Last month, Across Women's Lives and The World asked audiences: "If you had $1 billion to spend on women in your country, what would you do?"
It was part of our Balance of Power series on the intersection of gender and foreign policy. For two weeks, AWL reporters and editors dug into the effects of US foreign policy on women, analyzing the numbers and meeting women around the world with important stories to tell.
We reported on the more than $1 billion that the US spends each year on women around the world, as well as the $1.34 billion in foreign aid to support gender equality that's been proposed in 2017, and analyzed that budget by country and issue: gender-based violence, peace and security and more.
In Colombia, we dove deep into the impact of war on women, meeting people like Xiomara, who reintegrated into society after life as a guerrilla fighter by attending government-run programs partially funded by the US Agency for International Development.
On the other side of the world, we met a young girl who was affected by a different kind of US foreign policy. Twelve-year-old Nabila ur Rehman witnessed her grandmother being killed by a US drone in 2012 in North Waziristan.
“My message to the new president of America is to look at the picture of my grandmother. She did nothing wrong, and she was killed,” Nabila said. “The next president should stop this war, and spend money on education instead. Try to win the heart of the world, rather than bombing us. And then people won’t be hurting you.”
The US does invest in the educaton of women around the world, more so since Michelle Obama announced her Let Girls Learn initiative in Pakistan last year. The $70 million education initiative is already changing the lives of hundreds of girls in Pakistan and around the world.
Back in the US, we posed the Billion Dollar Question to Massachusetts high schoolers, with our open source Model UN curriculum on gender and foreign policy. The ninth graders at Lawrence High School voted for the funding of girls' literacy education worldwide as the best foreign policy tactic for gender equality, though through discussion they came to agree as a class on an interdisciplinary approach.
"I think the best solution is to end violence against women," explained one student. "Because once they feel safe to talk, once they feel like they can go to other people and tell them what's happening, I feel like that will increase literacy and leadership."
So, how would you spend $1 billion for women in your country? Here are some of your answers:
@womenslives Provide lifelong education and reproductive healthcare; empower legal rights; parenting classes and accessible childcare
— Emrys (@anarchemrys) October 24, 2016
We asked Asima Naqvi, senior patrolling officer in Islamabad and overall shero, the billion dollar question. #BalanceofPowerpic.twitter.com/cPEhSMmMFX
— Across Women's Lives (@womenslives) October 24, 2016
$1 Billion ... I'd create a pathway 4 girls from the womb to girl run town to girl run segment of government. @womenslives#balanceofpower
— Trenay Bynum (@TLPBynum) October 25, 2016
@womenslives@pritheworld Invest in continuing ed through mentorship. Paid for Mentor & paid mentee fellowship #womenslives#WomensRights
— Kait M. (@kaitkultur) October 25, 2016
Um-E Salma says if she had $1 billion for women in Pakistan she'd spend it on education. Hear her today on @pritheworld. #BalanceofPowerpic.twitter.com/ePZLwyhfgS
— Across Women's Lives (@womenslives) October 25, 2016
@womenslives#balanceofpower if I had billion dollars I'd put it towards shelters and legislation for trans girls and trans women
— Elias Mitchell (@PaniniAlchemist) October 25, 2016
@womenslives educate men so they can respect women's rights. #balanceofpower
— Rima Hyder (دیما) (@HrhRima) October 26, 2016
#balanceofpower w/ $1 billion: increase access to reproductive healthcare choices & focus on getting women into #STEM fields! @womensliveshttps://t.co/OsPUfpMiFR
— Amelia Brinkerhoff (@amebrinkerhoff) October 27, 2016
Educate ALL of our most vulnerable young women and girls #balanceofpowerhttps://t.co/mkj8AfyqRF
— Debra Susi (@susi_debra) October 28, 2016
@womenslives#balanceofpower Housing, feeding and low or no cost attorneys for survivors of domestic abuse. Educating lawmakers abt abuse.
— Carol Huffman (@carolhuffman72) October 28, 2016
More job training programs, access to education, paid maternity leave, remove taxes on feminine products.... #balanceofpowerhttps://t.co/lO8i9ezvhj
— Han Ⓥ (@Hannah_Troyer_) October 28, 2016
"I would invest in single mothers, because they're subject to lots of discrimination. Because we still have machismo in this country ... And also in demobilized women. They're subject to a lot of criticism."
Whatever you decide to do make sure it is inclusive of women and children. https://t.co/CMAGH3OQ03
— Smart & Savvy Women (@sswomentv) November 3, 2016
1) safe houses & domestic violence prosecution 2) free child care & deadbeat spouse prosecution 3) birth control & reproductive health care https://t.co/aIca4XwpXu
— Malka Older (@m_older) November 3, 2016
.@womenslives toilets in schools, menstrual cups, subsidized meals in school, sex ed, vocational mentoring, sports training, and still more
— Chhavi Sachdev (@chhavi) November 3, 2016
Now that we know what women want, will President-elect Donald Trump listen?
How long until this map is entirely white? #gender#genderequality#VAW#GBV#WPShttps://t.co/zuyzJiWIj4
— Francisca Vigaud-W. (@cubanahumana) November 14, 2016