Let us all support the SHE DECIDES initiative

Lilianne Ploumen, the Dutch minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, recently launched the She Decides – Global Fundraising Initiative, which aims to ensure “that millions of women and girls are in charge of their own bodies”. SHE DECIDES is a response to the Global Gag Rule, the decision taken last week by the American government to annual funding a range of family planning programs that benefit many millions of women in developing countries.

In the meantime thousands of people across the world expressed their support to the She Decides initiative and so does MSM.

“At MSM we work for sustainable global development, says MSM Dean Professor Wim Naudé” “and we know that it is impossible for any society to develop if the potential of half of their population – their women – are being limited by taking away their freedom of choice to decide if and when they will have children. “

Just two weeks ago MSM was highly commended as runner up for the AMBA Innovation Award, for promoting over many years female entrepreneurship across the world – but in particular in difficult contexts where entrepreneurship can act as a vehicle for female social mobility, empowerment and survival.

“Family planning and sexual reproductive health programs are crucial to give women the opportunity to study and follow a career if they so wish, including making the investments in their time, health and education to be successful entrepreneurs” Professor Naudé continues.

Professor Dr. Josette Dijkhuizen, who actively promotes female entrepreneurship and empowerment at MSM and through her organization ENPower, also fully supports Minister Ploumen in her She Decides initiative: “Women empowerment not only entails good education, finding a job or starting- up an enterprise. It is also vital for women and girls to decide on family planning and having access to adequate health care.”

Do you also want to support the She Decides initiative? Check the website http://shedecides.eu/ and spread the word.