Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

Poor women in Indias villages are more likely to take up jobs if their wages can be deposited into their bank accounts and they can be trained in digital banking, a September 2019 study by the US-based National Bureau Of Economic Research has concluded. This eases patriarchal social norms and increases empowerment among the one section of Indian society with the least labour market experience, it added.

If poor, rural women can control their access to wages through bank accounts and receive adequate training for handling it, they are more likely to join or continue in the labour workforce in India, the study found. It also helped in accommodating changes in gender norms on women going to work: The study found that women who received digital deposits and training were more likely to hold female work in high regard. Although their husbands did not change their personal beliefs, they became less likely to report that husbands suffer social costs when their wives work.

Researchers used randomised control trials to study the effects of channelling womens wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, into their individually-controlled bank accounts, and not the account of the head of their family, typically a man.

Women who received digital wage deposits as well as the training to use their bank accounts, were found to be working more, as we said earlier, in both jobs generated by MGNREGS and the private sector. This increase occurred even though the market wage remained static.

The study was conducted in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh state government and the rural development ministry in socially conservative areas in the northern pockets of the state Gwalior, Morena, Sheopur and Shivpur.

Despite robust economic growth, the female labour force participation rate has declined from 37% in 1990 to 28% in 2015, making Indian women some of the least employed in the world, the study noted. Indias growth trajectory and the well-being of its population, will depend on how well it uses public policy to lower barriers to female employment, it said.

Policy, when appropriately designed, can empower women in homes and even dilute common patriarchal norms, said Charity Troyer Moore, co-author of the study and director for South Asia Economics Research at The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University.

By working with women to open accounts, training them on how to use the accounts, and linking those accounts to NREGS so they could receive their wages as mandated, we see important improvements in womens financial activity, paid work, especially in the private sector, and views on women and work, she said.

While global gender parity will not be attained for 100 years, India has fallen four spots to 112 among 153 economies since 2018, as per the World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap Report 2020.

The economic gender gap runs particularly deep in India, the report noted. Only one-third of the gap has been bridged. Since 2006, the gap has gotten significantly wider. Among the 153 countries studied, India is the only country where the economic gender gap [ranked 149th] is larger than the political gender gap.

Only one-quarter of women, compared with 82% of men, engage actively in the labour market [working or looking for work] one of the lowest participation rates in the world [145th] and estimated female income is a mere one-fifth of male income, which is also among the worlds lowest, the report noted.

Indias gender issue is a jobs issue womens overall well-being has fallen as access to work outside their homes has declined, and especially as women move out of agriculture in rural areas, said Moore. There is a multitude of challenges to helping women access employment, but increasing demand in sectors that suit womens practical circumstances seems to be key here.

Many of the policy efforts undertaken to support women focus on their specific role as a household caregiver or mother. Though important, it should not be given at the expense of other efforts, like hiring more local women to serve in frontline work to support their communities development, and encouraging employment for young women who are out of school and not yet married, Moore added.

The study conducted randomised control trials in 197 gram panchayats, and in 67 of these, womens bank accounts were linked to their MGNREGS wages and provided basic financial training to ensure they understand how to use their accounts if they decided to work. The study was conducted between 2013 and 2014, prior to the start of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana targeting Indias unbanked population. Follow-up surveys were then conducted in 2015 and 2017.

The study then compared outcomes for women who only received only bank accounts with those who additionally received direct deposit of MGNREGS wages and bank account training direct deposit and training. Low levels of engagement with the formal banking sector beyond simple withdrawals and deposits by women and marginalised communities suggest that universal account ownership does not necessarily translate to financial inclusion or the ability to use banking services effectively, IndiaSpend reported on May 17, 2018. In 2015-16, 53% of women used a bank account in their own name, according to the fourth National Family Health Survey data.

The intervention found long- and short-term benefits in the group. Three years after the intervention, women used their accounts more frequently and more women were able to go to a bank to operate their accounts.

Women living in gram panchayats where training was offered to operate bank accounts worked more, as we said earlier, than those who only had individual bank accounts opened for them. Further, the impact was more among women who had least or no work experience in the study, those who had never worked for MGNREGS. These women have been classified as socially constrained to reflect that they are less likely to work, less empowered, and that their husbands are more likely to oppose female work.

The transfers to individually-controlled bank accounts empower women to assert themselves in their families, the authors surmise. So giving a woman better outside options to the status quo may help her bargain and assert her preferences, which can result in increased mobility, said Moore.

Three years later, in 2017, socially constrained women reported an increased ability to spend and greater freedom to move about. After three years, their empowerment score was increased, effectively closing the empowerment gap between constrained and unconstrained women.

The study found that, compared to women who were given only bank accounts, those women who received digital deposits and training were more likely to hold female work in high regard. Although their husbands did not change their personal beliefs they became less likely to report that husbands suffer social costs when their wives work, the study reported.

Gender norms became more progressive in families where women controlled their wages, the study found. The actual norms average personal beliefs about women and work of women who received direct deposit and training were more progressive than those of women in accounts-only areas. Moreover, on average, the community was more accepting of working women.

Although husbands actual norms remained unchanged, perceived norms among men in the community were significantly liberalised, with greater perceived acceptance of working womens husbands, suggesting that women may in part be held back from working by mens misperceptions of the stigma they would suffer, the study said.

There are signs of womens increased decision-making and financial independence, but that does not necessarily come at a cost to men, said Moore. The results on decisions hinge around whether women report higher involvement in either deciding or helping decide how to spend money and whether to work outside the home so an increase in womens power here would not necessarily mean mens influence declined, since they could be making more joint decisions.

The study is significant for programmes such as MGNREGS which aim to include and empower women through employment, offering them equal wages, the study says. Policies that cause women to increase engagement with those outside their families are likely to change social norms, especially as more conservative men change their beliefs about the consequences of adopting or accommodating progressive behaviours.

One thing our study didnt speak to is that limited mobility also reflects individual and household concerns about safety and violence against women, which are valid concerns, said Moore. This is where policy can play an important role. It can work to ensure public spaces are safe and open to both men and women, she added, to improve responsiveness to reports about harassment and violence, and to be responsive to womens inputs on these issues.

This article first appeared on IndiaSpend, a data-driven and public-interest journalism non-profit.

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What women in rural Madhya Pradesh want: Jobs with direct access to their wages - Scroll.in

UC Santa Barbara community members came together last Friday ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day to remember his life and activism, beginning with a walk at UCSBs Eternal Flame and focused around the theme Remembering the Silence of Our Friends.

The mural at North Hall that honors the students who protested there for Black rights in 1968. Jenny Luo / Daily Nexus

Speakers, including UCSB students and community organizers, gave speeches on their personal experiences with racism, institutionalized oppression in higher education and the importance of allyship. The procession of approximately 100 then walked to North Hall, stopping at the mural that honors the students who protested there for Black rights in 1968, before ending at the MultiCultural Center (MCC) for lunch.

The event was hosted by the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara, UCSBs Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and the MCC.

Chris Hudley, vice president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, elaborated on the importance of the theme Remembering The Silence of Our Friends, which comes from the famous King quote: We remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

During political years, we have forgotten to have conversations, Hudley explained. We want the idea of people having conversations, learning and collaborating, to build inclusiveness and equality.

Inclusion of friends in conversation was emphasized throughout the event; participants were asked to talk to strangers during the walk about the change they wish to see in the world.

Alyssa Frick-Jenkins, president of UCSBs Black Student Union, discussed the Eternal Flame monument, where the walk begins. The Flame was donated as a gift by the UCSB Class of 1968 to commemorate peace and unity.

To me, the Eternal Flame commemorates the ongoing legacy of MLK because he lit a similar flame under Black students to take under North Hall and demand equality. I find it important for Black students and those who understand their struggle to not only see the monument as one to MLKs legacy but also one about taking up space in this institution, Frick-Jenkins said.

Frick-Jenkins ideas of self determination, Black freedom and liberation, which were recurring themes throughout the event, led to a discussion of empowerment in institutions of higher education like UCSB.

Take up space here, Frick-Jenkins told attendees. We can see ourselves within this institution that was not inherently made for the education of Black people.

Deandre Miles-Hercules, president of the Black Graduate Students Association, touched on their personal experiences as a Black, gender nonconforming individual and, similarly to Frick-Jenkins, their struggle with taking up space in academia.

This is important for me personally, because I am Black and gender nonconforming and as a scholar that is not often a comfortable place to be, and in the world that it is often dangerous and harmful to be in, Miles-Hercules said.

MLK said direct action is presenting our very bodies to the conscience of the public of our national and local communities, they explained. My presence and showing up authentically is direct action. That too is walking in Dr. Kings legacy.

While talking to the crowd, Miles-Hercules also emphasized how their presence at UCSB is statistically unlikely. In the 2017-18 academic year, only 3% of graduate students were Black, whereas 5.8% of California residents were Black, a nearly 3% difference between state and university demographics.

UC Regent Elect and UCSB graduate student Jamaal Muwwakkil, another speaker, reiterated this point.

Im not supposed to be here. Im a poor kid from Compton, California. The statistics are against me I was not supposed to gain access to the UC. The paradigm for Black students is that diversity lowers standards, that the more Black students you have, the lower the ranking of your school, he said.

Anne H. Charity-Hudley, the North Hall Endowed Chair in the Linguistics of African America and linguistics professor, encouraged attendees to discuss with others what made them come out to the event on their walk to North Hall.

Miriam Bankons, a participant who has been coming to the event for five years, was eager to share her answer to Charity-Hudleys question.

Im here in memory of all the people that came before me and walking for them, she said. Talking to other people that we dont know, that we dont see, is a way to honor King. His holiday is about a day of service, and I believe this is a way of service.

When the march reached North Hall, Charity-Hudley recounted the racism she has experienced while achieving success in academia, including being targeted by police and having drawings of lynchings painted on her wall after receiving a raise.

In many positions, people are happy to see Black people on campus until they receive raises, labs and support. Theres a level of tension when we dont stay in our place I want you to think about how we can continue to rise until you make somebody else nervous with your level of success.

Participants then walked to the MCC to enjoy lunch, celebrate successes made in the name of Black empowerment and listen to MLKs most famous speeches.

Many attendees discussed how Miles-Herculess words resonated with them, especially their ending comments.

Be a brother, a sister, be a partner in crime to equity and justice, and show up when things are hard and let go of some of that privilege that you might bear in the service of equity and justice, Miles-Hercules said.

That is how we walk in Dr. Kings footsteps and honor his memory.

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In the service of equity and justice: UCSB Community Comes Together To Honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Daily Nexus

They call it "compassion fatigue," the burnout that people in our line of work experience. In the nonprofit sector, we work for more than a paycheck, opening our hearts and minds to the needs of others. And sooner or later, that takes a toll.

Mental health has become a huge challenge in all sectors. An estimated 83% of U.S. workers report significant work-related stress, costing businesses as much as $300 billion per year in absenteeism and treatment-related expenses.

Its worse for professional do-gooders. Driven by passion, nonprofit workers put in long hours for significantly less than they would earn in the private sector because they believe in the cause. Those who work closely with vulnerable and at-risk populations can experience "vicarious trauma," the emotional residue that comes with witnessing trauma and taking your work personally. In Calgary, Canada, one study observed people who worked with the homeless and found that 25% were suffering from burnout, while 36% showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The risks of compassion fatigue are never far from mind in our household. I have spent 25 years working in the charitable sector. My partner, Leysa, works with nonprofits and healthcare professionals, teaching them how to cope with stress and vicarious trauma as a mindfulness coach. Weve both learned how to be more mindful at home and at work, and we strive to share those practices.

When it comes to employee wellness, nonprofits dont usually have the resources to install full-time yoga studios and smoothie bars in our offices like big tech companies do. Nevertheless, there are cost-effective measures nonprofit employers can implement to avoid compassion fatigue and promote employee well-being. Here are a few steps you can take:

Create a mindful team

Stress management and self-care are learned techniques. Offer your team a basic level of mental health literacy to help them spot the signals that their well-being, or that of a co-worker, is at risk. Like all skills, these things must be taught.

If you have the resources, enroll your team in a mindfulness-based stress reduction course, such as the one developed by the University of Massachusetts. There are also cost-free resources (and it doesnt hurt to ask for a charitable discount). Our staff at WE used "Teach" mental health literacy and care resources developed by the University of British Columbia, a free program.

To ensure that self-care is more than a one-time thing, ask two or three people to volunteer for training as instructors, and have them conduct mindfulness sessions throughout the year as an ongoing resource for their co-workers.

Build connections

Loneliness and isolation contribute to mental health issues. You can combat them by boosting interpersonal connectedness in your work environment. But that takes more than awkward holiday office parties once a year.

Go out for lunch as a team. Host mini-events like Taco Tuesday or Waffle Wednesday to bring a little low-pressure fun and interaction to the office. At WE, our teams celebrate "workaversaries" and made it part of our culture to give shout-outs or notes of gratitude when someone meets a milestone with the organization. Instituting these practices interdepartmentally or in larger meetings can help different teams better understand what the others do, further improving overall organizational cohesion.

Create safe spaces

WE created an anonymous online reporting system and conducts annual staff surveys (also anonymous) with comprehensive questions about job satisfaction and workplace challenges. Its a safe space to share concerns. Survey responses help the organization identify areas for improvement so we can create a better -- and less stressful -- work experience.

When possible, give everyone a chance to speak up and share whats on their minds during team and organizational meetings.

Remember: Time is well-being

Mental health breaks and me time arent just expressions; theyre wellness tools. After a particularly intensive or stressful project or activity, give your staff some paid time off. Our WE Day staff spends weeks on the road every year, working long days around each of our 18 youth empowerment events in stadiums across North America and the U.K.. We give them all a day off after every event to rest and reenergize.

Wellness time is also essential when front-line staff works with vulnerable individuals or traumatic situations. If a staff member handles a bad case of domestic violence or experiences the death of a homeless client theyve worked with, they need healing time. Keep a list of local counselors and other support services if they need it, and update the list regularly.

In general, a flexible workplace enables your team to work around time challenges in their personal lives. Parents who are not on leave should be welcome to bring their babies to work from time to time. If schools close for inclement weather and parents cant find childcare at the last minute, WE invite our staff to bring school-aged children to the office should they choose.

Integrate wellness from Day 1

Include mental health and well-being in your onboarding process for new staff members. Walk them through all of the policies, programs and other mental health-related initiatives at your organization. Let them know that wellness is part of your culture.

They say that giving starts at home. Well, so does well-being. As nonprofits, we care about the well-being of the world we live in. That begins with ensuring the well-being of those passionate individuals who work with us.

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How To Avoid Compassion Fatigue: Care For Your Staff So They Can Care For The World - Forbes

Aerie launches initiative to award $400,000 to 20 real-life changemakers who are making a difference in their communities

NEW YORK American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) today announces that Aerie will welcome actor Lana Condor, actor and writer Beanie Feldstein, actor and writer Hari Nef, Tony award winning actor Ali Stroker, sustainability activist Manuela Barn, founder of Smile On Me Dre Thomas, DJ and wellness advocate Tiff McFierce, and scientist and CEO Keiana Cav as #AerieREAL Role Models. These eight inspiring women will be joined by current Role Models Aly Raisman, Iskra, Brenna Huckaby, Molly Burke and Jenna Kutcher.

#AerieREAL Role Models spread the brands mission to love your real selfinside and out. They empower and inspire the Aerie community to be the change they want to see in the world through leadership, advocacy, workshops and philanthropic partnerships. As one of the fastest growing brands in the apparel industry, Aerie is equally committed to creating exceptional merchandise collections for its customers while positively influencing the way women see themselves and treat others.

Through the #AerieREAL Change Initiative that launches today, Aerie and the Role Models are taking action and changing the game. Its time to get up, get out and get involved. Aerie will award 20 real-life changemakers with $20,000 to help them on their journey in making the world a better place.

Six years ago, Aerie took the game-changing leap to stop airbrushing its modelswhich ignited a body positivity movement that has empowered women around the world to let their real selves shine, commented Jennifer Foyle, Aerie Global Brand President. We believe everyone has the power to be a changemaker. Together with our incredible Role Models, we cannot wait to award $400,000 to 20 fierce and inspiring members of the #AerieREAL community.

About the #AerieREAL Role Models:

About the #AerieREAL Change Initiative

About #AerieREAL

About Aerie

Aerie is a lifestyle brand offering intimates, apparel, activewear and swim collections. With the #AerieREAL movement, Aerie celebrates its community by advocating for body positivity and the empowerment of all women. Aerie believes in inspiring customers to love their real selves, inside and out. Retouching-free since 2014. Visit http://www.aerie.com to learn more. Let the Real You Shine.

About American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) is a leading global specialty retailer offering high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable prices under its American Eagle and Aerie brands. Our purpose is to show the world that theres REAL power in the optimism of youth. The company operates more than 1,000 stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Hong Kong, and ships to 81 countries worldwide through its websites. American Eagle and Aerie merchandise also is available at more than 200 international locations operated by licensees in 25 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.aeo-inc.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200123005191/en/

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Matthew Owens SHADOW Phone: 212.972.0277 Matthew@weareshadow.com

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Aerie Introduces Eight New #AerieREAL Role Models to Inspire You to Make 2020 the Year of Change - Financial Post

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank is committed to maintaining a robust sustainability program and plays a vital role in contributing to the markets in which they operate in ways that extend well beyond finance. Throughout the years, Gulf Bank has been a leader in shedding light on major global challenges. By spearheading multiple corporate social responsibility initiatives, Gulf Bank has not only inspired local and regional enterprises, but is also leading by example on an international level with its unique approach to sustainability.

In 2019, Gulf Banks corporate social responsibility initiatives went hand in hand with international efforts, aligning with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also known as the Global Goals, the SDGs were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

Gulf Bank proudly spearheaded a number of corporate social responsibility efforts in 2019, with an approach that consists of three pillars: community sustainability, economic sustainability, and environmental sustainability. Through a combination of efforts on all of these fronts, Gulf Bank proudly met a majority of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals.

Commenting on Gulf Banks ongoing commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility, Lujain Al-Qenaei, Assistant Manager for External Communications at Gulf Bank, said: Much like how the United Nations is shedding a spotlight on major global challenges, we recognize how important it is for larger enterprises to do their part on a local and national level. At Gulf Bank, we are not only aware of our role, but we are proud to take it on.

We also believe that the UNs 17 SDGs are all interconnected, and that long-lasting development must strike a balance between community, economic and environmental sustainability. We are proud to see so many of our initiatives moving hand in hand with international efforts, and are looking forward to paving the way for even more initiatives to come in hopes for a more sustainable future for our beloved Kuwait.

Community SustainabilityThroughout 2019, Gulf Banks community sustainability efforts aligned with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals: 2) Zero Hunger, 3) Good Health and Wellbeing, 4) Quality Education, 5) Gender Equality, 8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, 9) Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, 11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, and 17) Partnerships for the Goals.

As one of the most important social sporting events in the country, the annual Gulf Bank 642 Marathon aims to raise the level of health awareness and encourage the local community to adopt a healthier lifestyle. By partnering with Kuwait Red Crescent Society this year, Gulf Bank was able to assist in bringing medical aid to those who are unable to afford medical treatment. This years marathon attracted more than 9,300 participants representing over 100 nationalities from around the world, and more than 300 volunteers.

Gulf Bank is also keen on promoting a message of inclusion and diversity when it comes to hiring. Gulf Bank this year proudly employed 10 people with special needs among various branches, taking into account the unique needs of each individual. The Bank continues to strive to ensure to achieve gender equality and empowering women throughout the organization to deliver on the Banks mandate. Currently there are 43 percent female staff in comparison to 57 percent male staff. The bank was one of the first Banks in Kuwait to become a signatory of the Womens Empowerment Principles (WEPs) initiative by the United Nations to promote gender equality and womens economic empowerment.

The Bank has a strong focus on developing Kuwaiti professionals. In terms of human capital initiatives, the Banks graduate development program AJYAL is widely recognized for its intensive training to shape the future of banking in Kuwait. Accepting 21 applicants, AJYAL spans six months and aims to help candidates develop key banking skills, cultivating holistic bankers that have shown growth potential on both a personal and professional level. Since the programs inception in 2014, five generations have graduated with a total of 85 employees, to date.

Gulf Bank also demonstrated its commitment to preserving Kuwaiti heritage and traditions by sponsoring the production of Memoirs of a Sailor, an epic musical comprised of poems from the Kuwaiti poet Mohammed Al-Fayez. The production took place during the second quarter of the year at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center.

During 2019, the bank also hosted a number of family fun activities, including a Reading Fun Day for children to encourage reading and learning, in collaboration with That Al Salasil. Gulf Bank also held a Bring Your Kids To Work for their employees and their children. Throughout the year, Gulf Bank also participated in and sponsored Qout Market.

As part of Gulf Banks commitment to supporting and empowering Kuwaiti youth, Gulf Bank also sponsored the annual National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) Conference in the United States. During the summer, applications for Gulf Banks summer internship program were also available to interested student applicants. Gulf Bank also organized a mobile photography training workshop for aspiring photographers in collaboration with mobile accessories store, Cavaraty.

Gulf Bank also spearheaded other charitable activities during the holy month of Ramadan, including partnering with the Kuwait Food Bank and Saveco to distribute maachla foodstuff boxes to local families in need. Gulf Bank also launched a social media activation in recognition of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the holy month. The community initiative, titled Ten Minutes, consisted of a series of short social media episodes highlighting unique tips on how viewers can live a healthier lifestyle by enhancing their nutrition, mental health, fitness, and general well-being in only ten minutes.

In 2019, Gulf Bank also launched Al-Tijouri, an entertaining escape room competition in which teams from all across the country joined together to solve puzzles and compete for cash prizes. The activation, which took place in Phase 3 of The Avenues over the course of three days, resulted in a total of three winning teams, each of whom took home a KD 300 cash prize for solving the escape room in the least amount of time.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the bank launched a series of initiatives, including partnering with Mowasat Hospital and other local hospitals to provide special offers, exclusively for Gulf Bank clients, that aim to make the process of getting checked more convenient and more accessible. Throughout the month, the Bank also lit up its head office branch in Kuwait City in pink in an effort to encourage everyone to learn more about breast cancer.

Economic SustainabilityIn the past year, Gulf Banks economic sustainability efforts also aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals of: 4) Quality Education, 5) Gender Equality, 8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, 9) Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and 17) Partnerships for the Goals.

In keeping with annual tradition, Gulf Bank extended its support to INJAZ Kuwait, a non-profit, non-governmental organization for education and training in workforce readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship. As part of our strategic partnership with INJAZ, Gulf Bank sponsored numerous educational and entrepreneurial courses for high school and college students across both the public and private sectors.

To date, Gulf Bank has participated in five INJAZ Al-Arab programs, two INJAZ Kuwait Job Shadow Days, seven INJAZ Kuwait Innovation Camps and four INJAZ Kuwait Entrepreneurship Master Class workshops. Additionally, 282 Gulf Bank staff members have volunteered their time and efforts at numerous schools and universities across Kuwait, inspiring over 3,275 students.

This year, Gulf Bank has also extended its economic sustainability role to social media. In an effort to promote financial literacy and create a culture of financial awareness, Gulf Banks Economic Research Unit prepares weekly videos on topics including fintech, investment, saving, and general tidbits about the state of the economy. The one-minute tips are delivered by Tareq Al-Saleh, Deputy General Manager of the Economic Research Unit at Gulf Bank, and are aired across Gulf Banks various social media channels.

Gulf Bank also participated in a number of other activities as part of its ongoing efforts to improve the local business environment. In October 2019, Gulf Bank hosted a real estate market focus group to discuss the current state of the real estate market and its latest developments. Gulf Bank also sponsored the Central Bank of Kuwaits annual International Banking Conference.

In collaboration with the Manpower Restructuring Program, Gulf Bank also held the first-ever career fair for people with disabilities in Kuwait. In January 2019, Gulf Bank employees also participated in the Fikra Program, designed to equip Kuwaiti youth with the essential business skills and knowledge required to transform their ideas into businesses.

Environmental SustainabilityGulf Bank is committed to environmental conservation and sustainability with its community sustainability efforts in 2019 going hand in hand with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals: 12) Responsible Consumption and Production, 14) Life Below Water, 15) Life On Land, and 13) Climate Action.

In 2019, the bank partnered with Omniya, a nationwide recycling initiative founded in 2015 by young Kuwaitis aiming to raise awareness for waste recycling. Through this partnership, the Bank committed to recycling paper and plastic waste, and strategically distributed recycling receptacles in front of Gulf Banks Head Office. By placing the recycling receptacles in one of the most visible locations in the heart of Kuwait City, Gulf Bank is raising awareness for recycling not only with its employees, but also with members of the local community.

The bank also held a beach cleanup at the Kuwait Towers as part of its commitment to Earth Day. A non-profit NGO provided an awareness session on the hazardous effects pollutants have on our environment and assisted Gulf Bank employees in cleaning the beach. The Bank also joins global community efforts in reducing power consumption during Earth Hour, a worldwide initiative that encourages individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights.

With multiple CSR initiatives throughout the year, Gulf Bank is setting an example for local and regional players to make even more progress in line with international efforts by the United Nations. Through a combination of efforts promoting community, economic and environmental sustainability, Gulf Bank is proud to wrap up 2019 with an impressive round-up of CSR initiatives and activities, with even more initiatives to come in 2020.

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Gulf Bank's 2019 sustainability efforts progress in line with global efforts by the United Nations - Kuwait Times

Michelle and Barack Obama at the Obama Foundation Summit 2019 in Chicago, IL.

Chicagos South Side Bronzeville neighborhood, a center of African-American life and culture, hosted the 2019 Obama Foundation Summit at the Illinois Institute of Technology on October 29, 2019. The Advancing Women in Product (AWIP) team was invited to cover the Summit as press, and from the perspective of a female empowerment and advocacy NGO.

Kira Alvarez, who is the Press Lead for Advancing Women in Product (AWIP), took time from her busy schedule as a researcher at Freie Universitt Berlin to cover the Summit for AWIP. Kira has taught and published throughout the U.S. and Germany, on topics such as diplomacy, history, and the intersection between science, technology, and society.

The South Side of Chicago was a deliberate choice. This region boasts a visionary past that has witnessed Ida B. Wells, President Obama, and Michelle Obama among others working toward social change. The Summit aptly chose the phrase Places Reveal Our Purpose as the conference theme, and touched on a number of pressing societal issues such as racism, poverty, and gender inequality. It showed that the South Side of Chicago is full of hope, love and energy that can inspire other places throughout the world. The critical role that communities and networks can play in supporting and promoting social advancement and opportunity was a powerful message from the 2019 Obama Foundation Summit.

Women leaders including Michelle Obama and Academy award nominee filmmaker Ava Duvernay spoke about their personal and professional journeys. These women showed that ambition and drive alone are not enough in pursuing a successful and fulfilling career. Support networks are key to achieving broader social change, especially for female advancement. This is in line with what researchers like Herminia Ibarra have remarked on the topic, that sponsors (both within and outside an organization) can help to accelerate careers and create opportunities. For Michelle Obama, support came from her family and a strong belief in self, which helped her overcome the prejudice she experienced growing up. For those who are looking to create their own support networks, search within your current social and professional networks optimizing for those that will generate new opportunities.

An example of community engagement from the Obama Foundation is the Girls Opportunity Alliance (GOA), a program that seeks to empower girls and their respective communities through education. AWIP was invited to the intimate GOA roundtable with Michelle Obama, which featured international educators from countries including Cambodia, Guatemala, and Malawi who tirelessly work on the front lines to improve girls lives. According to Michelle, the lack of investment in female education is an international emergency: What a waste. What a waste for society, what a waste for a family. What a waste for that girls soul to be trapped by her fate and not by her ability.

Michelle Obama with leaders from the Girls Opportunity Alliance (GOA)

The Girls Opportunity Alliance (GOA) empowers young girls in three dimensions: By growing an online network of grassroots leaders, by providing financial support for individual projects through GoFundMe, and by encouraging young people throughout the developed world to join the cause of promoting greater educational opportunities for women. GOA sees its work as not limited to a local or national context and therefore requires a transnational approach. Creating an alliance of young womens opportunities is ultimately about human rights. Investment in a network of girls education programs is key not just for the advancement of individual women, but also for the long-term advancement of societies. Being aware of opportunities outside ones immediate surroundings, especially if those surroundings are limited by lack of resources, can be extremely freeing. According to the Gates Foundation 2019 Goalkeepers report, the lack of access to education and jobs is destructive for everyone. It keeps women disempowered, limits their childrens life chances, and slows down economic growth.

The Summit also featured other Chicago leaders who stressed the creation of strong networks and equality in education. Among them, Obama Foundation Scholars, Aime Eubanks Davis and Dominique Jordan Turner, are founders of organizations that promote education and network creation. Ms. Davis, a 2018 Obama Fellow, is the CEO of Braven, an organization that works with universities and businesses to assist low-income, first-generation university students find employment post-graduation. Ms. Turner, a 2019 Obama Fellow, is the CEO of Chicago Scholars, a seven-year mentorship program that assists underprivileged Chicago youth in the college application process and subsequent employment search. Both Braven and Chicago Scholars are exemplary models of how organizations can provide disadvantaged students greater opportunities in the American educational system.

Many of the students that participate in the Chicago Scholars or Braven program have the talent and ambition to succeed, but lack networks to help them create and sustain a career and might otherwise fall through the cracks. The programs therefore closely mentor underprivileged students by leveraging a large network of support including college counselors, potential employers, and alumni. Ms. Davis stressed, referral networks are important in order to achieve career success. Simply having a college degree and talent is no longer fully sufficient for gainful employment in the American workforce that is the important lesson that these students are learning. Having the right skills through education is the first step but is much more effective when combined with a powerful support network.

We find a similar root cause with the lack of women representation in tech leadership and executive ranks: many women already have their foot in the door and are often highly educated but are often encountered with a glass ceiling. Organizations like Advancing Women in Product, Pink Innov, and the Operator Collective serve to stack the cards in the other direction: by creating opportunities where senior women can take a high-potential, rising leader under their wing. In a similar vein, these organizations are also creating communities and networks that encourage women to stay in the workforce and also introduce them to open leadership roles within the company as well as board seats for other companies.

The 2019 Obama Foundation Summit ultimately demonstrated that social change requires not just hard work, but also the creation and sustainment of networks. Girls Opportunity Alliance, Braven, and Chicago Scholars are important models that utilize networks to help women and minorities achieve their goals. Lets bridge the gap by building strong networks for ourselves and take our destiny into our own hands.

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Lessons From Michelle Obama And The 2019 Obama Foundation Summit: Empowering Communities Through Education - Forbes

In literature and pop culture, we often see women getting makeovers to meet standards for beauty and social status (think Cinderella, or Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries). In Eva Leigh's My Fake Rake, however, it's the quiet non-alpha hero who blossoms into a rake and sweeps the heroine off her feet.

Sebastian Holloway is an anthropologist who can recite facts at the drop of a hat, but suffers from social anxiety. He has a secret crush on his scientist friend Lady Grace Wyatt but feels he has nothing to offer a woman of her status. "Your world isn't my world. Never has been," he tells her at one point.

Whether or not that's true isn't the takeaway here, though. From the get-go, Leigh identifies the imbalance of power between Sebastian and Grace tipped in Grace's favor and it's gratifying to read about a heroine in a historical romance who wields some power over the hero.

For one, Grace has wealth and social status. Even when she struggles to get the attention of a fellow scientist, Mason, and recruits Sebastian to make him jealous, it's evident who wears the breeches in this friendship. Step one in turning Sebastian into a polished society rake? Teaming up with his friend the Duke of Rotherby to give him a makeover and etiquette lessons.

Grace convinces Sebastian to see the whole process as an anthropological study on how the upper crust lives. But of course, real feelings start to get in the way, for both of them. It's safe to say that Sebastian is pretty perfect for Grace; they've formed a kinship based on their shared academic fascinations and sense of displacement from London society. As expected in friends-to-lovers and fake relationship plots, they keep their feelings to themselves out of fear of rejection, to the extent that they pretend a steamy kiss was just that pretending. As a result, their romance (or lack thereof) stays on a low simmer throughout the book understandably so, as Grace is still attracted to Mason, at least until her feelings for Sebastian can't be denied anymore.

Now, the makeover romance can be controversial at times; everyone wants to be loved for who they are. But Leigh uses the trope to critique societal pressure and ultimately transforms it into a positive experience for her characters.

Rotherby and Grace's pedagogical approaches to grooming Sebastian speak volumes about how superficial their surroundings can be. "We're trying to impress London Society, and it doesn't care whether or not you feel any sense of personal fulfillment. It merely wants to know if you've got a carriage and a country estate," Rotherby scolds Sebastian when he resists the makeover.

The same quote applies to Grace in many ways, as she's forced to put herself on the marriage mart and meet social standards of femininity in order to be accepted. And still, her illustrious scientific career gets squashed under familial (and societal) pressure to settle down. "A burr of anger flared within her, that a woman could not exist in this world on her own," Grace laments after her father guilt-trips her into finding a suitor, thereby setting her fauxmance with Sebastian in motion. "She would always be subject to a man's munificence, always be less than because she'd been born a female."

While Leigh makes it clear how absurd those drastic plans for the fake relationship and makeover are, she also uses them to bolster Grace and Sebastian's self-confidence. For Grace, the fauxmance-at-first makes her feel wanted and more secure in herself, and for Sebastian, it helps him overcome his anxiety.

They may have started this journey as fish out of water, but by its end, Grace and Sebastian learn to be more amphibious joke intended. My Fake Rake is a feast of female empowerment, positive friendships, feel-good moments, and social satire. And as the first book in a series, it builds a delicious world you'll want to come back to hopefully because the delightful supporting characters will get their own stories next.

Kamrun Nesa is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Bustle, PopSugar, and HelloGiggles.

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'My Fake Rake' Turns The Makeover Trope On Its (Well-Coiffed) Head - Public Radio Tulsa

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 21,835 people identified as either Wiccan or Pagan in the 2016 census, but Wicca and witchcraft dont necessarily go hand in hand, and many who call themselves witches today especially young witches dont necessarily follow a Wiccan path. Instead, they make up their craft from a combination of the traditional practices that once saw their historical counterparts demonised, such as herbalism, nature worship, divination, tarot, crystals and spell work.

"I think young people are drawn to this 'think for yourself' type of religion where listening to your intuition and creating your own bespoke spirituality is empowering. For young women in particular, Wicca appeals for the gender equality that has been lacking in other monotheistic traditions," says Julia Knight, who calls herself a modern witch with a vintage aesthetic.

"I find that witchcraft is generally moving away from being a tool used to manipulate outcomes to a toolkit for self-empowerment and personal growth as a means of achieving meaningful goals."

For Brydie Kosmina, a researcher at the University of Adelaide, many are drawn to practice because the figure of the witch is so diverse and complex.

"She's a monster, a victim, an ordinary housewife, a mother, a powerful young woman coming of age all these things and more, all at once. That's a powerful and transgressive symbol for women trying to find their way in the world, and one that appeals on multiple levels we can be angry wicked witches, and powerful goddess healers, and confused teens, all at once."

'I, personally, feel a real sense of belonging,' says Julia Knight.

'Tamara', the high priestess of a coven on the south coast of NSW, has noticed the dramatic increase in the uptake in witchcraft amongst young people. As part of her role, she offers mentoring to those who lack support and guidance at home and believes that witchcraft offers a haven for the misunderstood and oppressed.

"Throughout history we see a rise in practice whenever political power reaches detrimental proportions," she says. "Those who are downtrodden are often drawn to it as a reclamation of personal power. Its the peoples magical revolution against the tyrants."

Her coven includes women, trans and non-binary members, and even a few men. They meet for coffee or tea on the new and full moon, and together they share their workings and practice divination.

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But, for many modern witches, such moon-based gatherings are a thing of the past. Instead, their practice takes place at personal altars, in bedrooms and online, where Facebook groups and the hashtags #Aussiewitches and #southernhemispherewitch unite the small but lively community of practitioners.

"I use Instagram as a platform to connect with like-minded people, says Julia, who blogs about her craft and vintage aesthetics at @_witchy_juju. "I dont meet in-person with any other witches. However, I actively engage online with witches worldwide. When used with purpose, Instagram's algorithms are effective in creating a community and I, personally, feel a real sense of belonging."

In Facebook groups, witches share tips and advice, post pictures of their altars and their favourite tools, and mentor and support one another. It is a safe space for those who feel they might be judged by those in their real-life communities.

It also allows southern hemisphere witches the chance to properly celebrate the eight seasonal sabbats of the witchs calendar. Beltane, the celebration of spring and fertility, is celebrated from the 31st of October to the 1st of November in the southern hemisphere, the same time that Samhain, where many Halloween traditions come from, is celebrated in the north.

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"I have found it lonely at times celebrating opposite seasonal themes to the Northern Hemisphere, of which the vast majority of witchy Instagram users seem to be," says Julia, who launched a Southern Hemisphere Instagram challenge and giveaway with her online friends to support each other in their Beltane celebrations.

Whether they take part in old school coven, or find their community online, ultimately, modern witchcraft is a personal and powerful way to develop confidence and self-love. As 2019 comes to a close, time will tell if the witch continues her meteoric rise into the next decade.

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Millennial women (and a few men) are rebooting ancient 'witchcraft' - Sydney Morning Herald

Hal Donaldson, founder of Convoy of Hope(Photo: Submitted by Convoy of Hope)

When Convoy of Hope founder Hal Donaldson was 12 years old, his father was hit and killed by an uninsured drunk driver.

"Subsequently, our family was forced to experience the shame of poverty," Donaldson said. "But we also saw firsthand the power of kindness. So many people reached out and helped us make ends meet."

Fast forward to adulthood, Donaldson said he was assigned to write a book for some missionaries in Kolkata, India. While there, his hosts took him to meet Mother Teresa.

"That day, she encouraged me to do 'the next kind thing in front of me,'" Donaldson said via email.

Donaldson said it was his personal experiencewith poverty and Mother Teresa's words that prompted himalong with friends and familyto start handing out groceries to working poor families in California in the early 1990s.

In 2018, Convoy of Hope distributed more than $129 million of product donated by the organization's generous partners. Photo taken at its headquarters in Springfield in 2018.(Photo: Submitted by Convoy of Hope)

And that generous actevolved into Convoy of Hope's Community Events, which still take place across the country today.

Now an international humanitarian-relief organization, Convoy of Hope celebrated its 25-year anniversary this year.

Through the years, Convoy of Hope has distributed over $1 billion infood and supplies to more than 115 million people in need, according to Convoy spokesperson Jeff Nene.

"Over the 25 years, we've engaged a little over 650,000 volunteers,"Nene said. "We've worked with 47,000 different partners, such as churches and organizations."

Convoy's IRS Form 990s also show evidence of that incredible growthin both revenue (contributions) and program expenses.

In 2002, the nonprofit reported $10 million in revenue and $8.9 million in program expenses.

'Fry Day': For Springfield-area family, Black Friday is for friendship and fried food

In 2017, Convoy reported nearly $175 million in revenue and nearly $144 million in program expenses. Administrative expenses were at 2.7 percent.

Charity Navigator has given Convoy of Hope its highest rating (four stars)for 16 consecutive years.

Charity Navigator, a nonprofit itself, is a national service that only evaluates organizations granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that file a Form 990.Thewatchdog organizationlooks at two data sources when evaluating a charity: the IRS Form 990 and the organization's website.

According to its website, Charity Navigator believes that there are two dimensions of a charitys operations that an intelligent giver needs to consider when selecting a charity to support: financial health, and accountability and transparency. The ratings show donors how efficiently a charity will use their support, how well it has sustained its programs and services over time, and their level of commitment to accountability and transparency.

"They (Charity Navigator) kind of set the benchmark for best practices," Nene said. "We look at what they are looking for, how do they define best practices, and we try to shoot for that."

"We want to do it right. We want to do it efficiently. And we want to do it effectively," he said."Transparency is huge. We are transparent as we can be."

Jeff Nene has been the spokesperson for Convoy of Hope since 2002. Prior to that, Nene volunteered with the nonprofit for six years.(Photo: Courtesy of Convoy of Hope)

Nene has been the nationalspokesperson for the organization since 2002.

Prior to that, Nene volunteered with Convoy for six years.

In those early days, Convoy of Hope's ministry was focused on the Community Events, which provide free services and goods to those in need.

"We thought we could help the most people in the shortest amount of time," Nene said, recalling theearly Community Events. "We want to give people a hand up rather than a handout. And that really intrigued me, even back then."

According to Nene, more than 10,000 people were served at that first Community Event in California.

"Looking back, we did so many things wrong logistically. But you learn as you go," he said. "We were really inventing what we do. Nobody else was doing it at the time."

What started as passing out groceries from the back of a pickup truck quickly grew into what are now known as Convoy of Hope Community Events.(Photo: Submitted by Convoy of Hope)

With the Community Events, Convoy of Hope partners with local churches, businesses, community serviceand health organizations to provide guests with groceries, health services, haircuts, family portraits, job services, veteran services, a kids zone, a hot meal, new childrens shoes, and much more. Approximately $1 million worth of goods and services are provided to the 5,000 to 10,000 guests who attend each event.

"They bring together the best a community has to offer," Nene said. "It's not Convoy coming in and doing everything. We come in with a very limited number of people.

"It's locally driven, locally run. We come in and provide the blueprint on how to do it, provide the experience and expertise and instruction. It's a one-day event but internally, you are building relationships between churches and community agencies and people in need."

In 1998, Convoy of Hope responded to its first disaster, the flooding in Del Rio, Texas, after Tropical Storm Charley.

Since then, the nonprofit hasresponded to hurricanes, typhoons, ice storms, earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfires, and floods in the U.S. and throughout the world.

"Between our international and our domestic disaster response teams, we've responded to over 375 disasters through the years," Nene said. "We've responded to 23 disasters this year alone. That is a record for us."

While Convoy is best known for international disaster relief, the organization started a children's feeding program in 2011 that currently feeds200,000 children in El Salvador, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Honduras, Haiti, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania.

"One of the things that contributes to poverty is lack of education," Nene said. "If we can feed kids in school, we have found that parents will send their kids to school. As long as they get them to school if that is the reason then great. Let's appeal to that reason."

"(If) your kids are getting an education, they are going to be less likely to fall back into poverty," he said. "That meal contributes to their education. We've seen in multiple countries, where parents have to make a choice: They are either going to send their kid to school or they are going to send them out to the street corner to beg or to the dump to scavenge."

The people who run the feeding programs are local, because Convoy of Hopewants to be sensitive to the culture, Nene said.

A farmer from Convoy of Hopes program cannot contain her joy as she prepares to sell her harvest at a local market. Photo taken in Tanzania in 2015.(Photo: Submitted by Convoy of Hope)

"We don't want to try to Americanize them," he said. "But yet we want to try to help them."

While much of thefood is donated to Convoy of Hope, the organization then supplements that by buying food produced in the country. This not only makes the program more sustainable but gives the food a local flair.

According to Nene, trying to create these sustainable food sources for the children's feeding program led to the development of Convoy of Hope's agriculture program.

The agriculture program was piloted in Haitifollowing the 2010 earthquake.

Nene said the idea was,rather than "just throwing food off a truck and leave,"to teach the local farmers better techniques.

Convoy hired Dr. Jason Streubel, who hasa Ph.D. in soil science, to go to Haiti and teach a group of about 30 farmers best practices and better techniques for growing rice.

Convoy then promisedto buy a certain percentage of the rice from the farmers for the children's feeding program. In return, the farmers contributed another 10 percent of their yield to the children's feeding program.

"It was successful. And that 30 (farmers) ended up growing to 300," Nene said. "We have now trained over 24,000 people in agriculture practices. That is continuing to grow. This past year was our biggest year ever. We trained over 6,000 people just this past year in 2018."

The numbers for 2019 are not yet available.

The flatbread known as injera is a staple of life in Ethiopia. Teru, a participant in the Womens Empowerment program, makes and sells this flatbread by the stack. Tanzania, 2016, Womens Empowerment.(Photo: Submitted by Convoy of Hope)

Another program associated withthe children's feeding program is Convoy's women's empowerment program, a job-training initiative for the mothers of thechildren served.

"We work with local churches in those countries because they know the community better than anybody," Nene said. "We identify women that really want to improve their situation."

"The first thing we do is teach them that they are worth something. They are not a piece of property," he said. "Then we take them through basic business principles."

Convoy then helps the women identify needs and business opportunities in their communities and help them put together a business plan.

Convoy gives the women "seed capital" to help start abusiness and follows up with them for that first year.

"It's almost like a mentoring-type program for that next year. And the success rate has been huge," Nene said. "We've had over 18,000 women go through that program."

To learn more about other Convoy of Hope programs orvolunteer opportunities here in Springfield, visitconvoyofhope.org.

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'A hand up rather than a hand out': Springfield-based Convoy of Hope celebrates 25 years - News-Leader

Patrons are honorary ambassadors who provide support by lending their name.

Royal charitable patronage adds status and provides vital publicity, according to the monarchys website. However, most of the UKs 200,000 charities function without a royal helping hand. While some claim that royal support stimulates wider giving and volunteering, its not possible to capture any specific added value of such connection.

The queen is a patron to more than 600 charities, good causes that have a combined donated income of around 1.5 billion. However, some donors will be unaware of her patronage, and many might be unmoved by her involvement. As research shows, most donors are driven by a personal connection to a cause.

But some evidence that a royal association helps charities stand out in a crowded and competitive sector, is found in the annual Charity Brand Index. Every year the index, which monitors awareness, trust and likelihood of donating, finds a disproportionate number of top charities feature the word royal in their title.

In 2019, three of the top ten enjoyed this mark of favour: the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Royal British Legion, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

This finding is probably the result of demographics. The most enthusiastic charity supporters are from the oldest age group who also display the highest level of enthusiasm for the monarchy. Unless younger generations become more enthusiastic royalists as they age, the royal effect on donations may decline.

Royal events

Further benefits for chosen charities include royal visits with staff, supporters and beneficiaries, as well as the opportunity to hold receptions at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences. They are also able to put a media spotlight on their cause especially important for those that otherwise struggle to attract positive attention. This was most notably seen with Princess Dianas patronage of organisations fighting the stigma of AIDS and the anti-landmine movement.

On the other hand, there are also costs to having charity patrons royal or otherwise. It takes time to manage these relationships that could be spent in other ways, such as directly nurturing high-value donors. Financial and opportunity costs in organising events, such as royal visits, must eventually make a return on that investment in the form of donations.

Annual fundratio studies, which compare the effectiveness of different forms of fundraising, show special events generate less than half the amounts raised through other fundraising channels such as legacies and committed giving. When a celebrity or royal patron falls out of public favour, potential reputational damage becomes an additional cost.

Regardless of the personal enthusiasms for the crown held by charity trustees (the nonprofit equivalent of the board) they are compelled to always act in the best interest of the charity. As such, they must make decisions, like cutting ties with toxic patrons or returning tainted donations.

Avoiding the attraction of a high-ranking royal

Those charities which calculate that royal patronage is an asset worth having, should resist the temptation to replace the Duke of York with the most prominent or high ranked royal they can get. Research shows that the most valuable celebrity patrons are not the most famous. Rather the ones that have a genuine connection with the cause and are therefore able to speak with moral authority on the issues being addressed.

Prince William and Prince Harrys support for causes working on child bereavement, mental health and injured veterans, all make sense in relation to their life experiences. Likewise, the Duchess of Sussex, has a clear long-standing commitment to female empowerment reflected in her first patronages.

Its also worth bearing in mind that the loss of royal patronage may hurt the royals more than those they patronise. As the constitutional role of the monarchy has declined, a historical study argued that the royal family has successfully reinvented itself as fundraisers and cheerleaders for voluntary action. On any given day, the royal diary and the itineraries of overseas tours clearly shows the work of royals is dominated by visits to charitable organisations.

While some members of the firm, such as the Princess Royal, attract praise for being hardworking, her less industrious relatives may need charity more than charity needs them.

Beth Breeze, Director, Centre for Philanthropy, University of Kent

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Image: Reuters

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Hundreds of Britain's Charities Are About to Become Victims of the Epstein Scandal - The National Interest Online