Midcoast-based organization to host women’s empowerment conference – The Portland Press Herald

Event Overview and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

A conference titled “In Her Words” will be held on November 8th in Yarmouth, organized by the Bath/Woolwich-based entity weHeroines. The event is structured to support the advancement of women through storytelling workshops, inspirational talks, and networking opportunities. The conference’s framework and objectives demonstrate a strong alignment with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on gender equality, economic growth, and quality education.

Core Objectives and Contribution to SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

The primary mission of the conference is to empower women, a goal that is central to SDG 5 (Gender Equality). The event aims to achieve this through two key initiatives: fostering leadership through narrative and providing direct economic support.

Empowerment Through Narrative and Leadership

The conference programming is designed to help women reframe their personal stories to unlock potential and assume leadership roles in their lives and communities. This directly supports SDG Target 5.5, which calls for women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership.

• Keynote speaker Lael Couper Jepson will deliver a talk focused on moving from hesitation to action and self-expression.
• Presenters Margo Walsh, Phyllis Blackstone, and Margaret Jones will lead sessions on viewing life experiences as a source of purpose and strength.
• The event’s founder, Susanna Liller, emphasizes the goal of positioning women as the “heroine” of their own story, rather than as supporting characters.

The Leap Grant: A Catalyst for Economic Empowerment

A significant component of the event is the $1,000 Leap Grant, awarded to an attendee to facilitate a key step toward a personal or professional goal. This initiative provides direct seed funding for female-led endeavors, contributing to key development targets.

1. SDG 5 (Gender Equality): The grant promotes women’s economic empowerment by providing access to financial resources for launching a business, project, or creative work.
2. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): By funding new ventures, the grant fosters entrepreneurship and contributes to sustainable economic growth.

Broader Impact on Sustainable Development

Beyond its primary focus on gender equality, the conference contributes to other critical SDGs, including education, economic opportunity, and reduced inequalities.

Promoting Lifelong Learning (SDG 4)

The day-long event serves as a platform for continued personal and professional development. The workshops and talks provide valuable learning opportunities outside of formal education systems, aligning with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and its emphasis on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Fostering Economic Opportunity and Reducing Inequality (SDG 8 & SDG 10)

By equipping women with tools for courage, connection, and purpose, the conference indirectly addresses SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Empowering women to pursue their ambitions helps mitigate systemic disadvantages and promotes a more equitable distribution of opportunity. This empowerment is a critical driver for the inclusive and sustainable economic growth outlined in SDG 8.

Organizational Mission and Call for Partnerships (SDG 17)

weHeroines’ Commitment to Women’s Advancement

The organizing body, weHeroines, was founded by Susanna Liller to apply strategic principles, formerly used to advise Fortune 500 companies, to help women navigate their futures and achieve their goals. The organization’s mission to empower women at all career stages is a sustained effort toward achieving the gender equality targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

A Call for Community and Business Partnerships

The conference extends an invitation for sponsorship to local businesses, creating a mechanism for public-private collaboration. This approach embodies the spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), which encourages and promotes effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article focuses on an event, “In Her Words,” and an organization, “weHeroines,” exclusively dedicated to the empowerment of women. The core mission is to help women “rediscover purpose, courage, and connection,” “step boldly into their own power,” and become the “heroine” of their own story. This directly aligns with the overarching goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The conference provides a “$1,000 Leap Grant” as “seed money” for an attendee to launch a business, write a book, or start a project. This initiative directly supports entrepreneurship and the creation of economic opportunities for women, contributing to productive employment and economic growth.

3. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The event is described as a “day-long storytelling conference” that includes “inspiring talks” and “storytelling workshops.” This represents a form of non-formal education and lifelong learning aimed at building skills. The organization weHeroines helps women learn “how to be strategic and successfully navigate the future,” which are valuable skills for personal and professional development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The conference’s call for women to “rise,” “step boldly into their own power,” and not be “side characters” is a direct effort to foster leadership and full participation in their personal and professional lives. The organization’s goal to help women “move along the path toward their goals” supports this target.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation… including through access to financial services. The “$1,000 Leap Grant” is a clear example of providing access to financial services (seed money) to encourage entrepreneurship and the growth of a micro-enterprise or creative project.

3. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The conference and its workshops provide women with skills in self-expression, strategic thinking, and personal development (“how to be strategic and successfully navigate the future”), which are relevant for entrepreneurship and advancing their careers.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

   • Number of women participating in empowerment initiatives: The article mentions that “Women from across Maine and beyond will gather,” implying a measurable number of participants in an event designed to promote their empowerment and leadership.
   • Existence of organizations promoting women’s empowerment: The article highlights the role of “weHeroines,” a “Bath/Woolwich-based organization” whose existence serves as an indicator of local efforts to support women.

2. For SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

   • Financial resources provided for female entrepreneurs: The article explicitly mentions the “$1,000 Leap Grant,” a tangible financial resource. The number and value of such grants are direct indicators.
   • Number of women-led businesses or projects initiated: The grant is given to an attendee “ready to take a bold next step toward her dream, whether it’s launching a business, writing a book, starting a project.” The number of such ventures created is an implied indicator of the program’s success.

3. For SDG 4 (Quality Education)

   • Number of participants in non-formal education and training: The number of women attending the conference and participating in the “storytelling workshops” serves as an indicator of engagement in lifelong learning activities focused on entrepreneurship and personal development skills.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: pressherald.com