Cakes with a Conscience currently supports the following organizations through direct donations (updated from 5/2013):
The Malala Fund
Room to Read
Wellesley Centers for Women
InterAct (Wake County, NC)
Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
Urban Ministries of Wake County (The Helen Wright Center for Women)
Violence against women has a ripple effect that has an impact on the welfare of their children and families, the social and economic well-being their communities, and even regional and global peace. Education is a protective factor not just for girls, but for their families and communities. Here are some facts you might not know:
- "It's no coincidence that so many of the counties that threaten regional and global peace are the very places where women and girls are deprived of dignity and opportunity" (Hillary Clinton, at the 2013 4th Annual "Women in the World" Summit)
- 60% of the world's working women are poor. (Wellelsey Centers for Women)
- Violence against women (particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence) are major public health problems and violations of women's human rights. (World Health Organization)
- A WHO multi-country study found that between 15-71% of women aged 15- 49 years reported physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. (World Health Organization)
- These forms of violence can result in physical, mental, sexual, reproductive health and other health problems, and may increase vulnerability to HIV. (World Health Organization)
- Risk factors for being a victim of intimate partner and sexual violence include low education, witnessing violence between parents, exposure to abuse during childhood and attitudes accepting violence and gender inequality. (World Health Organization)
- Risk factors for being a perpetrator also include low education, past exposure to child maltreatment or witnessing violence in the family, harmful use of alcohol, attitudes accepting of violence and gender inequality. (World Health Organization)
- "Through hate-filled actions, extremists have shown what frightens them most: a girl with a book!" (Malala Yousafzai)
- In high-income settings, school-based programs to prevent relationship violence among young people (or dating violence) have been shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of abuse. (World Health Organization)
- Children who grow up in families where there is violence may suffer a range of behavioral and emotional disturbances that are associated with perpetuating or experiencing violence later in life. (World Health Organization)
- Children exposed to partner violence also suffer diseases such as malnutrition and have higher rates of infant death. (World Health Organization)
- The social and economic costs of partner and sexual violence have a high social and economic cost: as women suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages, and limited ability to care for themselves and their children. (World Health Organization)