For centuries, women and girls have battled discrimination, violence, and other injustices that threaten their political power, their human rights, and their lives. While the state of women’s rights has improved, the fight for equality continues. In remarks to the United States, Secretary-General António Guterres recently said, “Patriarchy is far from vanquished; it is regaining ground.” If progress doesn’t accelerate, it could take another 131 years to reach global gender equality. Trusted charities like the 15 on this list want to achieve equality sooner for all women and girls.
| # | Organization |
|---|---|
| 1 | MADRE |
| 2 | Women’s Earth Alliance |
| 3 | The Equality Fund |
| 4 | The Wonder Foundation |
| 5 | Center for Reproductive Rights |
| 6 | Global Fund for Women |
| 7 | ActionAid |
| 8 | Malala Fund |
| 9 | Pro Mujer |
| 10 | One Girl |
| 11 | Sakhi for South Asian Survivors |
| 12 | Girls Not Brides |
#1. MADRE
MADRE, which was founded in 1983, is an international feminist and human rights organization. Through its partnerships with grassroots movements in 40+ countries, MADRE works on goals like achieving global peace and climate justice, ending gender violence, and protecting reproductive rights. Activities include policy, grantmaking, capacity-bridging, and legal advocacy. Since its founding, MADRE has provided over $52 million in grants and in-kind support.
MADRE accepts several donation options, including cash, check, stock, or Donor Advised Funds. The organization’s website also hosts an Action Center where supporters can access free reports, toolkits, policy papers, and shareable graphics.
#2. Women’s Earth Alliance
The Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA) is a grassroots collective that believes women are key to solving the climate crisis. Founded in 2006 with 30 women from 26 countries, the organization funds, trains, and supports women leaders working to reverse climate change. WEA collaborates with regional Program Leads in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and its Cross Regional program. Issue areas include economics, conservation, energy, education, water, and much more. In 2023, WEA reached 2.9 million people and provided grants to over 1,400 women-led climate groups.
Supporters can donate to WEA online, by check, by stock, by crypto, or with other methods. WEA also hosts an online Marketplace where it partners with vetted companies who donate a percentage of proceeds to the NGO.
#3. The Equality Fund
The Equality Fund is a Canada-based grantmaking organization focused on feminist organizations. Grantmaking has historically been unsustainable for gender equality organizations, so the Equality Fund uses different strategies like investments and philanthropy. It funds feminist organizations around the world, especially in the Global South. In 2023, the Equality Fund resourced 654 organizations, funded movements in 90 countries, and saw a 134% increase in grantmaking from 2022, according to its annual report.
The Equality Fund welcomes one-time, monthly, and quarterly donations online. You can also give bequest and legacy gifts, stocks or securities, and life insurance. Americans can donate online through CAF America.
#4. The Wonder Foundation
The Wonder Foundation is a UK charity that partners with organizations working to empower women, girls, and their communities. Programs focus on quality education, family engagement, mentoring, sustainable employment, empowering spaces, and more. Partners are chosen based on their experience and expertise in education. You can find the Wonder Foundation working in places like Brazil, Guatemala, India, Uganda, the UK, Europe, and other countries. Since its founding in 2012, the charity has reached 120,000 women and girls.
If you want to support the Wonder Foundation, you can set up a one-time or monthly donation on its website. The charity also works with corporate partners and accepts cryptocurrency, legacy gifts, and more.
#5. Center for Reproductive Rights
The Center for Reproductive Rights protects reproductive rights around the world. With its team of lawyers and advocates, the charity has programs for litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. Accomplishments include winning cases before human rights bodies, participating in major U.S. Supreme Court abortion cases, and strengthening reproductive laws across five continents. Focus areas include abortion, assisted reproduction, humanitarian settings, maternal health, and contraception.
The Center for Reproductive Rights accepts donations online by card, bank account, and PayPal. You can also give through a Donor Advised Fund, stock, or an employee matching program. If you want to help the charity’s goals in other ways, you can find ideas on the website.
#6. Global Fund for Women
For over 30 years, the Global Fund for Women has provided funds to gender justice organizations, movements, and initiatives around the world. 84% of grants go to groups working in repressive societies while 79% of program funds are long-term. During its years of operation, the Fund has provided almost $184 million to organizations in 176 countries. The Fund also supports local, gender-sensitive response, rebuilding, and resiliency for organizations facing health crises, political emergencies, and climate disasters.
If you want to donate to the Global Fund for Women, check out your options on the website. The charity accepts online giving, Donor Advised Funds, legacy gifts, corporate giving, and cause marketing.
#7. ActionAid
ActionAid International is a global federation committed to ending poverty and injustice. It focuses on emergencies, land rights, politics and economics, and other women’s issues. With its sister organizations, ActionAid works in regions like Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. In 2023, ActionAid USA supported over 4,000 women and kids in Gaza, reached 1,000 women with safety leaflets in Morocco, and spent 42% of its program expenses for the year on women’s rights.
ActionAid International’s website lets you choose a country office, so you can give through the correct donation portal. Once you’ve found your portal, you can make a one-time, monthly, or yearly donation by credit card or bank account.
#8. Malala Fund
The Malala Fund is an education-focused organization focused on access, equality, and sustainability. It funds education advocates and activists in places like Afghanistan, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, and other countries where it’s hard for girls to get the education they deserve. Since the Malala Fund’s establishment, it has given $47 million and supported 102 education champions in 9 countries. The charity also operates an online research library supporting local, national, and global advocacy for girls’ education. In 2023, the Fund reached over 21 million students and distributed $6.5 million in grants, according to its annual report.
Supporters can give one-time or monthly donations via the Malala Fund’s website. The portal can accept 40+ currencies through PayPal. Other donation options include corporate giving, planned giving, and cryptocurrency.
#9. Pro Mujer
Pro Mujer is a social enterprise working to end gender inequality in Latin America. In its 33 years of operation, the organization has impacted 2.5 million people, provided 10+ million health services, and distributed $4.4 billion in microloans. Three areas are targeted: health and well-being, financial inclusion, and skilling opportunities. Specific programs include primary care services, breast cancer support programs, digital financial platforms, financial education programs, and business and entrepreneurship skill programs. Pro Mujer is headquartered in New York but has offices in Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
Pro Mujer accepts one-time and monthly donations by credit card, bank account, or PayPal. It also has a consulting arm – the Gender Knowledge Lab – that guides NGOs on gender, diversity, and inclusion policies.
#10. One Girl
One Girl is a grassroots gender equality charity working in Sierra Leone. It provides accessible education and resources that make communities safer for girls. One Girl does this by giving girls what they need for school (school uniforms, shoes, textbooks, lunch money, etc), providing safe spaces for discussions on reproductive health, financial literacy, and more, and working with field officers and teachers. In 2022, One Girl’s Girls in School Program in Sierra Leone supported 196 girls in 27 schools.
Supporters of One Girl can give donations online. A $20 monthly donation can fund lunch for two girls for the month, while $84 can pay for everything a girl needs for school and outside support for a month. One Girl also welcomes ambassadors committed to advocacy and fundraising for the charity.
#11. Sakhi for South Asian Survivors
Since 1989, New York-based Sakhi for South Asian Survivors has represented members of the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean diaspora who need support after experiencing violence. Its services include a helpline, counseling, housing assistance, and programs for anti-violence, sexual assault, food justice, and youth empowerment. In 2023, the charity distributed over $1 million in housing assistance and worked with 523 survivors. Visitors to the website can also access the Learn Library, which compiles resources on gender-based violence.
You can give tax-deductible donations to Sakhi for South Asian Survivors through their online portal. You can also give by check, stock, wire transfer, life insurance, and more.
#12. Girls Not Brides
Child marriage may be less common than it used to be many years ago, but every year, 12 million girls get married before they’re 18. Girls Not Brides is a global network of 1,400+ civil society organizations from over 100 countries. The network wants to raise awareness of the impacts of child marriage, amplify the voices of girls at risk of child marriage, and end child marriage. 82% of the member organizations work in communities, while 40% identify as youth-led organizations. The network works across many fields including health, education, and human rights, which makes its impact holistic.
Supporters can donate to individual members of Girls Not Brides on the online portal. If you’re getting married soon and want to support the charity, you can dedicate your wedding by donating, starting a fundraiser, or registering with VOW, a partner organization using the power of the wedding industry to end child marriage.
