![\"\"](\"https:\/\/womennc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_1218-scaled.png\")
<\/div><\/div><\/div>History and Purpose<\/h1><\/div>WomenNC was founded in 2009 in Raleigh, North Carolina<\/h1><\/div>by Beth Dehghan<\/a> an Iranian-born activist with experience mobilizing to create change by making connections between women\u2019s human rights violations that occur on the local and global levels.
WomenNC programming trains, educates, and advocates for policies that improve the lives of women and girls. In 2018, WomenNC embarked on a fruitful collaboration with RTI International\u2019s Global Gender Center that has enriched its leadership training program. Under the direction of Dr. Wendee Wechsberg<\/a>, the Gender Center provides individual \u201cfemtors,\u201d what we call mentors, to each WomenNC scholar.<\/p>\nTogether scholars craft their own research project that not only explores instances of gender disparity, but also provides public policy solutions to improve the status quo, ensuring an engaged research project with a practical purpose. Scholars\u2019 work serves as the basis for WomenNC\u2019s advocacy efforts to effect change locally and globally. Since its inception, WomenNC has directly impacted over 20,000 change agents including legislators, policymakers, community leaders, students, and community at large through annual seminars, workshops, events, personal meetings and panel discussions in North Carolina and at the United Nations annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
What We Do<\/h1><\/div>WomenNC Scholars Program<\/h1><\/div>We train youth to rigorously investigate instances of gender disparity and inequality in North Carolina communities.<\/p>\n
In 2009, we established the prestigious WomenNC Scholars Program, a leadership training program that has trained 61 university students from UNC-CH, Duke, NC State, NC Central, UNC-Greensboro, Shaw University, Meredith College, and Bennett College to conduct research on the status of women in North Carolina and to formulate policy and budget recommendations that address issues of gender inequity.<\/p>\n
WomenNC has changed the way that underrepresented students are trained in high school computer science courses in the Durham Public School system, ensuring that they will be better prepared for high-demand, high-income careers in technology. Amy Jiang, a 2018-19 WomenNC scholar from Duke, successfully proposed to the district superintendent the creation of professional learning communities (PLCs) for computer science teachers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/womennc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_1679-3.png\" "\\"IMG_1679")
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<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>What We Do<\/h1><\/div>Community Education<\/h1><\/div>We are advocates for gender equity in local, state, and international arenas. Armed with their research and recommendations, our scholars present their findings to and advocate in front of local elected officials, community members, and international officials and activists at the United Nations\u2019 annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to improve the lives of women and girls.<\/p>\n
We have spearheaded the Cities and Counties for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) movement in North Carolina, which seeks to enshrine principles of gender equity into local political deliberative processes. In 2017 and 2018, Durham County and the city of Durham, respectively, created sustainable mechanisms for ensuring gender equity by requiring them to evaluate their programs and budgets annually to ensure that each addresses barriers to equality faced by women.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
What We Do<\/h1><\/div>Gender Equity Advocates<\/h1><\/div>Our programming brings experts in the field in content areas of specific interest to women, including sexual assault, human trafficking, the status of the Equal Right Amendment, and voting access, to our constituency. This helps them understand the need for continued activism and advocacy on behalf of women and girls.<\/p>\n
Critical Conversations: WomenNC and You can Vote<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations Pt. I: Sexual Assault Awareness and Resources in the Pandemic<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations Pt. 2 Sex Trafficking<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: The Equal Rights Amendment in NC<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: LGBTQ+ Healthcare Access<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: Roe v. Wade in Jeopardy – Reproductive Healthcare in NC<\/b><\/span> <\/a>
Critical Conversations: Substance Use through a Gender Lens<\/b> <\/a>
Critical Conversations: Gun Violence Against Women<\/b><\/a>
And More!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/womennc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screen-Shot-2025-05-19-at-7.07.37-PM.png\" "\\"Screen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Affiliates<\/h1><\/div>Our Community<\/h1><\/div>In addition to our collaboration with RTI International\u2019s Global Gender Center, we partner with various organizations, departments, units, and schools within North Carolina to move our mission forward. These include:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/a><\/span>![](\"https:\/\/womennc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/623b488326a3f92b38ed6c9a_rtpcollective-451x300-1.jpg\" "\\"623b488326a3f92b38ed6c9a_rtpcollective-451×300\\"")
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<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
WomenNC was founded in 2009 in Raleigh, North Carolina<\/h1><\/div>by Beth Dehghan<\/a> an Iranian-born activist with experience mobilizing to create change by making connections between women\u2019s human rights violations that occur on the local and global levels.
WomenNC programming trains, educates, and advocates for policies that improve the lives of women and girls. In 2018, WomenNC embarked on a fruitful collaboration with RTI International\u2019s Global Gender Center that has enriched its leadership training program. Under the direction of Dr. Wendee Wechsberg<\/a>, the Gender Center provides individual \u201cfemtors,\u201d what we call mentors, to each WomenNC scholar.<\/p>\nTogether scholars craft their own research project that not only explores instances of gender disparity, but also provides public policy solutions to improve the status quo, ensuring an engaged research project with a practical purpose. Scholars\u2019 work serves as the basis for WomenNC\u2019s advocacy efforts to effect change locally and globally. Since its inception, WomenNC has directly impacted over 20,000 change agents including legislators, policymakers, community leaders, students, and community at large through annual seminars, workshops, events, personal meetings and panel discussions in North Carolina and at the United Nations annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
What We Do<\/h1><\/div>WomenNC Scholars Program<\/h1><\/div>We train youth to rigorously investigate instances of gender disparity and inequality in North Carolina communities.<\/p>\n
In 2009, we established the prestigious WomenNC Scholars Program, a leadership training program that has trained 61 university students from UNC-CH, Duke, NC State, NC Central, UNC-Greensboro, Shaw University, Meredith College, and Bennett College to conduct research on the status of women in North Carolina and to formulate policy and budget recommendations that address issues of gender inequity.<\/p>\n
WomenNC has changed the way that underrepresented students are trained in high school computer science courses in the Durham Public School system, ensuring that they will be better prepared for high-demand, high-income careers in technology. Amy Jiang, a 2018-19 WomenNC scholar from Duke, successfully proposed to the district superintendent the creation of professional learning communities (PLCs) for computer science teachers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>What We Do<\/h1><\/div>Community Education<\/h1><\/div>We are advocates for gender equity in local, state, and international arenas. Armed with their research and recommendations, our scholars present their findings to and advocate in front of local elected officials, community members, and international officials and activists at the United Nations\u2019 annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to improve the lives of women and girls.<\/p>\n
We have spearheaded the Cities and Counties for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) movement in North Carolina, which seeks to enshrine principles of gender equity into local political deliberative processes. In 2017 and 2018, Durham County and the city of Durham, respectively, created sustainable mechanisms for ensuring gender equity by requiring them to evaluate their programs and budgets annually to ensure that each addresses barriers to equality faced by women.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
What We Do<\/h1><\/div>Gender Equity Advocates<\/h1><\/div>Our programming brings experts in the field in content areas of specific interest to women, including sexual assault, human trafficking, the status of the Equal Right Amendment, and voting access, to our constituency. This helps them understand the need for continued activism and advocacy on behalf of women and girls.<\/p>\n
Critical Conversations: WomenNC and You can Vote<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations Pt. I: Sexual Assault Awareness and Resources in the Pandemic<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations Pt. 2 Sex Trafficking<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: The Equal Rights Amendment in NC<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: LGBTQ+ Healthcare Access<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: Roe v. Wade in Jeopardy – Reproductive Healthcare in NC<\/b><\/span> <\/a>
Critical Conversations: Substance Use through a Gender Lens<\/b> <\/a>
Critical Conversations: Gun Violence Against Women<\/b><\/a>
And More!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Affiliates<\/h1><\/div>Our Community<\/h1><\/div>In addition to our collaboration with RTI International\u2019s Global Gender Center, we partner with various organizations, departments, units, and schools within North Carolina to move our mission forward. These include:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
by Beth Dehghan<\/a> an Iranian-born activist with experience mobilizing to create change by making connections between women\u2019s human rights violations that occur on the local and global levels. Together scholars craft their own research project that not only explores instances of gender disparity, but also provides public policy solutions to improve the status quo, ensuring an engaged research project with a practical purpose. Scholars\u2019 work serves as the basis for WomenNC\u2019s advocacy efforts to effect change locally and globally. Since its inception, WomenNC has directly impacted over 20,000 change agents including legislators, policymakers, community leaders, students, and community at large through annual seminars, workshops, events, personal meetings and panel discussions in North Carolina and at the United Nations annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> We train youth to rigorously investigate instances of gender disparity and inequality in North Carolina communities.<\/p>\n In 2009, we established the prestigious WomenNC Scholars Program, a leadership training program that has trained 61 university students from UNC-CH, Duke, NC State, NC Central, UNC-Greensboro, Shaw University, Meredith College, and Bennett College to conduct research on the status of women in North Carolina and to formulate policy and budget recommendations that address issues of gender inequity.<\/p>\n WomenNC has changed the way that underrepresented students are trained in high school computer science courses in the Durham Public School system, ensuring that they will be better prepared for high-demand, high-income careers in technology. Amy Jiang, a 2018-19 WomenNC scholar from Duke, successfully proposed to the district superintendent the creation of professional learning communities (PLCs) for computer science teachers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> We are advocates for gender equity in local, state, and international arenas. Armed with their research and recommendations, our scholars present their findings to and advocate in front of local elected officials, community members, and international officials and activists at the United Nations\u2019 annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to improve the lives of women and girls.<\/p>\n We have spearheaded the Cities and Counties for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) movement in North Carolina, which seeks to enshrine principles of gender equity into local political deliberative processes. In 2017 and 2018, Durham County and the city of Durham, respectively, created sustainable mechanisms for ensuring gender equity by requiring them to evaluate their programs and budgets annually to ensure that each addresses barriers to equality faced by women.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Our programming brings experts in the field in content areas of specific interest to women, including sexual assault, human trafficking, the status of the Equal Right Amendment, and voting access, to our constituency. This helps them understand the need for continued activism and advocacy on behalf of women and girls.<\/p>\n Critical Conversations: WomenNC and You can Vote<\/b><\/a> In addition to our collaboration with RTI International\u2019s Global Gender Center, we partner with various organizations, departments, units, and schools within North Carolina to move our mission forward. These include:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
WomenNC programming trains, educates, and advocates for policies that improve the lives of women and girls. In 2018, WomenNC embarked on a fruitful collaboration with RTI International\u2019s Global Gender Center that has enriched its leadership training program. Under the direction of Dr. Wendee Wechsberg<\/a>, the Gender Center provides individual \u201cfemtors,\u201d what we call mentors, to each WomenNC scholar.<\/p>\nWhat We Do<\/h1><\/div>
WomenNC Scholars Program<\/h1><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>What We Do<\/h1><\/div>
Community Education<\/h1><\/div>
What We Do<\/h1><\/div>
Gender Equity Advocates<\/h1><\/div>
Critical Conversations Pt. I: Sexual Assault Awareness and Resources in the Pandemic<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations Pt. 2 Sex Trafficking<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: The Equal Rights Amendment in NC<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: LGBTQ+ Healthcare Access<\/b><\/a>
Critical Conversations: Roe v. Wade in Jeopardy – Reproductive Healthcare in NC<\/b><\/span> <\/a>
Critical Conversations: Substance Use through a Gender Lens<\/b> <\/a>
Critical Conversations: Gun Violence Against Women<\/b><\/a>
And More!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Affiliates<\/h1><\/div>
Our Community<\/h1><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/womennc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/623b488326a3f9c69eed6c99_PFLAG_Charlotte_ThinOmbre-1.png\" "\\"623b488326a3f9c69eed6c99_PFLAG_Charlotte_ThinOmbre-1\\"")
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