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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.


How We Creatively Used the Law to Protect Women’s and Girls’ Rights

Our creative use of the law in Colombia protected the sexual and reproductive health of women in the department of Norte de Santander, one of Colombia’s regions that borders Venezuela.

By: Valeria Pedraza| Staff Attorney at Women’s Link Worldwide

Reposted with permission from Women’s Link Worldwide, with adjustments by the author.

Artwork on wall

“Borders are in the mind” – Photo: Laura Martínez, Women’s Link Worldwide

At Women’s Link, we have been using the law creatively to achieve justice for women and girls for more than 20 years. We are convinced that it is a valuable tool to bring them closer to justice, to a life free of violence and discrimination, and to full autonomy over their bodies and decisions. Continue Reading

Effective, Accountable, and Inclusive Institutions are the Backbone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

By Leslie Tsai, Director of Social Investment, Chandler Foundation

SDG 16 Peace and justiceThe United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 16 focuses on “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”, but what are “Strong Institutions”?

What are the qualities that make some governments stronger, better performing, and more responsive to their citizens’ well-being? How do those inside and outside of government measure success? And what is the role of civil society to ensure that strong institutions actually result in better lives for the people institutions should serve? Continue Reading

New Partner Profile: Ewang’an Olosho Le Suswa

Boys

Photo source: Dandelion Africa

We are pleased to welcome Ewang’an Olosho Le Suswa, as one of our new partners in East Africa. Founded in 2019, Ewang’an is located in the Maasai village of Suswa in Kenya. Formed by a cluster of self-help groups in the community, their goals are to advocate for community rights, alleviate poverty, and strengthen self-reliance. We first learned of Ewang’an through Wendo Azhed of Dandelion Africa (one of our pod advisors), who has served as a mentor for their work with boys.

Pangea’s funding will support the Boy Child Mentorship project. Ewang’an leaders recognize the importance of empowering girls, yet they also see a growing need to address the specific problems faced by boys in the village. Problems such as mental health issues, poor school performance, school dropout which can lead to child labor, substance abuse, criminal activity, and early marriages have been on the rise. These issues not only affect the individual boy child but impact the health, safety, and prosperity of the entire community.

Through the Boy Child Mentorship project, Ewang’an is building outreach with schools and churches in its goal to mentor boys in completing their schooling, developing healthy life skills, and transitioning to meaningful employment. Pangea’s grant, along with their own fund-raising efforts such as table banking, buying and selling cows, and selling items in local markets, will be used to fund the project. Group activities and sports are the methods that will be used to engage the boys and provide opportunities for mentorship and support.