Women Confronting Militarism

The first telephone meeting of the WDN/Global Fund joint Education Circle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

This call will provide an introduction of the circle, an overview of what the Global Fund has learned about the impact of militarism on women and some specific examples of miltarism's impact on women and what women are organizing to do.  The call will provide information about possible future activities for the circle.  

 

 

 

 

Shalini Nataraj (Vice President, Programs) comes to the Global Fund from the Reebok Human Rights Program, where she served as Associate Director of the Award Program. Shalini previously worked for the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee as the acting director of international programs. Shalini began her social justice work in the US in the context of community development issues in rural Tennessee. She serves on the board of Grassroots International, Grantmakers Without Borders, and is on several other boards and committees. Shalini was part of the Newsweek magazine's 2007 Women and Leadership Advisory Committee. She is a founding member of the Alliance for a Secular and Democratic South Asia and the Boston Coalition Against Trafficking and Slavery. She continues to be actively involved with the Burma democracy movement. Shalini earned a Masters in international development at Long Island University, New York and a BS in Madras, India. Shalini, who speaks French, Tamil and Hindi, was born in India.

 

Muadi Mukenge (Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa) brings a background of women's health, African politics and economic development in Africa and frequently advises donors on their Africa programs.  She presents often, including at international conferences and media outlets such as NPR and Pacifica Radio Affiliates.  She has contributed to several articles on women's rights and African development and regularly writes opinions pieces.  Since joining the Global Fund in 2004, Mukenge has increased support in the areas of conflict-prevention, economic policy advocacy, empowerment of rural women, and expansion of grants to French-speaking countries.  She has stewarded the deepening of support to the women's movement in the Great Lakes Region (DRC, Burundi, CAR), and facilitated GFW grantee convenings in DRC on ending sexual violence and advancing women's rights. Prior to joining the Global Fund in 2004, she served as Program Officer for Africa at the Pacific Institute for Women's Health, where she managed training and evaluation projects, and managed the Pacific Institute's grant-making program and communications initiative.  At Coro Southern California, a leadership training institute, she produced communications materials and managed alumni fundraising campaigns.  From 1993-1997, Mukenge worked at the African Studies Center at UCLA, where she assisted research initiatives, organized international conferences and the teacher training program, and produced research publications on political transition in Africa.  Mukenge holds a Master's Degree in African Studies from UCLA. She is fluent in French and is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Mukenge is active in volunteer organizations focused on African immigrant rights, foreign policy toward Africa, and promotion of human rights in the Congo.