PRI launches Across Women's Lives, a groundbreaking multi-media and engagement initiative to increase knowledge about the power of women

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Public Radio International (PRI) today announces Across Women's Lives, an ambitious 18-month long, multi-platform journalism and engagement initiative. The effort will reach over 65 million public radio users, millennials and women and will reveal, through in-depth reporting and engagement efforts, the strong connection between the empowerment of women and girls, and economic development and improved health around the world. The content for Across Women's Lives will be featured within PRI's The World^® and on pri.org, and is funded in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Enterprise reporting from Across Women's Lives will focus on five stages of women's lives: infancy, childhood, adolescence, middle age and old age. By highlighting the personal stories of women in Africa and India (regions of the world which are under-covered in the broader news cycle), the initiative will build empathy and inspire action, demonstrate how women are critical to shaping the future, and bring to light current efforts by women that are leading to progress in medical care, health outcomes and economic development.

In addition to reporting, Across Women's Lives will also test and develop new approaches that combine journalism and engagement including facilitating content co-creation with the public through video mini-documentaries, launching data comparison tools, and testing and building action 'toolkits' to support people to do and learn more about the topics covered. These activities will allow people to add their voices and experiences, and help women see how their lives compare to those of women like them around the world, and women in different stages of life in their own communities.  

Alisa Miller, CEO and President of PRI, said, "PRI leads by telling powerful stories and providing opportunities for people to connect to the stories and to each other; Across Women's Lives is the latest example of this work. Current coverage of women and girls is woefully inadequate and the opportunity to interact with and participate in content creation can be greater. With this effort, we will increase reporting, and prototype and implement new forms of engagement around our journalism that will build a further personal connection between users, stories and one another. We are thrilled to launch this initiative to help people see how powerful women can be."

PRI will amplify its efforts through partnerships and collaborations with national and global organizations. Editorial partners including All Africa, Global Voices and the BBC World Service will republish Across Women's Lives coverage and increase the reach of the content.

Across Women's Lives is also PRI's 2014 Commitment to Action for the Clinton Global Initiative. PRI will enhance opportunities to collaborate with NGOs and other collaborators to build public awareness and discussion around the facts and the stories uncovered and told as part of this initiative.  

About PRI:
Public Radio International is creating a more informed, empathetic and connected world by sharing powerful stories, encouraging exploration, and connecting people and cultures. By building a deeper awareness and understanding of the world's peoples, conditions, issues and events, we help others form their own opinions, share their knowledge and creativity, and take informed actions on issues that matter to them.

Partnering with public media's most talented producers and hosts, we offer distinctly global voices on "PRI's The World®" and CBC shows like "As it Happens" and "Q with Jian Ghomeshi." We cultivate conversations representing diverse viewpoints on "The Takeaway," "To the Point," and "The Tavis Smiley Show," as well as on pri.org and through our collection of podcasts, SoundWorks from PRI.  We present voices of culture, contemporary life and artistry on "Studio 360®" from PRI and WNYC and "WireTap." PRI's content is available on almost 900 public radio stations nationwide, at www.pri.org, and through podcasts and digital platforms.

About the Clinton Global Initiative:
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 2,900 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries.

CONTACT: Julia Yager, PRI, 612.330.9231, [email protected]

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SOURCE Public Radio International