Women's rights

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Women’s rights was identified as a key thematic area because throughout history women in many societies have been abused, discriminated against and excluded.  ActionAid places women and girls at the heart of its work and seeks to address women’s rights directly by changing relationships of power between women and men. 

At ActionAid our hope is to witness women and girls worldwide

  • Growing in confidence, skills and knowledge so that they may decide their own destiny
  • Living without fear of violence
  • Participating effectively in decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods.

Working directly with local women’s organizations is a core component of our work.

Other key aspects of our women’s rights work includes

  • Taking actions to protect women and girls from violence
  • Strengthening the capacity of women and girls to claim their rights
  • Changing attitudes so that men and women relate to each other as equals
  • Advocating for laws and policies that advance women’s rights. 

ActionAid Ireland runs programme in women’s rights in four countries: Kenya, Malawi, Nepal and Vietnam. The programme is being implemented by ActionAid offices and local country partners.

Activities implemented in this multi-country programme include

  • In Kenya, local women’s organisations are being strengthened to report and advocate for just outcomes in cases of violence against women and girls.
  • In Malawi, women have been mobilised to form local organisations that are working to change attitudes and behaviour in relation to violence against women through sensitisation and other activities at community level.
  • In Nepal, women’s rights organisations and organisations of people living with HIV are being supported to highlight the links between gender inequality and HIV & AIDS.  
  • In Vietnam, activities are being conducted to increase awareness of the risks of trafficking and to reduce the incidence of trafficking of women and girls.
  • With the right information and the confidence to use it, the future can be brighter for young girls threatened by what is fast becoming a global trade in people.