A dark blue heart with the words One Woman Can inside it

One woman. Infinite impact.

When one woman can access the resources and opportunities she deserves, she can pull not only herself, but others around her out of poverty and crisis. Join us and invest in women around the world.

Her Livelihood

Supporting her right to meaningful, safe and dignified work

Around the world, women do not have the same access to and control over economic and natural resources and opportunities as men. This means that half of humanity cannot reach their full potential. Investing in and promoting women’s economic empowerment is not only the right thing to do, we must do it to achieve a better, more equal world for all.

Women work in farming communities, towns and cities. They grow up to 80% of food, plant crops to sell, run businesses that feed communities and drive innovation in markets.

Women as farmers, workers and business operators know that the biggest risk their livelihoods face today is climate change, the collapse of the ecosystems their livelihoods rely on.  With fewer resources than men, women feel these impacts more strongly and struggle most to prepare for and recover from natural and man-made crises.

The solution? Invest in profitable and climate-resilient women’s livelihoods.

Why invest in women’s livelihoods?

When more women earn and save money, they create a ripple effect that benefits families, communities and entire countries. When women lead their communities in learning to grow and sell more and healthier food, their businesses thrive—even in times of uncertainty. Everyone is then better equipped to break the cycle of poverty, to be resilient in the face of crises, and to build a better, more equal world for all.

When women feel safe and empowered in the workplace, everyone benefits.

When more women’s voices are heard, when they are included in decision-making spaces, and when they have the same opportunities to lead as men, everyone benefits.  When women actively shape policies that affect their livelihoods—especially as climate change increasingly puts them at risk—governments are more accountable.

When women are recognized for the leaders they are, and are able to decide how and when to use the knowledge and resources they need, everyone benefits.

When women have ownership over land, food production, and decision-making, they eat better and their families and communities benefit too.

How we invest in women’s livelihoods

CARE works with women—as well as men and many members of the communities we work in—so they can access financial services, participate in safe and dignified work, and thrive as entrepreneurs and agricultural producers. We also work to ensure women’s unpaid care work is recognized and that they can access affordable childcare. We include women living in fragile or conflict-affected environments and those who have had to leave their homes often due to the impacts of climate change.

 

Skills and leadership training

ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES & MARKETS

We work with women farmers so they can grow and transform food into products that are in demand in markets. We work with men and women in those markets to break down the barriers women face in growing their businesses, while decreasing the burdens they shoulder as a result of their labour. We support women in deciding how their livelihoods become not only more profitable, but also sustainable, resilient, and better able to deal with and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Saving Group

INVESTING IN ENTREPRENEURS

We ensure women have the knowledge, skills, and resources to realize their economic potential. We also support women’s collectives—such as Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs)—and women’s rights organizations leading change in their communities.

investigation in equality

CHANGING POLICIES

Through our advocacy work, we promote gender equality, address social norms that exclude women, and influence harmful and discriminatory laws, policies and practices. This means that women gain access to markets, safe and dignified employment opportunities, and financial services.  As climate change transforms the way women work and farm, we also amplify the voices of women-led organizations demanding that governments meaningfully involve them in making decisions that affect their livelihoods.

Projects