Women's Issues

Leadership by women contributes to building a civil society.

International womens' rights exchanges reinforce womens human rights issues and the value of engaging and empowering women. Women’s equality is necessary for successful global development that improves the lives of women, men, and children. Open World and Community Connections Programs connect international leaders with American women role models and with programs and services that address women’s health, human service, and self-sufficiency.

Many of the Women’s Issues delegations hosted by World Services have traveled with the Open World Program. Managed by the independent Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress, the Open World Program is designed to enhance understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and countries of Eurasia and the Baltic States.

Open World “Women as Leaders” delegations explore international womens rights and leadership roles of women in a democracy. Delegates observe current approaches to organizational and business management, public administration and policy-making, strategic planning, public relations, leadership development, coalition building, and grassroots organizing and fundraising. Visits to women-owned businesses, women’s professional and political associations, and non-government organizations (NGOs) focused on women’s issues and / or managed by women result in mutual understanding and support for leadership development of women throughout the world.


Local Host	Theme	Country
Rochester, NY	2008 Women Leaders: Elections	Russia
Appleton, WI	2008: Women Leaders: Rule of Law “Anti-Trafficking & Domestic Violence”	Russia
Charlotte, NC	2007: Women Leaders: Elections	Russia
Winona, MN	2006 : Women as Leaders in Civil Society	Russia
Wausau, WI	2006 : Women’s Health Services	Russia
Winona, MN	2004 : Women as Leaders in Civil Society	Russia
Appleton, WI	2004: Women as Leaders in Civil Society	Russia

In 2002 and 2003, World Services of La Crosse hosted 12 Open World delegations (approximately 120 Russian participants) that focused on models of community based services to prevent and intervene in domestic violence. World Services partnered with local La Crosse volunteers and hosting organizations:


Local Host	City
Fox Cities Kurgan Sister Cities	Appleton, WI
Iowa Sister States	Council Bluffs, IA
Trinity Health System	Ann Arbor, MI
Iowa Sister States	Des Moines, IA
Los Alamos-Sarov Sister Cities	Los Alamos, NM
Charlotte Sister Cities	Charlotte, NC
Rochester Branch, American Association of University Women	Rochester, NY

As a national hosting organization, World Services has also hosted delegations in this program theme area with the Community Connections Program which is sponsored and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). World Learning / FORECAST is the Programming Agent for USAID.


Duluth and Minneapolis, MN La Crosse, WI	2006 “Social Assistance Infrastructure for Victims of Domestic Violence”	Moldova
La Crosse, Appleton, WI	2006 “Women’s Health Promotion”	Azerbaijan

For more information on these or similar international professional development exchanges, please contact us at info@wslax.us.