Many international non-governmental organizations focus on the empowerment and progress of women. Here are some of the most relevant ones.

On this past International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 2009, I was reflecting upon the international non-governmental organizations that focus on the empowerment of women as social change agents.

The Global Fund for Women website indicates “We are part of a global women’s movement that is rooted in a commitment to justice and an appreciation of the value of women’s experience. The challenges women face vary widely across communities, cultures, religions, traditions and countries. We believe that women should have a full range of choices, and that women themselves know best how to determine their needs and propose solutions for lasting change. The way in which we do our work is as important as what we do. This philosophy is reflected in our flexible, respectful and responsive style of grantmaking.”

The United Nations Fund dedicated to the advancement of women’s rights and gender equality UNIFEM “provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies that foster women’s empowerment. UNIFEM works on the premise that it is the fundamental right of every woman to live a life free from discrimination and violence, and that gender equality is essential to achieving development and to building just societies.”

Similarly, the Hunger Project is committed to empowering women as key change agents as “women bear almost all responsibility for meeting basic needs of the family, yet are systematically denied the resources, information and freedom of action they need to fulfill this responsibility.”

Two of eleven global health strategies at the world’s largest private Foundation – the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are focused on women – maternal, neonatal, and child health, and family Planning.

Furthermore, one of the primary objectives of Muhammad Yunus of the famed Grameen Bank (the icon for micro credit) when he established the bank in the 1980s was to “bring the disadvantaged, mostly the women from the poorest households, within the fold of an organizational format which they can understand and manage by themselves.”

It strikes me that some of the largest international NGOs focusing their efforts on women illustrates the importance of empowering women. This blog, too, addresses women as a central to development. I wonder, are women the key to addressing the many global challenges we are facing that this blog has addressed: the economic meltdown and women; poverty and AIDS; youth love and sexuality; motherhood and human rights; climate change and women?

The opinions expressed in this text are those of the author.