Give to children

Supporting women’s organisations

Women’s groups are often powerful catalysts for change.

One of the most important and effective avenues for women’s empowerment is the dynamic cooperation amongst women. Informal women’s collectives organised around issues such as nutrition, food distribution, education and shelter help improve the standard of living for women, their families and communities. By standing up to discrimination and motivating other women, these groups begin the process of promoting the rights of girls and women for generations to come.

Women’s groups also play a vital role in providing support to women who have been elected to political office, conduct their own advocacy efforts, and provide expertise and accountability mechanisms necessary to advance the rights of women and children. In Afghanistan, for example, women’s groups have provided significant support in mobilising other women to participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections and in monitoring the electoral process. They have also organised workshops for women refugees in order to expand their awareness of their rights.

At the same time, grass-roots women’s movements have been the most vocal champions of women’s equality and empowerment at the local level. Evidence drawn from Demographic and Health Surveys suggests that in some developing countries much of the impact of women’s overall decision-making power is concentrated at the community level. Across the developing world, studies show that women’s participation in community initiatives can have long-lasting benefits for women.

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Partnerships