding President.’’
SHE IS MORE is a grassroots initiative by IIX Foundation, an organization dedicated to creating an inclusive world by connecting the back streets of underserved communities to the Wall Streets of the worldTM. As COVID-19 sharpens gender, racial and other inequalities, SHE IS MORE is necessary now more than ever to ensure that women will be part of a better, post-COVID world. With global crises such as climate change and COVID-19 affecting women and girls disproportionately, women must be agents of change and not an afterthought in developing solutions towards a sustainable future.
SHE IS MORE 2019 successfully raised funds that went on to support underserved women in Singapore and Bangladesh with over 20,000 hours of computer literacy training to gain better livelihoods, and art therapy for female survivors to overcome life traumas and domestic abuse. This year, IIX is seeking to raise the bar with global partners like GC which will extend the efforts of empowering underserved women to more countries and regions. Through this partnership, IIX and GC will contribute to raising the awareness of the key role women play in climate action.
IIX Global, a pioneer in sustainable and impact investing extends their work through IIX Foundation, their sister organization dedicated to supporting women in the last mile. IIX Foundation empowers women with opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods so they can continue their journey to being entrepreneurs, business owners and leaders.
COVID-19 is not the great equalizer. As United Nations reports globally that over 70% of the frontline health workers are women who continue to be paid 11% less than their male counterparts, and as women are overrepresented in sectors that have been hardest hit by COVID-19, the world needs to stand up at this critical time. Climate change affects the entire planet and all people, but women and girls bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change. SHE IS MORE 2020 is needed now more than ever to ensure that our most vulnerable communities are part of a better, post-COVID world.
Be a part of She is More in the following ways:
- For budding artists aged between 10-18, join the SHE IS MORE global youth art competition with an artwork portraying #SHEISCOURAGE by 30 Sept 2020
- Donate to sponsor the submission of an artwork from an underprivileged youth
- Join the virtual fundraising auction, updates will be shared on social media
For more information about She is More: iixglobal.com/sheismore/