International Women’s Day – Make it happen

Women and girls make up about half of our global population but make up two thirds of the 1.4 billion who live in extreme poverty.

For more than half a century, VSO’s vision has been of an equal world, free of poverty.

This International Women’s Day we are calling on every citizen, from world leaders to volunteers, to make it happen.

Women in Power : A voice for every woman

The simplest way to make things fairer for women is to involve them. Women in Power is VSO’s campaign to increase the involvement of women at all levels of decision-making.

Making it easier for women to hold positions of power in our societies in an equal proportion to men, and to encourage their full participation and influence over the decisions that affect their lives, is the only way that women will be able to create systems that truly recognise and include them.

From the female politicians engaging in grassroots democracy in India, to the Kenyan woman leader making decisions to benefit a much broader section of the community, women are making it happen.

VSO is calling for equal opportunities for women to be involved in the decisions that affect them. 2015 is a critical year to make it happen. This year, the world will commit to a plan of action for reducing poverty and inequality by introducing a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be met by 2030.

Women cannot be left out any longer. We are calling for the SDGs to include a emphatic commitment to achieving gender equality and the realisation of the human rights of women and girls.

Empowering women works

Without money of their own, nor the tools and guidance to improve their financial circumstances, life for women like Alice and Rute is very hard.

Women may be disadvantaged on account of their gender around the world, but when actions are taken to level the playing field, the results are inspiring. Time and again, empowering women has been shown to benefit their children, extended families and wider communities.

Show your support

Show your support for gender equality this International Women’s Day by uploading one of these impactful facebook covers to your profile. Simply click on the one you’d like to use, download the full size version and publish it to your profile.

Facebook cover:

Thank you for making it happen

You are helping us reach more than a million women and girls every year. Thanks to you, we are improving their access to quality education and health services, secure sources of food and income as well as their participation and representation in society.

Together, we will realise gender equality. Stand up for women around the world and make it happen.

About VSO

VSO is the world’s leading international development organisation that uses volunteers to fight poverty and reduce inequality.

Learn more about our areas of programme focus and advocacy work, or learn about how you could step forward and make a real difference by becoming a volunteer yourself.