Blog
Contributor Guidelines
Our blog is open to all of Global Washington’s members to contribute. We value a diversity of opinions on a broad range of subjects of interest to the global health and development community.
Blog article submissions should be around 800-900 words. Photos, graphs, videos and other art that supports the main themes are strongly encouraged.
You may not be the best writer, and that’s okay. We can help you shape and edit your contribution. The most important thing is that it furthers an important conversation in your field, and that it is relatively jargon-free. Anyone without a background in global development should still be able to engage with your ideas.
If you include statistics or reference current research, please hyperlink your sources in the text, wherever possible.
Have an idea of what you’d like to write about? Let’s continue the conversation! Email comms@globalWA.org and put “Blog Idea” in the subject line.
Posted on July 22, 2021
By Jennifer Butte-Dahl, Senior Director and North America Lead for APCO Impact, APCO Worldwide
My youngest daughter – the fearless, smiley, increasingly opinionated one – turned two this month. The moment got me thinking, as birthdays tend to do, about progress and goals and the passage of time. How is she already two? What values do I want her to embrace? Am I being intentional about how I help to instill those values and draw her attention to the most important things in life?
That night I wrote her a letter. It was a long one, filled with my ideas on what truly matters in this world, the skills and curiosities I hope to nurture in her on this journey, and the commitments I am making to her about the mom I am going to try my best to be. The letter is a tradition I began with my oldest daughter. It’s a promise. It is also a guide and touchstone for me throughout their lives that will keep me focused on what is most important. Read More “Reaching True Gender Equality: The Hard Work Begins Now”
Posted on July 9, 2021
By Kirsten Gagnaire, CEO, Kati Collective
Gender equity is not an add-on. It is not a “nice” or “not necessary” element of a plan. Though there are many strong leaders and inspiring initiatives in the global health community who are outspoken and actively advancing gender equality, there are still organizations that are not considering gender equity as an integral element when undertaking new initiatives and programs and when reviewing existing work. This isn’t because they don’t care – it’s because they think gender equity doesn’t apply to their particular issue. Read More “Gender Equity is not an Add-on”
Posted on April 19, 2021
By David Inman, PE; Global Partnerships Senior WASH Technical Advisor at Water Mission
Despite global efforts to provide water and sanitation solutions to healthcare facilities, almost 2 billion people worldwide depend on healthcare facilities without basic water services[1]. As a nonprofit Christian engineering organization that designs, builds, and implements water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions, Water Mission is working to serve vulnerable communities through sustained WASH provision. Our work to provide WASH in healthcare facilities around the world includes advocating for patient care, equipping frontline workers, strengthening health systems, and providing engineering expertise. Read More “From Ebola to COVID-19: Advocating for and Supplying WASH Programs and Infrastructure in Healthcare Facilities Around the World”