About the Day
Throughout history, women have played a critical role in society by ensuring stability, progress, and the long-term development of nations. How have women‘s roles developed over time, specifically on the international stage?
Join us this International Women‘s Day as we explore the transformative and progressive role women are playing in global affairs, peace, and security today and hear from those working to inspire the next generation of female leaders.
Agenda
Gender Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean
9:00am | Virtual
Deyanira Murga
Executive Director of Cerberus Consulting
Deyanira Murga, the Executive Director of Cerberus Risk Security Consulting; founder of SecurityNextGen[non-profit] and creator of EsperanzApp[women violence prevention] also serves as a Board member and Advisor for International organizations focused on Security, Peace, and International Cooperation. She made history, a woman leader playing various roles within the most global organizations in the security industry changing the traditional format. Learn More…
Ileana Valle
Citizen Security Lead at USAID/Colombia
Social entrepreneur, project management, operations, and global development professional Ileana Valle brings over a decade of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. She is a committed and authentic leader dedicated to women's empowerment, education, and a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Ileana currently serves as the Citizen Security Lead at USAID/Colombia, where she oversees the citizen security, human rights, and justice portfolio within the Venezuela Response and Integration Office (VRIO). She also serves as the International Development and Training Lead at Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS). Learn More….
About the Moderator
Caroline Beer
Professor Beer teaches courses in comparative politics, Latin American politics, and global gender equality at the University of Vermont. She specializes in Mexican politics. Her research interests include democratization, subnational politics, and gender in politics.
Recent publications focus on abortion, gay rights, and violence against women laws in Mexico.
Afghan Women and Girls in a New Regime
11:00am | Virtual
Manizha Wafeq
Co-founder and President of Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI)
Manizha has 19 years of experience in development, 15 with a focus on women’s empowerment and gender equality working with international, government and non-governmental organizations. In addition to being a mother, an advocate, and an entrepreneur, she earned an MBA from the American University of Afghanistan in 2017. She co-founded several organizations to advocate for women's economic empowerment, including the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Network and Leading Entrepreneurs for Afghanistan’s Development (LEAD), a predecessor organization to the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI). Learn More….
About the Moderator
Ellen Yount
Ellen Yount is an international development executive, who left the rough and tumble of politics, after serving as congressional press secretary and then Communications Director for Gov. Tom Ridge. She led a democracy NGO and then consulted newly elected governments in the Balkans during a historic period of change in the 1990s. She is proud of her family Foundation, The One Connected Village, which invests in women and girls in Africa, Vermont and Washington, D.C.
Book Talk with Nina Ansary
3:00pm | Virtual
Nina Ansary
Women’s Rights Advocate, Author
Nina Ansary is an award-winning Iranian American author, historian and women’s rights activist. Her books Anonymous Is a Woman: A Global Chronicle of Gender Inequality (Revela Press/2020) and Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran (Revela Press/2015) garnered multiple awards, including the 2016 International Book Award in “Women’s Issues” (Jewels of Allah) and the 2021 Benjamin Franklin Book Award in “Interior Design” and “History” (Anonymous Is a Woman). She is the Director of the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) Global Women’s Lecture Series and the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Forum Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) at the University of Cambridge. Learn More…
About the Book
Order Book HERE
Anonymous Is a Woman: A Global Chronicle of Gender Inequality takes readers on a 4,000-year historic journey to expose the roots and manifestations of institutionalized gender discrimination; dismantle centuries of historical bias through biographical profiles of fifty extraordinary, yet forgotten women innovators; and challenge ingrained stereotypical assumptions to advance an unconventional argument for equality and inclusivity.
About the Moderator
Denise Johnson
The Honorable Denise R. Johnson was the first woman to be appointed a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. She served on the Court for 21 years.
She participated in historic decisions regarding public school funding, gay marriage, and the right to privacy in one’s home, as well as numerous decisions reviewing criminal trials and procedure.
Women’s Role in Peace and Security
6:30pm | In-Person | UVM Alumni House
Ambassador Kelley Currie
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues
Ambassador Currie served as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and the U.S. Representative at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Prior to her appointment, she led the Department of State’s Office of Global Criminal Justice (2019) and served under Ambassador Nikki Haley as the United States’ Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council and Alternative Representative to the UN General Assembly (2017-2018). Throughout her career in foreign policy, Ambassador Currie has specialized in human rights, political reform, development and humanitarian issues, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Learn More…
Shalonda Spencer
Executive Director, Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS)
Using her voice to fight for social justice, standing on the front line in marches to end racial disparities, and elevating young women through mentorship, Shalonda Spencer is now deepening her impact as Executive Director at WCAPS.
Shalonda's admiration for social justice and equality started when she was a graduate assistant for The Fannie Lou Hamer Institute @ COFO. She educated local and long-distance visitors on the Civil Rights Movement of Mississippi. With a ubiquitous legislative portfolio focusing on many public policy issues affecting people of color, Shalonda has been vigilant in honing in on women's rights, social justice, foreign affairs, immigration, healthcare, and education. Learn More…
About the Moderator
Fran Stoddard
Fran is a journalist, media producer, facilitator, and communications consultant. She previously worked for the Orton Family Foundation and assisted small U.S. towns to create viable futures. She produced a VPR series called Global Vermonters that profiled Vermonters affecting change on a global level. Fran is currently coordinator and media producer for Vermont Global Exchange.
Covid-19 Precautions
Due to the current uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the number of tickets is subject to change and may increase or decrease per local COVID-19 guidelines. You must be vaccinated to attend in-person, and masks are required indoors.
What’s Included
Speaker Panel Discussion
Complimentary appetizers and drinks
Format: Hybrid *This in-person event will be live-streamed for all virtual pass holders
Event Location: UVM Alumni House
VCWA’s 2022 International Women's Day is supported by Vermont Global Exchange
Funding is available to ensure this event is accessible to all those who wish to attend. Please reach out to marya@vcwa.org for more information