Gender

Empowering Through Gender Equality Initiatives

Women farmers are central to fixing broken food systems, yet they remain excluded from the technologies, financing and markets needed to scale solutions. New research from CARE shows that reducing food loss and waste requires gender-responsive design, investment and partnerships. Empowering women farmers can strengthen food security, resilience and climate outcomes globally.
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Strong partnerships are essential to building resilient, climate-smart supply chains. Drawing on ofi and GIZ’s multi-year collaboration, this article shares five practical lessons for empowering women farmers at scale. From aligning around shared challenges to designing inclusive, long-term programmes, it shows how partnership can unlock livelihoods, strengthen value chains and drive measurable impact.
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Supply chain resilience begins at the household level. Drawing lessons from the cocoa sector in West Africa, this article explores how strengthening women’s financial inclusion, decision-making power and access to savings groups can stabilise farming families and reduce risks across global supply chains. When households become more resilient, companies gain stronger, more reliable and sustainable supply systems.
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AI is helping women entrepreneurs save time, but not yet unlock the full growth potential of their businesses. Drawing on research across 3,000 women entrepreneurs in 66 countries, this article explores why AI adoption remains concentrated in marketing and communications, and what targeted action is needed to turn AI from a helpful tool into a genuine driver of resilience, productivity and growth.
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As water scarcity intensifies, businesses must rethink not only how much water they use but who is most affected by its depletion. This article explores why gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) are essential to effective corporate water stewardship, helping companies reduce operational risks, strengthen community trust and build more resilient, equitable water management strategies.
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Despite growing commitments to gender equality, many supply chain programmes struggle to deliver real outcomes for women. This article argues the problem is not motivation but design. By rethinking how gender initiatives are structured—embedding context, capability, and evidence from the start—companies can move beyond participation metrics and create meaningful, lasting change in global supply chains.
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Avon is redefining beauty through purpose-driven sustainability. From empowering millions of Representatives to innovative cruelty-free and refillable products, Avon’s strategy integrates climate action, ethical sourcing and gender equity. This article explores how Avon’s inclusive business model and ESG commitments are creating lasting social impact across communities and supply chains.
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Women’s Entrepreneurship Day highlights a critical truth: empowering women entrepreneurs is essential for global economic growth. Despite driving innovation and community resilience, women still face systemic barriers to finance, digital access, networks, and safety. Closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship is not only a moral imperative—it is a powerful economic strategy with transformative potential.
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As world leaders gather at COP, Amanda Smith, Global Head of Social at Diageo, shares insights into Diageo and CARE’s shared ambition to build resilient supply chains by tackling gender inequality and climate vulnerability together.
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The human toll of climate impacts presents specific challenges for women workers and their communities, especially in climate-vulnerable countries. Climate action and investments must not only focus on mitigation but also address the unique impacts on women and the connection between workplace and community across issues like women’s health, violence, migration, forced labor, among others. 
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Climate change is already harming garment workers—especially women—through extreme heat, flooding, illness, lost wages, and increased violence. RISE’s new research reveals how climate risks cascade through workers’ lives and offers actionable steps for brands and manufacturers. The call is clear: climate action in the garment sector must start with listening to workers.
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Accelerators are touted as engines of SME growth. Yet most target established businesses, leaving low-income women behind. Hand in Hand’s grassroots accelerator proves their potential: over 8,000 women have scaled businesses, boosting incomes, creating jobs, and lifting families well beyond the poverty line. Amalia Johnsson, Hand in Hand International CEO, explains why inclusive growth demands we accelerate women too.
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Listen to this podcast conversation to learn about The Power of Participatory Radio. Social Impact Pioneers – Meshack Kitungu Kawinzi and Hannah Davis share how one of the world’s oldest and most trusted communication tools, radio, is being harnessed to change lives and strengthen communities.
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Challenging stereotypes through marketing isn’t just good ethics—it’s smart business. With global ad spend nearing $2 trillion, brands have immense power to shift harmful beliefs. This article explores how inclusive communications can reduce discrimination, boost ROI, and unlock competitive advantage—if businesses act now, before the window of opportunity closes.
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Claire Sibthorpe from the GSMA explores how progress in closing the mobile internet gender gap has stalled, with women 14% less likely than men to use mobile internet. She highlights key barriers including handset affordability and digital skills, and the $1.3 trillion GDP opportunity. Urgent, targeted action from stakeholders is needed to prevent women being left behind digitally.
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Online gender-based violence (GBV) is driving women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) offline, shrinking markets, profits and global economic growth. This MSME Day, we’re calling for the private sector to take urgent action to address this issue and create a more inclusive digital business world. Our new research with Intuit and the World Bank’s ‘Women, Business, and the Law’ project sheds light on how.
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Despite making up the majority of the garment, footwear, and textile workforce, women are vastly underrepresented in leadership and technical roles. A new RISE report explores how businesses can unlock flexible, inclusive pathways for career advancement—boosting retention, equity, and resilience. From fair promotion systems to childcare support, the solutions are practical, scalable, and urgent.
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What are the real-world impacts of inclusive economic development, gender equity, and the transformative power of entrepreneurship? Social Impact Pioneers Nguyet Tran Thi Minh in Vietnam and Tanvi Jaluka in California.
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Women entrepreneurs are vital to economic growth, yet continue to face persistent barriers—especially in accessing finance. This article explores how Learning Networks, like WE Connect in Vietnam, bring together ecosystem actors to co-create practical solutions. Through shared knowledge, innovation, and partnership, these networks can drive inclusive finance and long-term success for women-led enterprises.
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Women play a vital yet often overlooked role in agriculture and climate resilience. CottonConnect CEO Alison Ward highlights how women cotton farmers are disproportionately impacted by climate change—and why they must be central to sustainability strategies. Through education, training, and recognition, women can lead transformative climate action from the ground up.
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What do we mean by "Gender"?

Explore initiatives focused on gender equality, which are essential for promoting human rights and reducing global poverty. Click through to learn more...

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