WHY must we create opportunity for women?

40 years of global data shouts loudly – when we lift up women, communities are healthier, businesses are more successful and the world is more prosperous.
Over the past few months the US and international news media have shared many stories covering the full spectrum of the global opportunities dialogue concerning women.

The Half the Sky movement (book, PBS documentary and website – 2009) has helped to raise global consciousness on the brutal oppression of women in the world, while also seeking to create opportunity for these women. Half the Sky shines a global spotlight on the issues through inspiring stories about extraordinary women, and that the most effective way to fight global poverty is to unleash the potential of women.

Last week’s Premiere of Girl Rising a social action movie campaign shouts the anthem – One Girl at a Time – declaring I AM CHANGE! Their message is that educating girls in developing countries will change the world, presented through the stories of nine girls from nine countries. Their stories illustrate triumph over adversity, and the strength of human spirit.

 
And this week – with the release of Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, a national dialogue has entered the front pages of our newspapers and digital space as she encourages women to Lean In to leadership opportunities. This has opened a national debate as to ‘What is holding women back?’

The answer to ‘How to create opportunity for women?’ is vastly different (though not mutually exclusive) with each of the above movements:

• For the girls and women living in the level of tragic oppression high-lighted by Half the Sky, reasons that hold women back include:
  – the international trade of human trafficking
  – millennium of oppression
  – devaluing women to the status of mere ‘property’
  – patriarchal power structures dependent upon keeping women subservient and subjugated
• As Girl Rising addresses, girls and women living without basic rights and opportunities and the lack of educating girls, holds back not only women, but entire societies.
• And for working women in developed countries, Sheryl Sandberg challenges in Lean In, that women are often their own barrier by not stepping up to the leadership opportunities presented to them.

All three of these ‘answers’ are critical. They each play out in different socio economic development areas of the world, and they are often progressive.

Leadership matters:
A global emphasis on ‘leadership development’ is essential. Influencing leaders to effect the changes necessary to create and sustain opportunities for women, AND developing women leaders are essential to this equation.

Rising Tide Leadership Institute:
The Rising Tide Leadership Institute’s mission includes raising awareness, and inspiring girls and women to step into greater spheres of opportunity… whether it be education, career or other leadership roles. We create opportunities and educational resources for girls and women to experience leadership development in competitive environments. We educate girls and women with tools and process for personal and organizational leadership success. This is our niche in the critical and extraordinary global movement of lifting up women in the world.

Because…
when Women Win,
the World Wins.

 

We invite you to explore our website, to educate yourself by reading or viewing Half the Sky, visit the Girl Rising website and watch the film, read Lean In, and support the development of women around the world!

Photo by Lloyd Images

Girl Rising – created by 10×10, is a groundbreaking feature film and a social action campaign, that uses the power of storytelling and the leverage of strategic partnerships to deliver a single message: educating girls in developing nations will change the world. The film tells the stories of nine extraordinary girls from nine different countries. Each girl’s story was written by a celebrated writer from her native country, and narrated by nine renowned actresses. Despite tremendous obstacles, these brave girls offer hope and inspiration. By getting an education, they’re able to break barriers and create change. The film premiers on March 7… click here for a theatre near you.

Girl Rising emphasizes the importance of Rising Tide Leadership Institute’s mission to develop women leaders by creating inspiration and opportunity for girls and women to discover their best selves, and their full leadership potential. Raya Al Habsi experienced this in both the 2012 and 2013 Sailing Arabia The Tour, with RTLI Ambassador’s Katie Pettibone and Dee Caffari. Raya was interviewed after SATT 2012 by the Dubai Health and Fitness Magazine (click and scroll down to read article), where she declared…

“Women are not weak – we are strong – and we can do anything we set our minds to!”

One girl at a time.

Congratulations Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat Women’s Team!

Rising Tide Leadership Institute Ambassadors Katie Pettibone and Dee Caffari finished up the EFG Sailing Arabia The Tour 2013 earlier this week. This is the second year that Katie and Dee (British skipper) joined the Oman Sail Women’s Sailing Team to coach the Omani women. The Oman Sail program was launched in 2011 as part of an Omani national effort to celebrate the countries rich maritime history, and empower women in the world of sport. The sailing program puts a large emphasis on family support, encouraging parents to inspire their young daughters to pursue a sporting skill such as sailing, giving them the confidence to learn and compete in these exciting regional events. This year six Omani women aged between 21 and 28, with four on the boat at all times, comprised 50% of the Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat all-female crew. Two of these Omani women also competed in last year’s SATT race.

“These young women are a real inspiration to others in the region,” said RTLI Ambassador Dee Caffari. “In the near future, all-female crews from the Middle East competing in these events will be commonplace, and there is no reason why these girls shouldn’t go on to compete in races around the world. That will take time, but success is definitely within their grasp.”

The all women team ranked 7 out of 9 professional, international teams. RTLI Ambassador Katie Pettibone shared, “The final position of the team does not reflect the amazing leaps and bounds of personal growth or sailing skills that the girls experienced. Sailing is a true
team sport, and they thrived.”

Yesterday, Katie had the opportunity to speak to middle school students at the American International School of Muscat (K-12). Katie was delighted to inspire these students, by reviewing how the Omani Women’s Sailing Team progressed in the past 2 weeks of intense sailing competition. Katie, a Michigan native, was on the first all-female America’s Cup crew in 1995, and competed in the event twice after that. She has many stories to share, having survived some harrowing sailing episodes, including a dismasting in the treacherous waters off Cape Horn, and a capsizing off Australia. The opportunity to encourage and inspire young people is not only rewarding, but imperative to Rising Tide Leadership Institute’s mission.

Great job ~ Katie, Dee and the rest of the crew: Sarah Hornby (UK), Elizabeth Bayliss (USA) and the Omani Women’s Sailing Team ~ Basma Al Nofali, Raiya Al Habsi, Rajaa Al Uwaisi, Ibtisam Al Salmi, Tahira Al Yahyaee and Asrar Al Ajmi!

Photos by Lloyd Images

Today brisk downwind conditions, took the full fleet of nine Farr 30s home to The Wave, Muscat, providing the perfect conclusion to this year’s tour. The fleet, leaving Mussanah Marina at dawn this morning, was up to its full strength with the return of Adil Khaled and his Team Abu Dhabi, following their grounding and helicopter rescue on leg two. A fitting end to the event was that honors on the leg should go to French America’s Cup helmsman Bertrand Pacé and the crew of AISM, who have constantly dominated EFG Bank Sailing Arabia The Tour 2013. Over the last two and a half weeks they have won five of the seven offshore legs, and set the tone for the in-ports when they claimed three out of three races in Doha. AISM won 2013 SATT by 10.25 points.

Starlets of the show, regardless of where in the GCC they visited, have been Rising Tide Leadership Institute Ambassador Dee Caffari’s all-female crew on Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat.

Caffari, the first woman to have sailed singlehanded around the world non-stop in both directions, said today’s leg was a fine conclusion to SATT, even though they just missed the podium: “We had great wind and good conditions, and really close racing. It was intense and a really good way to finish a great event. This was our chance to get on the podium, and we missed it by just two gybes. On the finish line all the girls burst into tears – I was quite emotional for them, but it shows just how much they wanted it – we wouldn’t have got that reaction two weeks ago.”

Almost speechless with disappointment, hiding behind her sunglasses, was Al-Thuraya’s Intisar Al-Tobi. “I am sad, because we were so close and we did our best, and we tried so hard to finish in the top three places,” she said.

Taking in four countries and eight ports of call, EFG Bank Sailing Arabia The Tour (SATT) is a showcase of everything that the Gulf has to offer in terms of state-of-the-art facilities, and idyllic sailing conditions. Leaving Manama on February 10th, EFG Bank SATT calls at Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Dibba and Mussanah, ending February 25th in Muscat.

More details to come from Rising Tide Leadership Institute Ambassador Katie Pettibone…

Photos by Lloyd Images