Charities Supporting Women's Empowerment to Know (2021)
Whether you aim to empower women through local projects, ignite widespread change on a global scale, or promote women’s rights on gender-specific issues, there are so many charities out there dedicated to supporting different sub-issues faced by women.
The team at The Collective Rising has gone through and selected what they believe to be the nine best charities of 2021 that promote gender equality and truly make a difference in the lives of countless women.
Whilst each the charity has a different approaches with their work – some use legal frameworks to tackle gender inequality, others use socio-economic frameworks – their goals remain the same: to empower women by providing the adequate tools, resources, and support needed to promote their education, so they can grow and positively impact their communities.
The Collective Rising’s Selection of the Nine Best Charities Supporting Women in 2021
Malala Fund
Impact/Transparency Ratings: The Malala Fund currently holds a finance and accountability rating of 100 out of 100 from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar – the highest rank possible.
What they do: The Malala Fund utilizes resources to impact local policies in its target countries that hinder girls from completing secondary education. The organization currently provides educational programs and services to empower school girls in 7 countries, including Brazil, Nigeria, and Turkey. Their work is achieved by delivering capacity-building resources to local activists, called Malala Fund Champions, to empower women through equal access to education.
What they’ve achieved: The Malala Fund has invested over $17 million in grants for educational resources provided to marginalized school girls. In addition, from 2017-2019, the organization sponsored training to 85 teachers in Turkey to better fulfill the needs of Syrian refugee students – with an estimated 11,714 schoolgirls receiving support as a result. And in 2019, the organization also delivered literacy and numeracy classes to 418 out-of-school girls in Nigeria.
Ways to contribute: You can contribute to the Malala Fund by making donations that support girls’ education. You can also start a fundraiser to increase support for the organization within your community and raise awareness for girls’ education.
National Women’s Law Center: Legal Advocates Fighting for Gender Justice
Impact/Transparency Ratings: The National Women’s Law Center currently holds a transparency score of 100 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. As of 2019, nearly 84% of their income was spent on legal services, research, and advocacy programs
What they do: The National Women’s Law Center uses strategic litigation to challenge harmful gender inequalities in the courts and civil society, and pushes for policy changes that protect and empower women, especially in schools and the workplace. They also provide research and policy recommendations on intersectional gender inequalities impacting women in schools.
What they’ve achieved: The NWLC has played a leading role in many landmark legal cases, including winning state minimum wage increases that were passed in 10 US states. The organization’s lobbying efforts contributed to a 35% increase in female judges in US courts. They have also awarded grants to more than 15 civil society organizations to provide outreach services for survivors of assault and harassment.
Ways to contribute: You can support the National Women’s Law Center by donating directly to the organization and by pledging your support to their various causes, including their work on economic justice, education, and Title IX, and health and reproductive issues.
Women for Women International: Supplying Tools of Empowerment to Women Survivors of War
Impact/Transparency Ratings: Their impact and transparency ratings: Women for Women International currently holds an accountability and transparency score of 96 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. For example, in 2019, nearly 73% of the organization’s income was spent on its capacity-building programs and services.
What they do: Women for Women International provides educational resources, job training, skills workshops, and victim support services to women affected by conflict. The organization also educates women on their voting rights, sexual and reproductive health, mental wellbeing, and other issues that help empower them within their communities beyond war.
What they’ve achieved: Since 1993, Women For Women International has assisted nearly 519,700 women affected by war and armed conflict with support services. In 2020 alone, the organization successfully enrolled approximately 9,000 women in schools as part of its education initiative. Another 12,000 girls also graduated from school programs aided by WfWI.
Ways to contribute: You can support Women for Women International by donating through their website, or by sponsoring a sister, which enables you to contribute directly to an individual’s success.
Global Fund for Women: Funding Gender Justice Movements to Empower Women Worldwide
Impact/Transparency Ratings: Global Fund for Women currently holds an accountability and transparency rating of 97 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. And in 2019, nearly 81% of the organization’s income was directly spent on women’s advocacy programs and grant funding.
What they do: Global Fund for Women provides grants and funding to grassroots women’s movements around the globe to achieve gender justice and women’s empowerment on a global scale. The organization also advocates for women’s rights through gender justice campaigns and provides research findings, case studies, and media programming on women’s issues.
What they’ve achieved: Since the organization’s inception, they have made a total of 12,242 grants to over 5,000 grassroots women’s movements, across 176 countries, including Serbia, Uganda, and Armenia. In 2019, the organization provided funding for 10,876 female leaders to end gender-based violence in their local communities.
Ways to contribute: You can support the Global Fund for Women by donating directly through their website, participating in peer-to-peer fundraising on social media, or by sporting some branded merchandise to support female empowerment.
Girls Not Brides: Advocates for an End to Child Marriage
Impact/Transparency Ratings: In 2019, approximately 80% of the organization’s total income was spent on their programs and advocacy work to promote equality and human rights, as well as prevention and relief of poverty.
What they do: Girls Not Brides partners with grassroots organizations across the globe to put an end to underage marriages and other harmful practices that affect girls. The organization has partnerships and coalitions spread across 24 different countries – including Nepal, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and the Netherlands – and works on programs that empower young girls and enable them to reach their potential.
What they’ve achieved: Girls Not Brides reached nearly 5,000 people annually in more than 30 countries with its workshops, advocacy, and training programs. And in 2020, the charity trained 132 people in Mozambique to coordinate and implement a new law to address child marriage. In the same year, the organization provided further training to 20 child protection officials and 29 municipal authorities in Togo about harmful practices against girls.
Ways to contribute: You can contribute to Girls Not Brides by donating to the organization through their website. You can also support one of the organization’s campaigns, or dedicate your wedding to the cause to end harmful practices against young women.
Equality Now: Campaigners for Legislation That Protect Women’s Rights
Impact/ Transparency Ratings: Equality Now currently holds an accountability and transparency rating of 93 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. The organization also has a Gold Star of Transparency from GuideStar.
What they do: Equality Now works to achieve legal equality for women and girls through legislation changes, and end sexual violence via policy shifts and advocacy. The organization also provides research and tools to empower vulnerable women, combat sex trafficking, and raise awareness on other harmful practices that negatively affect women.
What they’ve achieved: In 2019, Equality Now assisted 13,556 women and girls through legal obstacles. In the same year, the organization also trained over 3,000 public officials and civil society actors, including judges, police, and activists. The organization also provided expert support in 15 litigation cases that challenged discriminatory laws.
Ways to contribute: You can support Equality Now by donating directly through the charity’s website. You can also purchase Equality Now merchandise to show your support, or you can dedicate your birthday to the organization, by encouraging your friends and family to give donations to Equality Now.
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom: Promoting Womens’ Roles in Peacemaking
Impact/Transparency Ratings: The organization releases its returns annually to showcase their transparency and commitment to women’s rights. They also receive funding support from high-profile donors to carry out their work, including UN Women, Irish Aid, and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
What they do: Through research, policy recommendations, proposals, and programs, WILPF provides training and resources to empower women and enable them to become part of the peacemaking process. WILPF is present in 49 countries across the globe, including Colombia, India, and Lebanon, with approximately 7,000 activists working on WILPF programs within their communities.
What they’ve achieved: In 2018, WILPF supported over 15 delegations of women’s peace activists, which allowed them to participate in high-level, peacemaking meetings. In 2020, the organization provided women’s empowerment programs and awareness-raising campaigns to more than 10 countries in Africa. They also supported more than 100 mothers and their children in the Democratic Republic of Congo by providing health products to vulnerable women affected by conflict, and while campaigning for peace and disarmament.
Ways to contribute: You can show your support to WILPF by donating to the organization directly or by joining their members program, which enables you to connect with a network of members, access training resources, and receive regular updates.
Women Deliver: Global Advocates for Women’s Health and Gender Equality
Impact/Transparency Ratings: Women Deliver currently holds a finance and accountability score of 100 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. In 2019, the organization also spent approximately 92% of its income on its advocacy programs.
What they do: Women Deliver provides programs and advocacy for women’s health rights. The organization achieves this through strategic policies and frameworks, political lobbying, and by offering strengthening support and training to local activists. Women Deliver equips activists with the tools necessary for change in their communities, empower women, and drive positive change.
What they’ve achieved: Though the organization is relatively young, it has made numerous accomplishments since its inception, including training 1000 youth advocates from 148 different countries, including Guyana, Nepal, and Sierra Leone. In 2019, the organization persuaded 11 countries to commit to revising their laws to promote gender equality, including most of the G7 countries and Australia, Chile, India, and Senegal.
Ways to contribute: You can contribute to Women Deliver by donating through their website or by showing your support for the organization on social media.
MADRE: Advancing Women’s Rights Through Social Participation
Impact/Transparency Ratings: MADRE currently holds an accountability and transparency rating of 96 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. The organization also has a Gold Star of Transparency from GuideStar.
What they do: MADRE works to increase female leadership and empower women through capacity-building programs and advocacy campaigns. The organization focuses on key issues, including climate justice, ending gender violence, and female migrant rights. It currently has partners working across 9 different countries, including Nicaragua, Syria, and Kenya, and funds social movements, strengthens the skills of local activists, and mobilizes leaders to create policy change.
What they’ve achieved: Since 1983, the organization has provided $52 million in grants to women’s rights organizations in countries where conflict has had the most negative impact, including Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and Guatemala. In 2019, the organization supported a local activist in Sudan by providing farming supplies to nearly 400 women. In the same year, MADRE also organized a gathering of 39 women from indigenous communities in Nicaragua to discuss advancing indigenous women’s rights.
Ways to contribute: You can contribute to MADRE by donating through the organization’s website. You can also host a speaker at a community event, and volunteer on-site or remotely with the organization.