Hivos International

Women’s Empowerment

Hivos believes that all women and girls should have control over their lives and be able to actively participate in social, political and economic spheres, so we work tirelessly with various human rights instruments in support of communities’ and countries’ efforts towards gender equality. 

For decades, we have partnered with frontrunners of change and social justice to further women’s rights and lobby for new laws protecting women against discrimination and sexual and domestic violence. Read more

Key Focal Areas

  • Each year, hundreds of thousands of Asian (and increasingly African) women migrate to become a domestic worker in Gulf Cooperation Council countries to make a living for their families.

  • More than 2.5 billion people worldwide lack access to modern energy in their everyday lives.

  • 'Mideast Creatives – Coworking for Sustainable Employment' is all about developing the full potential of young people and specifically young women in the Arab world.

  • Inequality is a global problem that equally affects the prospects of children and adults, men and women, gay and straight, healthy and disabled.

  • Women Empowered for Leadership (WE4L) is a five-year programme (2016-2020) managed by Hivos and implemented together with local partners in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Jordan and Lebanon.

  • In 2012, Hivos started the Women@Work campaign to bring about decent work for women who earn their living in global production chains, specifically in the flower ind

  • Below you will find our current and recent women's empowerment projects. Those at the top with photos are projects in the spotlight.