Transforming Gender Issues —
The Key to Ending Hunger

Message from Joan Holmes, President

During 1999, The Hunger Project launched the first of a series of major new initiatives designed to catalyze a breakthrough in one of the most pernicious and intractable conditions that holds hunger in place — the subjugation, marginalization and disempowerment of women.

Throughout the 1990s, The Hunger Project has mobilized grassroots action that focuses on improving the lives of women in more than 2,000 villages in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Yet no matter how effective these activities have been, they are not sufficient to transform the underlying social discrimination against women that gives rise to so much of the world’s remaining hunger. Challenging this situation requires strategic analysis and focused action that intervenes at the root of the problem — the low social status and discrimination that women confront from birth to death.

As you will see in this report, The Hunger Project is in a unique position to make high-leverage and catalytic contributions to the social, economic and political empowerment of women. During this decade, we have developed a strong set of strategic assets. These include our principles, our people-centered methodology, the global scope of our work, our track record of accomplishment, our partnership with institutions and government, and the active support of thousands of committed, experienced leaders at every level of society — most of whom are volunteers.

Our highest priority during 1999 was in Africa, where we launched the African Woman Food Farmer Initiative in conjunction with the 1999 Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger. This new initiative is designed to cause a breakthrough in the economic empowerment of the most important — and most unsupported — producers in Africa: the 100 million women who produce Africa’s food. We were able to launch this new, $1 million-plus initiative while continuing to expand and strengthen all our other programs around the world.

The Hunger Project has the freedom and strength to take on each new challenge because we are funded by a worldwide movement of highly committed individuals. These individuals do not think of themselves as donors — giving funds to those who are needy. Rather, they are investors — full stakeholders in the end of hunger, and authentic partners with the courageous efforts of hungry people for the creation of a future free from hunger.

Links: Overview, Programs, Assets,Fundraising, Board, Audit report. Audit notes.