Vital Voices aims to foster growth in the developing world. How? They partner with prominent women leaders in places such as Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. According to the organization, women leaders have helped and educated more than 500,000 other women and girls in their communities with the knowledge that they gained during their partnership.

A Unique Approach

Vital Voices invests in leaders. These women know what they need and what their communities need. The organization encourages their fellows to help their communities and other women leaders in their communities.

The organization focuses on three key aspects: human rights, economic development and political participation. Through these areas of focus, women can obtain fellowships, education and influence.

Human Rights

According to UNICEF, there were 3.7 million victims of human trafficking in Africa in 2014. Vital Voices wants to improve the justice system’s responses and victim protection responses. Partnering with legal and criminal justice experts in Cameroon and Uganda, the organization desires to combat this issue.

In Uganda, Voices partners with AEquitas and Law and Advocacy for Women in Uganda. In Cameroon, Vital Voices partners with AEquitas and Vital Voices network members.

Economic Development

Women business owners face disadvantages that male business owners do not. Voices provides fellowships in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Women can learn how to grow their businesses and help their communities.

The fellowships allow businesswomen to learn more about leadership, finances and networking. This not only helps the businesswoman, but it also helps foster economic growth in her community.

Political Participation

According to Vital Voices, women only hold 19% of government positions internationally.

The organization is trying to strengthen women’s representation in the Pacific Islands. Partnering with New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AusAID PLP, Voices empowers women to influence policy change that would increase women’s presence in the workforce.

The Impact

According to U.N. Women, an increase in women in the labor force increases overall economic growth. Vital Voices wants to help women help themselves. In addition, the organization realizes that women have a great impact on the growth of developing countries. Women’s empowerment is now recognized as a way to decrease global poverty.

– Ella Cady

Sources: UNICEF, UN Women, Vital Voices
Photo: Pop Sugar