Posts Tagged ‘gender equity’
Women-Founded Cooperative Leads Solar Energy Innovation in Kenya
By Maryangela Amendola One phone call changed Jacinta’s future. In 2015, a college friend told her about a renewable solar energy training program provided by Arizona University and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She left her career as an engineer and aviation teacher in Mombasa County, Kenya, to pursue the…
Read MoreStrengthening Economic Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs through Cooperatives
By Ashley Holst Cooperatives are leaders in promoting inclusive economic growth by providing equitable and accessible solutions to economic and social stressors. Two of the seven principles of cooperatives are “voluntary and open membership” and “concern for community,” both of which call upon cooperatives to create opportunities for all people and to put the betterment…
Read MoreUnlocking Economic Empowerment: Insights from Gender Analyses in Guatemala and Kenya
By Chloe Pan Globally, nearly 2.4 billion women do not have the same economic rights as men, and on average, only have three-fourths of the legal rights. Harmful gender norms and discrimination present immense challenges to women’s access to economic opportunities. To discover more specific barriers to women’s economic access, gender analyses are conducted. Through…
Read MoreA Holistic Intervention to Overcome Multiple Barriers to Women’s Entrepreneurship in Guatemala
By Mabel Bejerano, Global Technical Advisor for Women’s Empowerment and Savings Groups Toribia – a 54-year-old mother of eight from the Western Highlands of Guatemala – has long been a leader in her family, who strives to make a consistent income with their land and livestock. Because families in the Western Highlands are typically producers…
Read MoreIf You Care about Ending Violence against Women and Girls, Care about Toilets
By Jason Brooks, Technical Director, Water Security, Sanitation and Hygiene, Global Communities Have you ever used a bathroom stall without a lock? How about dark public facilities while toileting? How did these experiences make you feel? There are few moments when we feel as vulnerable as when we are attending to our biological needs. All people…
Read MoreStrengthening Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Systems in Sri Lankan Schools
The COVID-19 pandemic and Sri Lanka’s economic crisis have placed already vulnerable and marginalized communities at further risk with challenges to livelihoods, food security and social protections. Increased stressors and the resulting strain on available support services and resources such as mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) have contributed to documented increases in sexual and…
Read MorePreventing and Responding to Gender-based Violence in Humanitarian Settings
By Emily Galloway, Sr. Advisor for Global Protection, Global Communities Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive issue that disproportionately affects women, girls and vulnerable individuals during emergencies. In disaster or conflict-affected areas, gender inequalities and power dynamics can both exacerbate existing risks of GBV and create new ones. While risks are always context-specific, we see…
Read MoreAddressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence through Local Partnerships and Governance Systems: Lessons from Sri Lanka
By Gigi Dupuy, Sr. Technical Advisor for Governance & Chioma Okafor, Sr. Technical Advisor for Local Capacity Strengthening, Global Communities Since July 2018, Global Communities has implemented the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation (SCORE) program in Sri Lanka, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). One of the components of the program is…
Read MoreEmpowering Young Men: The Crucial Role of Life Skills Education in Combating Gender-Based Violence
By Betty Adera and the Botswana Country Team In a world striving for equality and justice, it is imperative to recognize education’s pivotal role in shaping future generations’ attitudes and behaviors. One of the key battlegrounds against gender-based violence lies within the corridors of our schools, where young minds are molded and empowered to become…
Read MoreHow Village Savings & Loans Groups Saved $7,000 in Only Four Months
By David Mbulula Garamba National Park lies in the Haut-Uélé province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), along the border with South Sudan. Most of the region is very isolated, but African Parks (which manages Garamba) has improved security greatly over the past few years, both for the wildlife within the park and…
Read MoreMothers in India Lead the Process of Change and Girls’ Empowerment
By Sushmita Mukherjee A healthy and skilled adolescent girl is best placed to make informed decisions not only for herself but also for others who solely depend on her when she reaches adulthood. Her ability to influence decision-making is appreciated and respected when she has the right skills to communicate, think critically and creatively. As…
Read MoreEmpowering Women in India through Self-Help Groups
By Sushmita Mukherjee Global Communities believes in the power and potential of women’s collectives to bring about positive change. In India, PCI, a Global Communities Partner, is working to design and test community-based solutions that will make meaningful advancement toward gender equality. Specifically, we work with women’s collectives within the Self-Help Group (SHG) structure, nurtured…
Read MoreExpanding Possibilities for Women Entrepreneurs in Guatemala
By Jessica Ayala Just over a year ago, Sucely Rocsana Reyes Molina never would have imagined that she would own a flourishing formal dairy business with so many opportunities in the market. Today, the 30-year-old single mother has multiple people who help her deliver 15 types of cheeses and creams, expanding her business well…
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