Okay, here we go, more notes on the UN Commission on the Status of Women Conference. 

Empowering Women as Change Agents Through Global Networking

Open A Door Foundation

Moderator- Ruthie Taylor Ackerman

Introduction- Talking about her work as a journalist and world traveler. Seeing how, even though global communities were very separate, the issues were the same, and women around the world should be connected. 

Panelists-

Barbara Bylenga

Dr. Denise Dunning

Kate Buggeln

Simin Wahdat

Barbara Bylenga, Co-Founder and ED, Open A Door Foundation-

Open A Door, which identifies young potential female leaders in poor communities. Giving them scholarships to study, mentors, connections and experiences that will enable the next generation of female leader.

Dr. Denise Dunning, Founder and ED, Let GIrls Lead-

Let Girls Lead, a foundation which empowers girls and their allies to lead to social change. Working in African and Latin America, advocating for laws and policy which will lead to social change. Have benefited 3 million girls.

Kate Buggeln, Consultant, Co-Chair of Board B-peace-

Bpeace- working in regions of conflict and post conflict, working towards the uplifting of women in small businesses. Focusing on how many jobs they can help women create, profitably, over a three year period they partner in funding and volunteer time with them. Education for new tools, techniques and labour saving. 

Simin Wahdat, Legislative Fellow at Congresswoman Betty McCollum's office, MA in peace and conflict transformation-

Working with the women in all of these organizations as a local voice for these communities in Afghanistan. 

Question 1) Focusing on The power of technology to build bridges between women. Barb, how do you see technology impacting your work?

Barbara Bylenga- Cuts out the middle man, the funding can now go directly to the people that need it. Makes it possible to match mentors over distance. Communication can now happen over distance that was not possible before. The connections can be in the girl's day to day life, through Skype, WhatsApp, email, etc. 

Kate Buggeln- Gives a platform to communicate and engage in connecting entrepreneurs with consultants, as well as making technology platforms for marketing and production. Things like Sype, Linked in, and even Facebook allow for a daily and physical way to be in touch, communicate and trouble shoot in more of a face to face way. This fundamentally allows for the conversations that happen to be useful and personal. She states that while so many people feel technology distances us, she asserts that, if used as a proper tool, it bring us closer together. 

Technology allows for a broader network. Posting volunteer needs on something like Linked In, and finding people who are more qualified and more interested in working than their normal network. 

Do you think technology alone changes philanthropy, and do you think there's still room for long term, on the ground investment?

Dr. Denise Dunning- Yes and yes. Both things are needed to allow for continued sustainability. The gap of funding available for women is very large coming from huge corporations. We need smaller investors to fill that gap. Funding and investment needs to come from a variety of sources to make something work.

Barbara Bylenga- Technology is allowing for more people to be impacted. As this new model of philanthropy starts to grow, we can connect with other individuals in a more influential way.

What are the way to build bridges and engage all your donors? Who do you focus on, what are your tactics?

Dr. Denise Dunning- A large focus on story-telling. Film, social media can connect those outside the sphere are encourage a personal connection. It is so important to be able to tell those stories.

How has technology made you more in demand?

Kate Buggeln- Can demonstrate our results as soon as they occur. The volunteers can directly see the difference and continue to engage. This causes those involved to be more passionate.

What are the challenges?

Kate Buggeln- Noise. So much noise. Everyone is bombarding you all the time. How do you get the most powerful story telling? Who has the "sexiest" story?

Barbara Bylenga- The challenge is how to use it have a more in touch program. Google platform. 

Simin Wahdat- Not always having access to good technology, or any technology. Waiting for the ability to connect to become even easier. 

How has technology helped create a pipeline for donors and volunteers?

Barbara Bylenga- High profit donors now is a matter of tapping into their motives. A lot of what makes people "successful" now, is the status of being a part of a social change. 

Kate Buggeln- The most passionate fundraisers are the ones who believe in a cause, not the people who are the "best" and most experienced in marketing. Never underestimate a younger base and where your money can come from. Younger people do care about titles, give them recognition for their help. 

Do you think effective networks can advance women's rights?

Dr. Denise Dunning- Of course. People linking to other people is what changes policy and eventually society. Advocates and leaders play a critical role, but no one does it alone. 

Simin Wahdat- Networks link people onto bigger and greater things. Taking someone's passion for a single cause and linking them to others with similar and expanded passions, making a force for change. Social media is actually a really important part of this. Women in Afghanistan don't have a place to gather and share their concerns. Suddenly with social networking they can be connected, talk about issues like domestic violence and equality, and can feel connected, get support and contributions. 

What are some exciting example of collaboration through technology?

Dr. Denise Dunning- Working with indigenous rights in Guatemala, on the positive changes. Instead of just showing a documentary film, they wanted something different, so they made the global video change platform, allowing girls around the world to send in their own short story. It allows for people to recognize that girls and women are leaders and powerful. By sharing these stories, it not only empowers those who share, but also those who see it. If you're using technology to listen to what people actually need, then it can challenge the assumptions of what women and girls need. 

Questions from the public- 

1) As a new grassroots organization, what are the suggestions for long term, sustainable growth and networks?

Kate Buggeln- Physical events, gathering, making things fun with some education makes it connect. Tasking individuals and specific objectives. Without this people will just float and talk a lot. What are your goals? Give them a reason to be there and stick around. As soon as you put people in charge of something, and having an expectation of leadership is really important.

Barbara Bylenga- You have to give people a task, a job, a title. Then there's reward for them in the community. Seek out people personally. 

Dr. Denise Dunning- Recognizing what you already have and celebrating it. Then looking around and seeing other organizations who are doing similar things and partnering with them. Engaging anyone and everyone. 

Ruthie Taylor Ackerman- It doesn't matter how young people are. Resources are resources. Never discount anything, encourage it. Offline first and then online

2) What about the young girls who don't have access to technology? How do you address that?

Barbara Bylenga- It is a challenge. Solutions like girls having to go to coffee shops, having one computer between several. But if you give them an opportunity, they will often figure it out. 

Kate Buggeln- Early on we were trying to reach out to everyone, but over time we realized that there is still such as huge population of disadvantaged people that had access to technology that we could focus on them.

Dr. Denise Dunning- One tactic we use is to seek out the older women in the community who either have access or who we can still contact. Then it's their responsibility to communicate with those girls and be ensuring that things that need to happen do.

3) When you've developed in the local area, and you have your technology set up, how do you spread your network into new spaces and countries?

Barbara Bylenga- Once you find one person, you find them all. One person who is passionate in helping you, can link you in to everything.

Kate Buggeln- You need to go to these spaces. If you want those cheerleaders, it still comes down to physical presence. 

Ruthie Taylor Ackerman- Using things like the search function on twitter to find out those who are talking about the issues you are addressing in other areas. 

Me and my mom. :)