The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is a
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
organization headquartered in
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, with regional offices in
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Ho ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper h ...
, Kenya, and
Kampala
Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
, Uganda. ICRW has project offices in Mumbai and Hyderabad,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. ICRW works to promote
gender equitable development within the field of
international development.
Mission
According to the organization Web site:
Focus areas
ICRW research identifies women's contributions to their communities and the barriers – like HIV, violence, and lack of education – that prevent them from being economically stable and able to fully participate in society. It focuses on three paths of action to achieve this:
* Designing concrete, evidence-based plans for program designers, donors and policymakers that empower women to control their lives and help shape the future of their communities
* Measuring changes in the lives of women and girls – as well as men and boys – to know how best to achieve gender equality
* Recommending policy priorities that give women opportunities to transform their lives
Some of its priorities include the economic empowerment of women, the prevention of HIV/
AIDS among women and girls, the elimination of violence against women, the creation of better life options for women and girls, combating
child marriage
Child marriage is a marriage or similar union, formal or informal, between a child under a certain age – typically 18 years – and an adult or another child.
*
*
*
* The vast majority of child marriages are between a female child and a mal ...
, and increasing food security for vulnerable women.
ICRW is primarily a research institution whose strong quantitative and qualitative research contributes to the direct action of organizations and communities in which they work.
The ICRW website provides access to thousands of research reports, books, fact sheets, and policy briefs as well as toolkits and trainer's guides.
Leadership
ICRW is led by President Dr.
Sarah Degnan Kambou, a social scientist who was appointed by the board in 2010. Previously, Degnan Kambou served for two years as ICRW's chief operating officer (COO) under former president
Geeta Rao Gupta
Geeta Rao Gupta (born 1956 in Mumbai, India) is a leader on gender, women's issues, and HIV/AIDS who is serving as United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues since May 2023. She previously served as executive director of the 3 ...
, and then as interim president and COO after Rao Gupta stepped down in April 2010.
Degnan Kambou joined ICRW in 2002. As COO, she led the organization's research and programs, finance and human resources departments as well as ICRW's Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, India. Before that, she was vice president of health and development, overseeing research in HIV and AIDS, reproductive health and nutrition as well as in gender, violence and women's rights.
In 2012 President Barack Obama appointed Degnan Kambou to hi
Global Development Council which advises him and members of his Cabinet on how to improve U.S. foreign assistance. In 2010, Degnan Kambou was appointed by United States Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
to represent ICRW on the U.S. National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
).
Degnan Kambou holds a doctorate in international health policy and a master's in public health from Boston University. She earned her bachelor's degree in French from the University of Connecticut.
Degnan Kambou is ICRW's fourth president in its 40-year history.
Ravi Verma is the director of ICRW's Asia Regional Office, and Stella Mukasa directs its Africa Regional Office.
Board of directors
ICRW has been directed by several renowned and well-recognized individuals within the field of international development as well as other key private sector and government individuals, including Nobel Laureate
Amartya Sen
Amartya Kumar Sen (; born 3 November 1933) is an Indian economist and philosopher, who since 1972 has taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, econom ...
, writer Ann Crittenden, and
Brooke Shearer
Brooke Lloyd Shearer (July 28, 1950 – May 19, 2009) was a private investigator, journalist,Bernstein, Adam.. ''The Washington Post''. Wednesday May 20, 2009. Retrieved on August 6, 2014. employee of the U.S. Department of the Interior, aide to ...
(deceased, May 19, 2009),
spouse of
Strobe Talbott, director of the
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution, often stylized as simply Brookings, is an American research group founded in 1916. Located on Think Tank Row in Washington, D.C., the organization conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in e ...
.
The board of directors as of 2020:
* Scott Jackson, (Chair)
* Patience Marime-Ball, (Vice Chair)
* Tara Abrahams
* Jackie Asiimwe
* Phyllis Costanza
* Carole Dickert-Scherr
* Søren Elbech
* Trevor Gandy
* Vimi Grewal-Carr
* Marijke Jurgens-Dupree
* Jennifer Klein
* Haven Ley
* Jacquelyn Mayfield
* Firoza Mehrotra
* Linda Perkins
* Shubhi Rao
*
Lois Romano
* Milton D. Speid
Board officers
*
Sarah Degnan Kambou (President)
* Patricia Daunas (Chief Operations Officer, Board Treasurer)
* Kathryn Reitz (Research Compliance Director, Secretary to the Board)
Annual events and lectures
ICRW annually hosts the Irene Tinker Lecture, a fall lecture series named in honor of one of ICRW's founders and supporters, Dr.
Irene Tinker. The lecture series has included speakers such as Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, and Nobel Laureate in Economics
Amartya Sen
Amartya Kumar Sen (; born 3 November 1933) is an Indian economist and philosopher, who since 1972 has taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, econom ...
. The organization also honors esteemed individuals who have made contributions in the fields of gender and development with its annual Champions for Change awards.
References
External links
Official ICRW websiteCharity Navigator information and ratingsSarah Degnan Kambou Appointed ICRW President
{{DEFAULTSORT:International Center For Research On Women
Development charities based in the United States
Gender studies organizations
Think tanks established in 1976
Women's rights organizations
Think tanks based in Washington, D.C.
International women's organizations
India-focused charities
1976 establishments in Washington, D.C.
Women in Washington, D.C.
Women in Delhi