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How does the National Congress work?

Top level Overview

The USWCC National Congress on the Economic Advancement of Women is a coordinated effort of individuals and organizations working together towards the advancement of specific strategic actions aimed at advancing the economic status and advancement of women. 

The U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce is the organizer of the National Congress. However, the National Congress participants include individuals as well as national and local groups. These groups may be existing organizations or associations, or they may be formations brought together by local leaders for the purpose of advancing our strategic objectives. 

A cornerstone of the National Congress will be the reporting of progress and failures to provide a source of unbiased truth regarding the economic advancement of women.

Launching the National Congress

Engage: Reach out to women and leaders across the U.S. to be part of the new women's economic movement.

Launch: On November 15, 2006 we will hold a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. followed by a national teleconference and webinar. This will be the first gathering of women and organizations from many regions and focus areas on a national scope to work in coordinated fashion towards clear economic objectives.

Action: Local organizations and individuals will commit to supporting specific elements of the plan - being part of the whole effort. Each individual will commit to steps and actions taking our economic movement forward.

Monthly Gathering: Every month we will come together to communicate, report and motivate as we work together to advance this new economic movement for the women of the U.S.

Online Communities and Local Communities: Participating organizations and local leaders may also hold specific women's economic movement meetings on their own. The USWCC will advertise these opportunities and link the community through online community areas and email notifications and report their activities back to the National Congress .

Measure and Report: We will report regularly with specific gains and failures – seeking to hold us all accountable. We seek advancement, not hype and luncheons. The National Congress on the Economic Advancement of Women seeks action – and assesses progress through measurements. 

Strategic Concepts for Change

• Bring a strong, unified voice forward with clear steps to progress.
   
• Engage leaders (corporate, community, political, media) directly through face-to-face meetings. Report on these meetings publicly.
   
• Report the real facts about women and aggressively respond to incorrect or enhanced media coverage of women.
   
• Educate women aggressively on retirement, career, political and business issues. We cannot rely upon corporate sales people to teach us retirement strategies. We cannot count on corporations to teach us leadership skills – or educational institutions to be affordable or work with our schedules.
   
• Develop or embrace specific policy changes to support women, educate women to the benefits and provide a very loud, relentless voice.
   
• Push our agenda, rather than respond to the agendas of politicians and corporate media.
   
• Remember to reach to those who are less fortunate. Women are struggling financially at all levels. Focus on strategies that can create sustainability (education, for example).
   
• Hold ourselves accountable. Report progress and failures.
   

Educated – Focused – Relentless – Unified

If we are to generate real progress for women, we must be educated, focused, relentless and unified. That is what the USWCC National Congress on the Economic Advancement of Women is all about. Simply put, each year we will measure and report on progress or failure (educate), focus strategies that will create change, relentlessly advance these strategies, and work to unify the efforts of organizations and individuals towards common goals.

Join the Revolution: Step up now!

If you believe there is work to be done to bring women greater economic opportunities and retirement security, then please join the revolution now.