From grassroots activism to worldwide action, we’re in the midst of an exciting period of history where the world expects balance, everywhere. There’s never been a better time to raise your voice for gender equality. 

Act now. Donate today and transform the future

Afghanistan is still one of the most difficult places in the world to be a woman. Over half the population lives below the poverty line and this hits women the hardest.

Recent surveys reveal that 87% of Afghan women are illiterate, only 2% of women have access to higher education and they still face major barriers to accessing employment. This excludes them from playing a meaningful role in decision-making processes, both within their homes and wider communities and inhibits them from seeking and using information for the betterment of the health and education of their families.

Moreover, sources say that close to 90% of Afghan women and girls suffer from at least one form of abuse, including physical or psychological violence, and 70-80% face forced marriage, many before the age of 16. Many have little influence over the issues which affect their day-to-day lives the most, like marriage and family planning, and a lack of knowledge contributes to the fact that 1 in 50 newborn babies die in the first month after birth.

Despite the many challenges they face, Afghan women hold the power to drive change.

That’s why we're celebrating the wonderful women we work with, but also asking for your help to empower more women in Afghanistan.

Together we can transform their lives and bring a brighter, more balanced future to generations to come.

Our appeal: low cost, high impact for women in Afghanistan

We’re working to build a more balanced society in Afghanistan in a variety of ways - our holistic approach involves entire communities and is low cost but high impact, ensuring long-lasting change for women and the villages they live in.

We work to tackle the stigma, prejudice and lack of knowledge of women's rights by teaching both women and men about women’s rights from a culturally sensitive perspective.

£12.50 buys the required notebooks, pens and information and advocacy booklets, to be used by a student learning about women’s rights.

We work to increase knowledge and understanding of family planning and reproductive health by teaching whole communities - including male family members and mothers-in-law, who are key decision-makers within families - about these issues.

£25 pays for one man or woman to complete a training course about family planning and reproductive health.

We work to ensure women and girls get the education they deserve, so they can fulfill their potential as leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropists in their communities.

A monthly gift of £5.50 for 10 months ensures that one woman can complete a basic literacy and numeracy course, and provides her with the textbooks and stationery required to help her along the way.

We train women up and teach them how to use their new skills to start their own businesses and turn these businesses into a success that they can be proud of, and that will support their entire family.

£70 covers the cost of tailoring training and a sewing machine for a vulnerable woman, enabling her to start a small business.

We build networks of women who understand what their rights are; who can help themselves, support each other and work together to lift their communities out of poverty.

£100 provides training in conflict resolution, advocacy or gender rights, as part of human rights defender training.

When you empower a woman, you empower entire communities

By keeping women like Maria at the heart of our work we can have an irreversible impact, as the skills we teach them now are then passed on to whole families and communities. With 35 years of experience and a deep understanding of local, cultural and ethnic issues, we have earned great trust and respect among the communities we serve and this makes our work, even tackling sensitive subjects, more effective. Read Maria’s story.

Please make a donation today to support more vulnerable women

More information

With the support of the Department for International Development (DFID) through UK Aid Direct and the generosity of the British public, we’re working with vulnerable women like Maria in some of the most remote areas of Afghanistan.

These women can lift their families out of poverty, command respect and break down stereotypes, building a more balanced society and paving the way for generations of women to come. Find out more.

We’re supporting thousands of women like Maria, and we need your help.

 

How your support can help

A gift from you today is long-lasting, as the people we reach now will pass on their new skills and knowledge to the other members of their communities, who can in turn pass this on to their own families and friends, and so on.

I want to better the balance