GGE

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In our efforts to put an end to the barriers of segregation and discrimination based on sex, we take a dual approach of community organizing and service provision. GGE mobilizes girls, boys, women and men to work as a collective toward systemic change in all of the support networks that shape the development and achievement of girls and women. Concurrently, GGE creates opportunities through a variety of programs and projects that nurture the optimal development of girls, women and, ultimately, the entire community.

“Bob Moses was once asked how you organize a town:
‘By bouncing a ball,’ he answered quietly.
‘What?’
‘You stand on a street and bounce a ball. Soon all the children come around. You keep on bouncing the ball. Before long, it runs under someone’s porch and then you meet the adults.’”
(Moses quoted in Charles M. Payne’s “I’ve Got the Light of Freedom).

One of GGE’s original intents was to use sports as a niche to reach girls and women. While we knew that gender equality was about much more than the sport itself, we also knew that in this basketball-loving city, bouncing a ball would bring out the girls, their brothers, their parents, their teachers and the community as a whole to rally behind our “forgotten girls”! Once we claimed a space for girls, we planted consciousness-raising seeds and became convinced that TOGETHER we could eliminate social barriers that prohibit girls from reaching their full potential.

“Each time a girl opens a book and reads a womanless history, she learns she is worth less.”
(Myra and David Sadker, Failing at Fairness)

Under the umbrella of Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance” (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Federally funded schools and institutions were given a deadline of three years to comply with the new law, requiring each state to hire a Title IX coordinator to organize and enforce equal opportunity, equal encouragement and equal funding for both genders. The majority of these schools and institutions are still not in compliance with this law today. Thus, GGE works with public schools to lead and support their efforts to comply with Title IX.

GGE gained the ear and heart of the community by explaining that Gender Equality is linked to sustainable development and self-determination, meaning that: there is no limit of expectations due to gender; equal encouragement for both genders to develop, achieve and learn; equitable treatment of male and female students; that both sexes are completely free from coercion, intimidation and gender-based violence.

“Our position is that the doors of GGE will close down when the following aspects of women and girls’ lives have been remedied:

Health (free health insurance, prevention and healthcare services, education and reproductive rights);
Economics (eradication of poverty, equal career opportunities, equal pay and promotion for women in the workplace, free childcare);
Media (elimination of violence toward and objectification of women in songs, television, movies, video games, music videos, magazines and the world wide web);
Education (equal education, encouragement and treatment by school officials and compliance of Title IX of the Education Amendment);
Social (obliteration of sexual harassment, domestic violence and gender bias crimes, the return of safe streets);
Legal (appropriate punishment “for the crime” and sufficient legal representation, a criminal justice system free of gender-biased moral judgment and discrimination);
Athletics (equal play, pay, scholarships, facilities, equipment, endorsements, and media coverage for female athletes)

The Gender Equality revolution will benefit women locally and globally, regardless of women’s socioeconomic status, race, ability or her/history” (Joanne Smith, Founder/Executive Director Girls for Gender Equity)

“There can be no significant or sustainable transformation in societies and no significant reduction in poverty until girls receive the quality basic education they need to take their rightful place as equal partners in development.”
(Carol Bellamy, Executive Director UNICEF)

For more information on Title IX please visit:
http://www.american.edu/sadker/titleix.htm
http://www.aauw.org/issue_advocacy/actionpages/positionpapers/titleix.cfm
http://www.dol.gov/oasam/regs/statutes/titleix.htm