National Council of Negro Women
http://www.ncnw.org/
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[Return to Index of Expertise] Last updated 07/24/01
Contact Information:
633 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-737-0120
Fax: 202-737-0476
CENTER DESCRIPTION
The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a voluntary nonprofit membership organization helping women of African descent to improve the quality of life for themselves, their families and communities. NCNW works through advocacy and community-based programming in the United States, Egypt, Senegal and Zimbabwe. Through its national affiliated constituency-based organizations and 250 community-based sections, NCNW has an outreach to four million women. It has Consultative Status at the United Nations.
AREA(S) OF EXPERTISE
AIDS and STDS prevention and training; community service; cultural, racial and ethnic diversity; economic development; economic and social status of women; education; family; girls and adolescents; global issues; grants and scholarships; health and health care; human rights; leadership and leadership development; mentoring; philanthropy; volunteerism.
RECENT PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES
The Bethune Program Development Center (BPDC) serves as a resource to increase the capacity of communities, to address the multiple needs facing African American families, and to effectively link families with neighborhood and community services. The Center provides technical assistance and training; public information and advocacy; and development of partnerships and collaborations in three core issue areas (health, education, and community life).
The Economic and Entrepreneurial Development Center provides women with technical assistance to establish and maintain businesses and encourage economic development as a means of combating women's poverty.
The International Development Center (IDC) was established to develop social, cultural, academic, and economic partnerships with women's organizations in Africa. NCNW's collective experiences have afforded African and African American women the opportunity to work together to improve the quality of life for women, their families, and their communities.
The Research, Public Policy and Information Center will be the premier information catalyst to gather, initiate and disseminate information to empower African American women and stimulate advocacy to improve the quality of life for themselves, their families and communities.
The Dorothy I. Height Leadership Institute has been established as a leadership development center for emerging and established African American women leaders in national and community organizations, on college campuses, and other public and private sector institutions.
Girls and Adolescents
Mentoring
The BPDC has developed a number of initiatives to maximize the personal, emotional and academic growth and development of African American children through the recognition of the fundamental importance of education. Two major initiatives focus on parental involvement and mentoring.
Parental Involvement. NCNW supports and promotes National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) held on the second Monday in February.
Mentoring. The national headquarters recruits and trains mentors to assist students with their educational, personal and social development at two public schools in Washington, DC. The students are part of the Saturday Academy of the University of District of Columbia, a pre-college program focusing on engineering, mathematics and computer science.
Black Family Reunion Celebration. Created in 1986 by noted Civil Rights leader and NCNW President Dorothy I. Height, the Black Family Reunion Celebration is an outdoor, cultural event which brings families, communities, corporations, and government agencies together to focus on the historic strengths and traditional values of the Black family. It has been hailed as the nation's largest and most significant family movement, attracting more than one million attendees annually all over the country.
Egypt: Improving Civil Society. NCNW works with Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) that are registered with USAID and Egyptian authorities to improve PVO development. These non-profit, voluntary organizations provide vital services that impact the quality of life of the poor and encourage self-help activities. As the result of a pilot project, NCNW has been managing an Umbrella Management Institute to help develop the capacity of PVOs in Egypt. In October 1999, the NCNW Egypt office hosted a conference titled "Cradle of Civilization and the New Millennium: Citizen Participation in the Decision-Making." This symposium enabled non-governmental organizations in Egypt to discuss issues related to social development problems and their role in helping to solve these problems through the active participation of community members.
Senegal: Achieving Sustainable Development. The NCNW West Africa Regional Office (WARO) collaborates with many local organizations to implement programs that improve the quality of life for families and communities in both rural and urban areas in Senegal. In 1998, WARO's rural development work with the village of Dal Diam was selected as an example of sustainable development and honored with a visit from President Bill Clinton during his tour of Africa. In collaboration with the Federation of Associations of Senegalese Women (FAFS), FAFS operates three micro-credit offices in three different countries throughout Senegal.
Excellence in Teaching Awards Program (EITA). The purpose of this program is to honor the contributions of outstanding teachers of African American youth and to recognize excellence in the teaching profession. Since NCNW initiated the EITA program in 1990, we have honored sixty-three stellar educators who work tirelessly to instill "a thirst for education" in African American students. Each year a national panel of judges selects one national winner and six regional winners to be honored in ceremonies held as part of NCNW's national and regional Black Family Reunion Celebrations. Each regional winner is presented a cash award of $1,200, a specially designed crystal sculpture, a certificate of recognition and a plaque to be displayed at the teacher's school. In addition to the sculpture, certificate and plaque, the national winner receives a cash award of $5,000.
NCNW's health programs respond to critical health issues affecting African American women and their families. Through programs such as the NCNW Women's Health Initiative; the HIV/STD Prevention Initiative; the National Cancer Prevention Awareness Initiative; the National Demonstration Drug Prevention Program and the Health Protection and Reproductive Health Initiative, NCNW has formed the linkages and established the collaborative relationships that will ensure improvement in the health status of African American families throughout the country.
PUBLICATIONS
Sisters Newsletter. This quarterly newsletter provides members with information on the center's activities and other items of interest to the African American community.
Voices of Vision: African American Women on the Issues (1996). Compiled by the National Council of Negro Women, this book presents the many voices of African American women on issues related to the work of the National Centers for African American Women. These authors' authoritative and informed words of wisdom and knowledge illuminate the issues facing African American women -- and give our view on how these issues will impact the present and future of ourselves, our families and our communities here and abroad.
Fact Sheets
FACTS ON: The Health Status of African American Women. NCNW (1997).
Healthy Living and Safe Self-Medication Tips for African American Women and their Families. NCNW (1993).
The Impact of HIV/AIDS and STDs on African American Women. NCNW (1997).
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