International Women's Democracy Center

The International Women’s Democracy Center was established in 1995 to strengthen women’s global leadership through education, networking and research with a focus on increasing the role of women in politics, policy and decision-making within their own governments. The organization is a small operation, consisting of President and Founder Barbara Ferris, a former Peace Corps Women in Development Director, a staff assistant and - usually - an intern.

IWDC has trained over 3,000 women in 29 countries since its inception. The United Nations has awarded IWDC with Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). IWDC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization.

IWDC’s current range of activities includes the United Nations Youth Delegate Program, political advocacy workshops in Botswana and the Middle East, and the Pipeline Project. The United Nations Youth Delegate Program (UNYDP) is an innovative global leadership program that mentors young women from Cuyahoga County, Ohio and prepares them for careers in global public service, international trade, foreign affairs and diplomacy through experiential learning at the United Nations. The program has been taking place on a twice-annual basis since 2002 with high-school delegates attending the UN Commission on the Status of Women in the spring and the UN Department of Public Information - Non-Governmental Organization Briefing in the fall.

In 2004, IWDC hosted a two-week program in Botswana called the Southern Africa Women's Leaders Project (SAWLP). The work with Emang Basadi, the Botwana women's organization, focused on community forums and training the public how to dialogue responsibly to promote education about, prevent the spread of, and combat the stigma of HIV/AIDS from a traditional and cultural standpoint.

In the US, IWDC hosts the Pipeline Project, which is designed to train women ages 18-35 across the United States in the technical skills of how to get engaged in the leadership roles in their own communities. 2-day Pipeline workshops have been held in Philadelphia (2005), Cleveland (2006), Dallas (2006) and Raleigh-Durham (2008).

IWDC facilitates the Community Advocate Mentor Program which is designed to train women peace activists from regions moving from conflict to co-existence. For five years, IWDC trained women from Northern Ireland in partnership with the Northern Ireland Women’s European Union in an effort to strengthen the public policy, lobbying and advocacy skills of 100 leaders from all sectors of the community. Based on the success of the CAMP – NI program which began in Belfast with pre-departure training and culminated with two weeks of intensive hands-on training in Washington, DC, IWDC was asked by Israeli women leaders to bring CAMP to the Middle East. THE CAMP - ME program initiated in 2007 with funding from Steven Spielberg's Righteous Persons Foundation. However, due to organizational difficulties, the program suspended in 2008. It may resume in 2009.

The organization is based in Washington, DC. It has been featured in publications such as "Newsday", The University of Connecticut's "The Daily Campus" [http://www.uwire.com/content/topops031405002.html] , "Ohio State Alumni Magazine", "Irish News", Georgetown's "The Georgetown Current", "AARP" [http://www.aarp.org/international/ferrisexchange_feb2005.html] , and Al-Sahafa.

IWDC.org Website: [http://www.iwdc.org/]