Women’s rights organizations are civil society groups that work toward advancing and protecting the rights of women and girls. These organizations are active in various issues, including education, health, economic development, political participation, and more.
Many types of women’s rights organizations range from grassroots groups to large international NGOs. Some women’s rights organizations focus on a specific issue or region, while others take a more generalist approach.
There has been a growing trend of women’s rights organizations working together on campaigns and initiatives in recent years. This has led to a more coordinated and practical approach to advancing women’s rights.
If you want to learn more about women’s rights organizations, read on!
1. U.N. Women
U.N. Women is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Working closely with governments, civil society, and other U.N. entities, U.N. Women advances women’s rights and gender equality through advocacy, policy development, and capacity building.
U.N. Women works to empower and support women and girls of all backgrounds and to ensure their active participation in all aspects of society. Their initiatives focus on various issues, including better access to education, healthcare, political participation, economic opportunities, and ending violence and discrimination against women and girls.
U.N. Women also works to promote and advocate for the implementation of international instruments that further women’s rights, such as the CEDAW Convention and the Beijing Declaration. U.N. Women ensures that a gender perspective is included in all United Nation’s work areas.
U.N. Women’s initiatives and efforts are helping to create a world where all women can realize their rights and fulfill their potential.
2. Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is an organization dedicated to promoting and protecting women’s health and reproductive rights. Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of services, including access to contraception, abortion services, and health check-ups.
Planned Parenthood’s mission is to provide affordable, high-quality reproductive health care for all individuals and to eliminate disparities in access to reproductive health care. They believe that the right to make decisions about one’s own body is essential to personal autonomy and life quality.
Planned Parenthood advocates for women’s rights and ensures all people, regardless of gender, have access to comprehensive reproductive health services. They work to ensure that individuals have access to accurate, non-discriminatory information about their sexual health and reproductive options.
Planned Parenthood’s services are available to everyone regardless of race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. They believe that everyone deserves to be heard, supported, and accepted for the person they are.
Planned Parenthood strives to ensure that all individuals have access to comprehensive reproductive health services and the information they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
3. National Organization for Women (NOW)
The National Organization for Women (NOW) was founded in many to seek Equality for all individuals, regardless of gender. They are a leading advocate for women’s rights and have worked tirelessly for over forty-five years to eliminate discrimination and sexism.
NOW works to ensure that people can live free from gender-based discrimination and to disrupt the systems of injustice that keep women and girls from achieving their full potential. NOW campaigns for anti-discrimination policies, and their research reveals patterns of discrimination against women in multiple areas.
The work of NOW includes lobbying to improve national legislation and ensuring that women of all backgrounds receive equal access to health care, reproductive rights, and employment opportunities. They also work with the public to educate and create awareness of issues that impact women’s lives.
NOW ensures that women have the same access to education, legal protections, and reproductive rights as men. They are committed to eradicating cultural norms that limit women’s ability to be independent and assertive
NOW seeks to ensure everyone has the same opportunities, regardless of gender. They are a crucial advocate in the fight to ensure women’s rights and the equal treatment of all individuals.
4. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to promoting non-violence. It was established in many to address the first-ever international peace conference.
WILPF aims to provide a worldwide platform for advancing women’s rights and gender equality. They work to develop international law and institutions to protect women’s rights and create a more peaceful world.
Their activities include international meetings and conferences, research and analysis, workshops and forums, campaigns and petitions, and media campaigns. WILPF is committed to eradicating violence against women and girls and challenges discrimination based on sex.
WILPF’s programs focus on six core areas: peace, disarmament, human rights, gender equality, ecological justice, and economic/social justice. They are also involved in peacebuilding and advocate for just and lasting peace.
WILPF actively works with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations to bring gender equality to global discussions. They also collaborate with governments and international institutions to consider women’s voices.
Throughout the years, WILPF has profoundly impacted the protection of women’s rights and the promotion of peace and freedom. WILPF’s commitment to promoting gender equality and equal rights makes them key in advancing women’s rights.
5. Equality Now
Equality Now is an international human rights organization that advocates for women’s rights worldwide. Equality Now was founded in 1992 and has offices in New York, London, and Nairobi.
Equality Now works to build a world in which women and girls have equal rights and opportunities. The organization focuses on gender-based violence, ensuring access to reproductive health care, promoting equal economic opportunity, and ending discriminatory laws.
Equality Now works both domestically and abroad. The organization’s campaigns have focused on African countries such as Mozambique, which had laws barring married women from owning land or operating without their husband’s permission. Equality Now also works in the U.S. and U.K. to end workplace gender discrimination and to ensure access to reproductive health care services.
Equality Now is supported by many prominent figures and organizations, including the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Population Fund. Over the years, Equality Now has won several awards for its commitment to improving the lives of women and girls worldwide. The organization remains dedicated to advancing gender equality and ending gender-based violence.
6. Global Fund for Women
The Global Fund for Women (GFW) is a non-profit organization that provides grants to organizations and movements defending and advancing the human rights of women and girls. Founded in many GFW supports women’s economic and political power by providing financial resources to grassroots campaigns, organizations, and movements to end discrimination and oppression against women and girls.
GFW works on various issues, from economic justice to reproductive rights. The organization has extended its support to over many organizations in many countries and has provided over many million in grants to date.
GFW’s mission is to advance women’s achievements and collective power, enabling them to realize their rights and fulfill their potential. The organization’s vision goes beyond merely running women’s rights; GFW also works to build more resilient societies and end exploitation and injustice.
GFW supports the work of organizations and movements with its grants while providing technical support. The organization also partners with civil society organizations to promote and implement feminist solutions to global challenges.
GFW’s unwavering commitment to women and girls has had a significant impact on the lives of countless individuals around the world.
7. Women's Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN)
Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN) is a global network of women’s rights organizations and activists working together to promote and protect human rights and gender justice. WREN is committed to advancing women’s human rights while also working towards eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women.
The network is made up of over many human rights and gender justice activists from across the world. WREN brings together various organizations, movements, and experts, facilitating the exchange of insights on women’s rights and gender justice. WREN also works to develop and share strategic tools and resources to support its efforts.
WREN also funds organizations and activists working on women’s rights and gender justice initiatives. Through its Member Networks Program, WREN provides grants to organizations and networks to support their work.
As a member of WREN, organizations and activists can use the network to share experiences and information while gaining access to WREN’s other resources and programs.
WREN is an essential partner in the global effort to protect and advance women’s rights. The network brings together organizations and activists worldwide, providing a necessary platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
8. Women's Refugee Commission
The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) is a global non-profit that works to protect the rights and well-being of women, children, and youth displaced by conflict and crisis. They advocate for policies and programs that safeguard the dignity and human rights of these vulnerable populations and seek to ensure access to education, economic opportunities, health care, and other services in displaced communities.
The WRC’s mission is to improve the lives and protect the rights of displaced women, children, and youth worldwide. They work with partners to identify best practices and develop programs to help people forced to leave their homes. The WRC also raises awareness about the unique needs and vulnerabilities of refugees, displaced people, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The WRC ensures that displaced women, children, and youth access justice, violence protection, and essential services. The WRC also seeks to address the root causes of displacement, such as armed conflict and human rights violations.
By advocating for durable solutions to displacement, the WRC is working to reduce the need for refugee resettlement. The WRC is an integral part of the global effort to protect and advance the rights of displaced people.
9. Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)
The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) is an international membership organization that works to advance the rights of women around the world. They provide a platform for women’s rights organizations and activists to share knowledge, connect, support each other, and engage in advocacy and policy development.
AWID ensures that women’s rights are given the highest priority in all policy processes and that their voices are heard and their needs addressed. They are also committed to holding decision-makers accountable for their commitments to the human rights of all women and girls everywhere.
AWID was founded in 1982 and has since undertaken numerous campaigns to advance the rights of women and girls. They have conducted research projects, held conferences and workshops, published numerous books, and undertaken advocacy efforts with institutions such as the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations, and the World Bank.
AWID serves as an independent and trusted champion for women’s rights. Despite significant progress, much work remains to be done to fully and equally value and respect women’s rights. AWID will continue to be a powerful advocate for women, particularly those who are the most marginalized.
10. Girls Not Brides
The Girls Not Brides campaign is the global human rights movement Equality Now initiative. The mission of this campaign is to end the illegal practice of child marriage. The campaign is dedicated to advocating for the full realization of girls’ human rights, including freedom from child marriage and other harmful practices, focusing on girls in Ghana, India, Nigeria, and the United States.
Through its work, the campaign seeks to end all forms of gender-based discriminatory laws, regulations, and practices that deny girls and women their human rights, including early marriage, female genital mutilation, and inequality in access to health care, education, and employment.
Girls Not Brides aims to engage and empower individuals and communities to take action in support of girls and women and make long-term, sustainable changes that will allow them to live life on their terms. To achieve its goals, the campaign engages local, national, and international governments, as well as other activists, to create laws protecting girls and women from discrimination.
Though significant progress has been made in recent years, much work still needs to be done.
