Transforming Lives with Irish Aid: Women’s Rights Programme
Women’s Rights Programme
Across the world, women and girls’ rights are affected the most by poverty. From the moment they are born, girls face inequalities and injustice in almost every aspect of their lives. Supporting women and girls as they claim their rights, is the most effective way for communities to lead themselves out of poverty. That is why we put women’s human rights at the heart of all we do.
Irish Aid, the government’s programme for overseas development, as funded by the Irish taxpayer, funds ActionAid Ireland’s flagship Women’s Rights Programme. We prioritise working with the furthest behind first. And so, we work with the most marginalised women in communities in Ethiopia, Kenya and Nepal. The aim is to prevent violence against women and girls and to improve their economic wellbeing, by working with women, girls, boys, men and wider community.
What’s the programme trying to achieve?
- Prevent and reduce violence against women and girls
- Increase safety of women and girls
- Improve their economic well-being and access to public services
- Minimise the impact of climate change on women and girls
- Support women’s organisations and activism
- Demand accountability for women’s rights
Gender Transformative Approach
In our Women’s Rights Programme, we have adopted a gender transformative approach. Gender transformation is essentially about shifting power and seeking accountability in a way that is feminist.
We understand this in the Women’s Rights Programme as putting women and girls’ rights and agency at the heart of the programme and using a human-rights based approach to deliver change.
In 2025 we published a Guide to Gender Transformative Approaches in Women’s Rights Programme III. You can view our practical guide to support ActionAid staff and partners to implement a gender transformative approach in women’s rights programming here.
We help women and girls to flourish
Woman by woman. Girl by girl. Family by family. Community by community.
Global Citizenship Education
In Ireland, Irish Aid also supports ActionAid’s work on global citizenship education where we engage with the public, supporters, students and teachers to deepen their understanding of international development and gender justice. We are members of the Irish Development Education Association and are signed up to their code of conduct for Global Citizenship Education to ensure our resources, formal, non-formal and informal, meet the best possible standards. The annual ActionTalks Speech Writing Competition is part of this programme of work.
Gender Transformative Programming – A Learning Review
In December 2023 we published a learning review of our Women’s Rights Programme II. Phase II of the programme ran from 2017-2022 and the current phase runs until 2027. Over six years, ActionAid Ireland supported 7,131 women and girls to experience greater safety and empowerment. We engaged 1,930 men and boys as allies to reduce violence and discrimination. And we supported 29 organisations to champion women’s rights. The paper highlighted the key results and learnings from the programme.
In phase III of our Women’s Rights Programme, ActionAid will strengthen our survivor-centred approach to ensure key elements are considered in every programme intervention. This includes both hard and soft skills including deconstruction of biases and preconceptions about survivors, clear communication and giving survivors information they need to make informed choices, respecting confidentiality, and investing time and funds in resources and referrals so that they are available to survivors.
This guidance will be rooted in an intersectional feminist approach to regularly dissect the structural causes and power imbalances at the root of gender inequalities and abuses. Finally, ActionAid Ireland is also committed to better integrating our programming work with our priorities around gender justice, economic justice and climate justice.
Women’s Rights Programme: Case study
Through the programme, Chief Constance, the only female chief from Taita Taveta county Kenya, worked with local women to identify the issues they faced. She discovered that local women were unaware of their rights and so were not reporting cases of gender-based violence. She also identified a lack of services for women who experienced violence.
Together with Chief Constance we organised online forums to support local women to better understand their rights and enabled them to raise awareness of the issue within their own communities. As a result, there was an increase in women reporting gender-based violence and the county government made additional resources available for services.
Women’s rights in Nepal: the community leaders driving change
Other ways to get involved
Give a monthly gift
A monthly gift is one of the most effective ways to support our work. Your ongoing contribution provides reliable funding that helps us plan ahead, respond quickly to urgent needs, and deliver lasting support to the communities we serve.
Campaign with Us
We’re a women’s rights organisation campaigning in solidarity with women around the world, who are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, conflicts
and emergencies.
There are practical ways you can be part of that today. Here you can access meaningful opportunities to take action
through a trusted community creating change worldwide.
ActionAid tax giving
Did you know that by simply completing the below form you can help ActionAid reclaim thousands of euro at no extra cost?
If you have donated €250 or more in one year, your signature is worth – at a minimum – an extra €112. This is of no additional cost to you, but it can make a huge difference to the communities we support.
Donate for Gaza
Thousands of families in Gaza are struggling to access the essentials needed to survive. Food, clean water, healthcare, and safe shelter remain urgently needed as communities work to rebuild their lives.
Fundraise for us
Looking for a meaningful way to support our work? Fundraising for us is a great way to bring people together while making a real difference to the lives of those we serve.
From birthdays and challenges to community events, every effort helps us continue our mission and expand our impact.
Leave a gift in your Will
After taking care of your loved ones, a gift in your Will can create lasting change for generations to come.
Learn more about leaving a gift in your Will here.