Turn South: Southern Women for Change facilitates new approaches for empowering women, tackling poverty, and advancing human rights.
Women at the center, human rights as the standard
Turn South 1) puts women at the center of identifying the root causes of and solutions to tackle poverty; 2) promotes human rights standards as the basis for public policy to address poverty; and 3) lifts up the need to understand our history of sexism, racism, and classism as perpetuators of poverty.
Women connecting actually, listening authentically
The age of the internet has provided new opportunities for organizing, sharing our stories and messages, and reaching new audiences. Yet, many feel more disconnected and isolated. Turn South brings women and their allies together through in-person gatherings. Women sit together, not virtually but actually, to learn one another’s lived experiences and desires for change. They sit together to listen to one another and grow common understanding. They sit together to explore collectively how best to become agents organizing for positive change in their communities.
Through its human rights leaders program Turn South develops a long-term relationship with women and girls in rural communities, offering a series of in-person and online educational opportunities. The program is more than a one-time training effort; Turn South is an engaged ally for women working for change in their communities. It commits to sustained support for organizing, coalition building and policy reform efforts. It promotes inter-generational learning and collaboration across diverse communities.
Advancing new discourse
Many schools, churches, and organizations offer community service projects, projects that work to address the impacts of poverty in communities across the country. Turn South works to infuse a human rights perspective into this work and approach. Exploring the links between human rights, local organizing, and community service would contribute significantly to an expanded conversation on how adopting human rights standards is key to tackling poverty.
Linking activists, advocates and organizers
Turn South works to find common ground between women human rights activists, practitioners, and social justice leaders and allies. Activists and organizers often have similar goals to improve the lives of many vulnerable communities but different approaches for achieving them. Turn South supports developing common understanding of the different approaches and effective ways to collaborate to meet common goals.