PIE - the power of sharing ideas

Once a month we meet as members of PIE to put our heads and hearts together on issues related to our work together in this, our global community of World Pulse. In our recent March meeting we began by exploring ways to expand ease of communication and information sharing as our collaboration grows, forming interconnected subgroups . This system enables easier collaboration, efficient information storage, and improved accessibility across different work areas.

Members who attended the UN CSW updated the group on the Beijing declaration which was agreed to by member states in attendance, signifying a re-commitment to Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action thirty years later. PIE will be establishing a task group to discuss the benefits and possibilities of World Pulse applying for ECOSOC accreditation and to explore possibilities of having more women attend CSW sessions in the future. ECOSOC promotes economic, social, and environmental sustainability, fosters global debate, and coordinates efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals.

A major topic of discussion was the persistent challenge of funding, particularly the societal expectation that women work without financial support. Given recent cuts in USAID funding, we examined how this lack of financial resources hinders grassroots initiatives. There was a strong consensus on sustainable funding solutions for individual members and the World Pulse organization. Additionally, we stressed the importance of ensuring new members can quickly discover and join World Pulse.

We reviewed the existing task groups and explored ways to enhance our community group system. One key proposal was creating a task group to identify funding sources and potential grant writers. This initiative aims to provide structured support for members seeking financial assistance.

Further discussions on the use of WhatsApp led to new subgroups aligned with different areas of work. These subgroups will facilitate better communication, streamline collaboration, and ensure ongoing member engagement.

With the evolving nature of our PIE - Powershift Inclusive Excellence, we agreed that members would continue to be selected based on their experience and skills, recognizing  the importance of representation of members living with disabilities. Priority will be given to active and committed members recently interested in joining.

We concluded the meeting with gratitude for members' strong sense of community and shared vision. Our collective commitment to change remains steadfast, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together toward meaningful progress on a global scale.