The major
work of the Rights and Social Justice program is to help improve
intergroup relations and enhance opportunities for historically
disadvantaged or otherwise vulnerable groups both in the United
States and abroad. These two initiatives are closely entwined, for
gross inequalities in socioeconomic status and opportunities
diminish the abilities of many such groups to contribute to the
common good. Underlying every grant is a commitment to strengthen
institutions and leaders serving the disadvantaged and to amplify
their voices in the policy-making realm. In the United States, the
Foundation is particularly interested in helping women, members of
racial and ethnic minorities, new immigrants, and the poor. In the
developing world, Foundation support enables members of comparable
groups to participate more fully in society and improve their
prospects for better lives.
In 1992 the
Foundation granted $32.6 million for projects in Rights and Social
Justice. Selected examples are described below.
Women
Recognizing
that more than half of the world's people are female and that
unfairness to women is deeply entrenched, the Foundation supports
litigation, advocacy, and educational activities designed to remove
legal barriers and customs that keep women from exercising their
rights and fulfilling their potential in society. Because
reproductive health issues play a central role in the life of many
women, the Foundation also supports activities to help women shape
public policies in this area. The Foundation funds research on work
and family policies in order to improve the quality and
availability of choices and resources to women in the work force.
Combating violence against women is also a growing interest, and
the Foundation supports educational efforts to deter such behavior
and to promote respect for women's security and health.
Organizations
in the United States that received grants this year to strengthen
women's rights and opportunities included the National Women's Law
Center, the Families and Work Institute, and the Family Violence
Prevention Fund. Among grantees in developing countries were the
Office for the Defense of the Rights of Women in Peru, the
International Federation of Women Lawyers in Nigeria, and the
Women's Legal Bureau in the Philippines.
Minorities, Refugees, and
Immigrants
The
Foundation has a longstanding interest in expanding opportunities
for historically disadvantaged people. Encouraging members of
minority groups to participate in the political process, for
example, was the basis for several grants in 1992. Related efforts
receiving Foundation support included non-partisan voter education
and registration services, initiatives to enforce the Voting Rights
Act, and efforts to help government at all levels become more
responsive to the nation's increasingly diverse population.
The
Foundation continues to place a premium on the enforcement of U.S.
civil rights laws and policies aimed at eliminating discrimination
based upon race or national origin in such areas as access to
housing, employment, and public benefits.
Given the
longstanding leadership and social and educational services
African-American churches have provided, the Foundation seeks to
disseminate information