Blog
Contributor Guidelines
Submitting guest blogs is open to Global Washington’s members of the Atlas level and above. 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 500-1500 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 February 18, 2025
By buildOn Staff
Sandra de Jesús Gurdián in Santa Teresa, Nicaragua. Photo: buildOn
In communities around the world, access to education is not just about learning—it’s about equity, opportunity, and breaking cycles of poverty. For women and girls, the barriers to education can be even greater, with societal expectations, financial hardship, and outdated gender norms often standing in the way. But when women like Sandra de Jesús Gurdián gain access to education, they don’t just transform their own lives—they uplift entire communities. Sandra’s journey, from a young girl who refused to let poverty keep her out of school to a teacher empowering the next generation, is a powerful testament to the role education plays in achieving gender equity. With the support of buildOn, communities like Santa Teresa are ensuring that both girls and boys have the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a brighter future together.
In Santa Teresa, Nicaragua, Sandra de Jesús Gurdián stands in her beautiful new classroom, surrounded by students who are excited to learn. Her brand new school is just the latest chapter in an inspiring life filled with hard work and dedication in the face of adversity.
Her journey from a barefoot student to confident teacher reveals the transformative power of education.
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Posted on February 18, 2025
By Meera Satpathy, Founder and Chairperson, Sukarya
Adolescent Girls Advocate for Gender Equality and Safety through Powerful Posters. Photo: Sukarya
Understanding Gender Equality: A Foundation for Change
Gender equality ensures that women, men, girls, and boys have equal rights and access to resources, opportunities, and protections. Investing in gender equality has lasting positive impacts on children and their communities, creating significant benefits across generations. When women’s rights and well-being are upheld, children’s rights and overall well-being also improve.
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Posted on February 14, 2025
By Agnes Rogo and Estefanny Molina, Women’s Link Worldwide
Defective contraceptives have become a silent weapon in the systemic neglect of women’s health, disproportionately harming communities particularly in low-income countries. While access to family planning is a fundamental human right, racialized disparities in pharmaceutical quality control and regulatory oversight have turned contraceptives into sources of trauma rather than empowerment. From Africa to Latin America, the consequences of this injustice—unplanned and forced pregnancies, economic destabilization, and shattered life plans—reveal a pattern of corporate negligence and governmental failure that demands urgent redress.
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