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http://www.indigenouswomensforum.org/iwfund.html

Indigenous Women's Fund

Investing in Indigenous Women — Innovative Intercultural Philanthropy

 

"Today in the Mayan calendar is designated as the day of water — March is the month of water: we are set for prosperity and to multiply our work around the World. Our ancestors are with us my sisters let us begin in good spirit."1

 

In the last few decades, an Indigenous Women's Fund has been a dream of Indigenous women. In fact, in the Beijing Declaration of Indigenous Women it was agreed that a fund for Indigenous Women would be established as FIMI's "economic and philanthropic arm" to provide resources for Indigenous women from all 7 geo-cultural regions defined by the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. FIMI believes strongly in participatory methodologies and therefore is going to engage in a process of regional consultations to identify key priorities for funding for indigenous women organizations.

Led by and for Indigenous women, the Indigenous Women's Fund aims to provide Indigenous women with resources in a way that increases their sense of dignity and self-esteem and that respects their visions, priorities, and perspectives that are compatible with the self-determination of their peoples. The Fund is committed to the concept of Intercultural Philanthropy, which puts forth a vision of respect for cultural diversity where Indigenous women can fully and effectively participate at all levels and spheres, and where they can exert leadership in the realization of the individual and collective human rights of all Indigenous Peoples. Intercultural Philanthropy builds from the knowledge that Indigenous Peoples have their own learning processes, systems of knowledge and ways to integrate new information, values, and interpretations and transfer them to new generations.

http://www.indigenouswomensforum.org/iwfund/interphilanthropy.html

A New Philosophy of Intercultural Philanthropy

The Indigenous Women's Fund views philanthropy as an opportunity and a responsibility to make advances in social justice. Accordingly, it is committed to a new philosophy of philanthropy in which the knowledge, experience, and efforts of Indigenous women are valued. Interculturalism and equity in the distribution of resources of international cooperation agencies are basic elements of this approach. This implies an exchange of resources between the Global North and South and within, which is critical to cultivate new experiences as well as to share traditional values of reciprocity. The approach also seeks to ensure that contributions of recipients of donations are valued, and that resources are utilized in accordance with the needs, capacities, and visions of Indigenous women. An intercultural approach to philanthropy also focuses on investing in Indigenous women, children, and youth so they are enabled to lead the development of their communities.

Interculturalism addresses the need for collective construction of knowledge and resources, assumes an understanding and articulation of the diverse thought processes, values, strategies, and forms of expressions of each of the women included in the FIMI network and the new Indigenous women and other women to join the Fund. The starting point is always indigenous people's lives, their experiences, and conceptual foundations with regards to social, personal, environmental, professional and spiritual relationships. Intercultural Philanthropy thus builds from the knowledge that indigenous peoples have their own learning processes, systems of knowledge and ways to integrate new information, values, and interpretations and transfer them to new generations.

The concept of Intercultural Philanthropy thus puts forward a vision of respect for cultural diversity where Indigenous women can fully and effectively participate at all levels and spheres, and where they can exert leadership in the realization of the individual and collective human rights of all Indigenous Peoples. Intercultural Philanthropy also denotes a world where Indigenous women have the resources they need for the free determination and pursuit of their own economic, political, social and cultural development, and to overcome the conditions of marginalization, poverty, racism, and discrimination. A world where Indigenous communities have full sovereignty over the lands, territories, and natural resources that are their collective patrimony, and where Indigenous women are recognized, respected and promoted in their central roles as educators, counselors, healers, spiritual guides, and manifestations of Mother Earth, and work in solidarity with other Indigenous and non-Indigenous women around the world.





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