Women's Leadership Blog

Explore I.M.O.W.'s Economica: Women and the Global Economy

The International Museum of Women (I.M.O.W.) recently launched Economica: Women and the Global Economy, its latest multimedia exhibition, which surveys the economic status of women worldwide from countries like India, China, Latin America to Egypt and here in the United States. Through engaging essays and photos, the show explores myriad themes, such as new visions, basic rights, family and fertility, giving, marriage and money, property and wealth, grassroots solutions, as well as business leadership and microenterprise.

Along with exceptional interviews and podcasts by women leaders, scholars, activists, economists, and writers, such as I.M.O.W. Global Council member Delores Huerta and Nobel Peace Nominee Rajaa H. Dhaher Al-Khuzai, Curator Masum Momaya adds depth to each series with her insightful thoughts on why each topic is relevant to women's present and future roles in the global economy. Her essay on The Body Economic, for example, is a brilliant piece exploring how public policy and personal choices affect women's lives.  

Change is needed everywhere, and due to vast financial, political, and social shifts, Economica is not only timely, but riveting. The sections on business leadership in Qatar and microenterprise in Latin America are particularly motivating in regard to women not only participating in the workforce, but reshaping it to suit their needs and better their lives.

In a recent Women's eNews update focusing on women issues throughout the world, California's own need to empower more women in the boardroom was cited. As reported by The Los Angeles Business article "Women Still Largely Absent in California Boardrooms," the Graduate School of Management at the University of California Davis shared that "companies with women in top positions perform better and are more socially responsible, but there are few women in California corporate executive suites and board rooms. Women hold only 10.6 percent of the top management and board positions in California's largest 400 firms, down from 10.9 percent in 2008. Forty-six percent of the companies have no female executives."

In addition to Economica's curated content, the exhibition features the stories, artwork, music, and films submitted by I.M.O.W.'s online community members. According to I.M.O.W, "Every woman participates in the economy, but we all have different stories to tell."