Jill Gay papers, 1977-2006

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Summary

Creator:
Gay, Jill and Human Rights Archive (Duke University)
Abstract:
Jill Gay is an analyst and consultant that has worked with NGOs, foundations, and governmental and international organizations on projects related to women, health, reproductive issues, and policy. In 1981, Gay and Isabel Letelier founded the Third World Women's Project (TWWP) at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS); Gay was the Associate Director of the project until 1986. The project was designed to educate American audiences about issues in "third world" countries from the perspectives of female human rights activists living in those countries. The collection includes materials about twenty-five participants mostly from Latin America between 1982-1986 such as program evaluations, itineraries, reports, and clippings; writings by Jill Gay; files on the TWPP and IPS; posters and other ephemera related to the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award held by the IPS; and other assorted materials between 1977-2006. Acquired as part of the Human Rights Archive.
Extent:
2 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials mostly in English with some in Spanish.
Collection ID:
RL.13177

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains materials related to the Third World Women's Project (TWWP) by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) between 1977-2006 with most items dating between 1982-1986. Included are a variety of writings produced by Jill Gay during the program including evaluations and published articles; appreciation and thank-you letters; clippings about the IPS and Isabel Letelier; meeting records and other files for the IPS and TWWP; posters and various ephemera for the annual Letelier-Moffitt Awards; and a small number of collected materials on feminism and arpilleras. Most materials are files related to 25 speakers who participated in the program including articles, reports, program evaluations, profiles, itineraries, correspondence, flyers, news releases, clippings, and other assorted materials in English with some in Spanish. Speakers originated from more than a dozen countries, mostly Latin America, and were human rights activists from a variety of backgrounds including politicians and former first ladies, artists, community organizers, journalists, religious leaders, educators, and indigenous leaders.

Biographical / historical:

Jill Gay is an analyst and consultant that has worked with NGOs, foundations, and governmental and international organizations on projects related to women, health, reproductive issues, and policy.

In 1981, Gay cofounded the Third World Women's Project alongside Isabel Letelier, a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies. Gay was the Associate Director of the program from 1982-1986. The project was designed to bring women from "third world" countries to speak to audiences in the United States about their experiences and contemporary issues including economic inequalities, politics, women's rights, and more. The project featured female activists from more than a dozen countries, particularly those in Latin America working in different areas of human rights; they gave interviews, lectures, workshops, and other talks throughout the United States at universities, religious sites, and other public avenues.

After working on the Third World Women's Project, Gay has worked with organizations within the UN, the World Bank, the MacArthur Foundation, the National Academy of Sciences, and others, as well as serving on the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award committee.

Acquisition information:
The Jill Gay papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2025.
Processing information:

Processed by Tere Elizalde, December 2025

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2025-0091

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Access note. Some materials in this collection are original audiovisual items that need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Jill Gay papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1pf33