5 Organizations Advocating For The Rights Of Women & Girls

While feminism has made many strides, there is still a long way to go if we want to see true gender equality. Organizations around the globe have formed to advance this goal, and ensure that women receive equal pay, better career opportunities, reproductive justice, and more. This list, in no particular order, highlights some groups fighting for the rights of women and girls.

The #1 entry is Rights4Girls, an organization dedicated to ending gender-based violence in the US. It advocates for the dignity and rights of young women and girls so that they can be safe and be free of harm and exploitation. The nonprofit aims to change policy through education, engagement, and movement-building.

Rights4Girls produces publications that shed light on some of the most pressing issues facing young women and girls today. This research is meant to uplift the distinct, and often untold, experiences of marginalized individuals and offer solutions to meet their specific needs. The organization also trains judges, system professionals, and communities on alternatives to detention, and helps them center the needs of vulnerable youth.

Coming in at #2, we have the International Women's Health Coalition, based in New York City. The nonprofit fights to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls worldwide. It does this by funding and supporting feminist leaders, organizations, and movements, primarily in the Global South, and by advocating for beneficial international and US policies, programs, and funding.

Since 2007, IWHC has identified and mentored young people worldwide to advocate for national and global policies that further sexual and reproductive rights. The organization holds hands-on workshops to prepare young people for negotiations with UN diplomats and government officials.

Up next, at #3, we present the African Women's Development Fund, a grant-making foundation that supports local, national, and regional organizations working toward the empowerment of women in Africa. Specializing in focused, movement-building programs, it aims to strengthen a variety of female-centered organizations.

Based in Accra, Ghana, the AWDF's vision is for African women to reside in a world where there is social justice, equality, and respect for human rights. The organization funds groups across Africa under the following thematic areas: women's rights, political participation, peace-building, healthcare, HIV and AIDS, economic empowerment, and the arts.

For the #4 entry, we have Equality Rights Alliance, Australia’s largest network advocating for gender equality and female leadership. It brings together several non-government organizations and social enterprises that focus on the impact of policy on women. The Alliance is funded by the Commonwealth Government's Office for Women, and led by YWCA Australia.

ERA believes the advancement of women and the achievement of equality are matters of fundamental human rights. Its Women's Advisory Group is made up of ten young individuals, aged 30 and under, from across Australia, who work together to bring youthful perspectives and views to the ERA while driving research and advocacy projects.

Last but not least, at #5, we present the National Organization for Women. This nonprofit is dedicated to a multi-issue and multi-strategy approach to women's rights, and is the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States. NOW has hundreds of chapters throughout the country.

Since its founding in 1966, NOW's purpose is to take action through intersectional grassroots activism. It strives to promote feminist ideals, lead societal change, eliminate discrimination, and achieve and protect the equal rights of women and girls in all aspects of social, political, and economic life.