3 Organizations That Are Looking To Help Women Advance In Male-Dominated Fields
By Shreya Prabhu
Did you know that women make up 51% of the world’s population but only 20% of the U.S. Senate? Or that only 7.8% of CEOs are women?
Although these statistics may seem discouraging, it doesn’t mean that your chances of making it in the business world are slim. You have a huge amount of support from companies like Girls With Impact who are helping women and men have equal representation in professional fields.
See below for some other amazing organizations looking to help women reach their full potential in male-dominated fields.
1. The Barbie Dream Gap Project
Did you know that research shows that starting at age 5, many girls start developing self-limiting beliefs and begin to think they aren’t as smart or capable as boys?
This trend is referred to as the Dream Gap, and The Barbie Dream Gap project is aiming to make it a trend of the past. Their site serves as a hub for young girls who want to pursue anything from coding to music production as it brings together organizations in niche fields that are aimed at increasing female participation.This ongoing initiative has helped over 7,000 girls close the Dream Gap by donating to various organizations that help women succeed. Go check out their site and see if there are any partner organizations of interest to you!
2. She’s The First
132 million girls worldwide are barred from pursuing education, and of that 34.3 million are of primary school age where developing the foundation of their education is crucial.
Many times these young girls stay at home doing household chores or even sent to work. Alternatively, some young girls don’t have access to education because of limited household resources and the notion of male supremacy in which the male child has access to education while the female doesn’t. Without access to education at a young age, these women lose control of their own futures. She’s The First helps change this by providing training in feminist mentorship, strong sexual and reproductive health and rights education, and girl-centered programs and an amazing and supportive community for girls to speak their minds and truly be heard. Check out how to get involved here!
3. She Should Run
Did you know that in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, women make up less than 30% of our elected officials?
She Should Run hopes to change this by increasing representation of women in policy making and political offices. They do this by convincing women from all political leanings, ethnicities, sexual identities, and backgrounds to see themselves as future candidates. They have numerous programs that can help encourage and educate women about running for office. For example, they offer “Road To Run” which will help aspiring female politicians create a roadmap and timeline of goals they have to meet in order to run, like: fundraising and networking, building their brand and more. While the program is targeted towards women who are a bit older and eligible to run for political seats, there are plenty of ways that young women can get involved as well!
So, if you are a young girl reading this article, you have a voice in your community and programs that are willing to help you succeed! Do not feel alone if you have an interest that others think you can’t achieve because the possibilities really are endless!
If you have any questions, or have something you would like me to cover in my next piece, don’t hesitate to contact me at ceoassist2@girlswithimpact.com!
Shreya Prabhu, 14, is a freshman at Greenwich High School, a Girls With Impact Program Graduate, and Co-Founder & CEO of “The Female Factor Podcast”