CCMC Projects: Equality 2020

No society can succeed if it denies full opportunities to women–whether in education, the economy, politics, voting, or health care–including full access to reproductive health programs. Women's advancement in these areas improves not only their lives but also that of their families, their communities and their countries.

CCMC’s Equality 2020 projects promote full equality for women in the United States and around the world. With our partner organizations, we work to increase the visibility of policy debates that affect women’s lives, and to increase U.S. commitment to furthering women’s rights at home and abroad.

Our projects seek to promote:

Gender equality;
Universal access to reproductive health care education and services;
Women’s participation in action-oriented coalitions; and
Greater individual and group capacity for effective communications.

		WeMedia Network www.womensemedia.org The Women’s E-Media Network provides critical tools to strengthen communications capacity among nonprofit organizations working to advance women’s equality domestically and around the world. Among its resources: A professional media database that is regularly updated with new contact information; Daily press clips to track trends in coverage of women’s issues; An online library of images to use in member groups’ media materials; Access to recent polling data and talking points on a host of women’s issues; Tips and resources for strengthening media outreach skills; Tools to build password-protected campaign coordination rooms and online newsrooms; and Access to strategy rooms for other CCMC projects involving women’s issues. CCMC supports issue advocacy in the area of women’s rights by leveling the communications playing field, providing tools and strategies to help groups in this area keep these issues and perspectives before the public. This project is supported by a number of foundations, including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Ms. Foundation for Women, Open Society Institute, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

		Moving Forward The vast majority of Americans supports policies that help individuals take care of themselves and their families and that respect their right to make important decisions about that care. However, the radical right’s singular focus on abortion has hijacked the public discussion of these concerns and has derailed progress on them. The Communications Consortium Media Center (CCMC), in partnership with the Women Donors Network (WDN), has embarked on a project, Moving Forward, that seeks to break the logjam that has held up progressive policies. The project will explore newer, stronger possible frames that connect key elements of a progressive, reproductive rights agenda with the core values of American women and men. Our hope is that a policy agenda to improve Americans’ reproductive health can move forward while, at the same time, preserving the right to abortion as currently defined under the Constitution.

		Engaging Women Harnessing women's influence on their friends, families and communities is the fastest way to boost participation and rescue our faltering democracy. This multi-year project will work with leading feminist organizations for the next six years to encourage women to voteby reminding them of the powerof civic engagement. Starting in Arizona, Michigan and Washington, the project will mobilze members of the partner groups as women's rights civic educators and advocates of electoral participation.