information and Stories about woman and female empowerment.

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Pakistan’s HPV Vaccine Rollout: Protecting 13 Million Girls

Pakistan’s HPV Vaccine RolloutIn September 2025, the Government of Pakistan initiated a transformative public health landmark with the launch of Pakistan’s Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Rollout. This national campaign targets 13 million girls aged 9-14, providing them with critical protection against the virus. Given that Pakistan loses approximately eight women every day to cervical cancer, totaling more than 2,500 preventable deaths annually, this initiative represents one of the most significant advancements in women’s health in the nation’s history.

A Phased Strategy for National Coverage

Central to the success of Pakistan’s HPV Vaccine Rollout is a strategic, phased implementation plan supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The first phase of the campaign focuses on Punjab, Sindh, the Islamabad Capital Territory and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Following this initial push, the government plans to expand the program to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026, with Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan scheduled for 2027.

By the end of this period, the program aims to reach more than 17 million girls nationwide. The campaign utilizes the Cecolin bivalent vaccine, which the WHO pre-qualifies for use in immunizing against HPV types 16 and 18. These two strains are responsible for the vast majority of cervical cancer cases globally.

To make the program sustainable, Gavi provided 67% of the initial funding, while the Pakistani government committed to a 33% co-financing share. This financial arrangement ensures that the vaccine remains free of charge for all eligible girls. This, thereby, removes the economic barriers that often hinder access to health care for impoverished families.

Overcoming Stigma Through Community Leadership

Since the HPV vaccine is administered to adolescent girls, health officials anticipated challenges regarding social stigma and vaccine hesitancy. To address these concerns, Pakistan’s HPV Vaccine Rollout adopted a “whole-of-society” approach. The government collaborated with local civil society organizations and influential Islamic scholars to build community trust.

These religious leaders played a vital role by publicly endorsing the vaccine, emphasizing that protecting life and preventing disease are core values that align with religious teachings. This communication strategy also utilized the powerful slogan “Sayhat Mand beti Sayhat Mand Gharna,” which translates to “Healthy daughter, healthy family.” By framing the vaccine as an investment in the prosperity of the entire household, the campaign successfully shifted public perception.

Data from the first phase of the rollout indicate a significant decline in vaccine refusals. At the start of the campaign, approximately 300,000 families expressed hesitation. However, through targeted counseling and outreach, this number dropped to 90,000, allowing the campaign to achieve more than 72% coverage in its early stages.

Mobile Outreach for Marginalized Groups

A critical component of the rollout is its ability to reach marginalized and underserved populations, including the 50% of eligible girls who are currently out of school. To ensure no girl is left behind, the government deployed a multi-pronged delivery system. While schools and fixed health facilities serve as primary vaccination sites, mobile teams and special outreach units travel to remote villages and high-risk urban areas to administer vaccinations.

This approach brings the vaccine directly to those who face the greatest geographic and social barriers to care. To support this massive logistical effort, the WHO trained more than 49,000 health workers in vaccine administration, cold chain management and community engagement. These workers are also part of a new digitization project that integrates training manuals into a unified digital learning system.

This technological advancement enables frontline vaccinators to access updated information and report data in real-time, thereby strengthening the overall resilience of Pakistan’s immunization infrastructure.

Building a Sustainable Future for Women’s Health

The long-term success of Pakistan’s HPV Vaccine Rollout will depend on its transition from a campaign-style initiative to a routine part of the national health system. Starting in the second year, the government intends to integrate HPV vaccination into routine immunization schedules for all 9-year-old girls. This integration will ensure that every new cohort of adolescent girls receives protection as a standard part of their primary health care.

By prioritizing evidence-based solutions and fostering international partnerships, Pakistan is moving closer to the World Health Assembly’s goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030. The progress made in 2025 demonstrates that even in complex social environments, determined political leadership and community-focused strategies can overcome obstacles to save thousands of lives. This rollout stands as a powerful example of how targeted health interventions can break the cycle of illness and poverty, securing a brighter and healthier future for the next generation of Pakistani women.

– Elena Cárdenas

Elena is based in Monterrey, México and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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From Papyrus Waste to Sanitary Pads: MakaPads in Uganda

MakaPadsUganda produces large quantities of papyrus and other plants found in wetlands. However, for many years, their by-products were ignored while imported sanitary pads dominated the market. For many girls and women, especially in rural areas, those imported pads are too costly or hard to find, contributing to widespread unmet menstrual hygiene needs.

A national audit published in January 2025 found that 64% of female students miss school regularly because sanitary materials and proper water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities are lacking. In this context, MakaPads emerged as a social enterprise, through which local engineers and social entrepreneurs began producing sanitary pads from papyrus reeds and recycled paper. MakaPads’ aim was straightforward: create a hygiene product affordable enough for low-income families while relying on materials available in Uganda itself.

MakaPads Project

The manufacturing remains deliberately low-tech and locally based. Papyrus stems are harvested from wetlands, stripped into fibers or pulp, mixed with recycled paper and shaped into absorbent pads. The finished pads are reportedly up to 95% biodegradable, chemical-free and cost roughly half as much as many imported pads available on the Ugandan market.

MakaPads has also provided employment and economic opportunity, particularly for women from vulnerable backgrounds. According to the project’s own documentation, production at its peak involved as many as 225 people, including both skilled and unskilled workers, as well as refugees, across various factories and stages of production. In one refugee camp factory at Kyaka II, a 2015 report describes 76 women employed, producing more than 800 pads daily and scaling production from 30,000 pads in 2009 to more than one million in 2014.

Women involved in production reported earning enough to cover their children’s school fees or invest in small assets, such as land or motorcycles, illustrating the tangible economic benefits of the project.

Social Impact and Challenges

On the social side, users and distributors have reported that locally made pads have helped reduce reliance on improvised alternatives, such as cloth and rags, which are often uncomfortable, unhygienic and stigmatizing. One user in the camp, Evelyne Banyamisa, reported that access to MakaPads allowed her to maintain consistent school attendance and participate fully in daily activities during her menstrual cycle.

However, the initiative has faced challenges. The UNHCR contract to supply pads to refugee camps was discontinued in 2015 after a quality inspection by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) revealed deficiencies. Some users also noted limitations, including leakage on heavier flow days, narrow pad width and occasional odor issues, highlighting the ongoing need to balance affordability, accessibility and product quality.

Final Remarks

Despite these setbacks, MakaPads remains a rare example of a social enterprise that simultaneously addresses menstrual health, local employment and environmental sustainability through low-cost, biodegradable sanitary products. Nevertheless, MakaPads demonstrates what community-rooted, resource-aware innovation can achieve: a model that combines menstrual hygiene with local manufacturing, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity. In a country where period poverty affects the majority of schoolgirls, low-cost, biodegradable pads made from native plant waste stand out as a hopeful, home-grown solution.

– George Horberry

George is based in York, UK and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Mutual Aid in Sudan Helps Women

Mutual Aid in SudanThe ongoing humanitarian crisis and military conflict in Sudan have severely disrupted state structures and the effective delivery of international aid. As a result, the Sudanese people now rely on volunteer groups that have practically replaced the national service networks. Mutual, women-led aid groups have formed a critical network of sustenance and support, especially for the most vulnerable populations, including women and children.

The Many Aspects of Help

These are some of the ways mutual aid in Sudan has provided support for nearly two years to date:

  • Provides essential products for women, such as sanitary items, personal hygiene supplies, first aid kits and supplements for pregnant women. According to United Nations (U.N.) estimates, more than 15 million women and girls are among the most vulnerable, facing scarce health care and rampant malnutrition.
  • Creates support groups to help individuals cope with the extreme realities of war. Mental health support is offered through both online and in-person meetings. Mutual aid in Sudan provides not only material goods but also safe spaces where women and girls can seek understanding and share their experiences.
  • Organizes shelter and schools, along with child-friendly spaces and day care groups. Sudan’s crisis has caused large-scale displacement. In response, mutual aid groups work to place women and children in safe locations, whether with host families, in repurposed administrative buildings or in refugee camps, building a protective safety net around families.
  • Educates women and girls in mental health, as well as breast cancer awareness. Mutual aid in Sudan focuses not only on direct emergency response but also on spreading information through economic and practical skills projects. These educational efforts aim to ensure that beneficiaries can use the acquired skills to improve their quality of life not only during the ongoing crisis but also after the situation stabilizes.
  • Secures food and water supplies. Volunteers form associations that focus on growing fruit and vegetables. Aid groups donate the produce to community kitchens and sell the surplus to fund other activities. Despite funding shortages, community kitchens remain a vital lifeline for many families and continue operating with the support of aid groups. Volunteers also respond to immediate needs, such as providing water to areas with disrupted supply due to issues like defective wells.

Women Power Sudan’s Aid Network

The mutual aid network consists of more than 700 groups across the country. Most of the groups are built of and led by women. The volunteers receive 95% of all donated funds to act on the ground and the network is mostly self-reliant.

Main channels of communication and planning are social media, especially Facebook, where volunteers interact with each other, as well as people in need. Sudanese citizens rely heavily on the aid provided by the mutual response network for day-to-day crisis management.

Bringing Water and Hope

Mutual aid in Sudan not only provides essential support to women and children affected by the humanitarian crisis. Volunteer groups also bring hope and a sense of solidarity. As one of them, Ibrahim, explains: “The beautiful thing is that we come together and spend time doing this, which is therapeutic and purposeful. Beautiful values have emerged from this hardship and I hope they will continue afterward.”

– Patrycja Pietrzak

Patrycja is based in Cyprus and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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How Reusable Diapers Are Fighting Poverty, Waste & Inequality

Reusable DiapersThroughout West Africa, the lack of essential hygiene items, such as sanitary pads and diapers, has significantly impacted the lives of millions. One in 10 girls in Sub-Saharan Africa skips school during their periods; obstetric fistula isolates thousands of women each year and with 300,000 disposable diapers thrown away every minute worldwide, the waste crisis in these regions is poorly equipped to curb such environmental impacts.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aims to transform this landscape by launching three regional factories to produce reusable sanitary diapers and pads. This, in turn, will boost employment in local communities and directly address issues of inequality, poverty and environmental degradation.

The Issue at Hand: A Silent Crisis

Across West Africa, 401.9 million people currently face health and education challenges and 60% of them are young people. Obstetric fistula affects a vast number of women as well, where social exclusion risks coming as a result. Furthermore, the lack of sanitary products in schools contributes to school dropouts among girls and the elderly struggle with a lack of products to help manage urinary leaks.

What ECOWAS is bringing to the table is an opportunity to address these gaps by integrating education, health and socioeconomic issues in a way that promotes human development in the region. It also offers a pathway to tackle the current global waste crisis. “This isn’t just about hygiene-it’s about dignity, economic inclusion and breaking cycles of poverty,” as stated by an ECOWAS commissioner during a signing ceremony.

Governments, together with private entities, can ensure civilians receive safe sanitary products by reinforcing product standards and increasing supply. This approach helps restore both dignity and the market for these products.

ECOWAS Reusable Diaper and Pads Initiative

In 2024, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Gender Development Center (CCDG) initiative, launched this project to establish three factories for producing reusable sanitary pads and diapers. The goal is to meet the needs of teenage girls, fistula survivors and older people, advancing both gender equality and human development.

By initiating this project, ECOWAS objectives centered on decreasing the rates of school dropout, enhancing reproductive health for fistula victims by producing affordable sanitary items and providing them with economic independence by creating jobs.

The management of these factories was entrusted to the States. However, it has a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors, including ECOWAS, partners and ministries, which oversee its training, implementation and advocacy.

Countries in the Spotlight

Within West Africa, several countries have positively responded to this initiative, including Sierra Leone, Togo and Liberia.

  • Sierra Leone: With the approval of the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi and in partnership with ECOWAS, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the government and ECOWAS to implement the project at both local and national levels. The plan also includes producing underwear for young people, with additional funds allocated for this purpose.
  • Liberia: The ECOWAS Commission, with funding of $40,000 from the West African Health Organization (WAHO), launched the reusable sanitary pads project in Liberia. It aims to improve the lives of 10,000 girls in Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties. The initiative also includes promoting awareness of sexual and reproductive health among young girls.
  • Togo: The project was also launched in this country, with funds directed toward its fistula program and support for both survivors and young girls who struggle to access hygiene products during their periods. To boost production, 100 seamstresses were trained and 5,000 reusable sanitary pad kits were distributed across 12 schools in Togo. This initiative helped establish a sustainable production model that supports employment and women’s empowerment.

The Bigger Impact

Using reusable pads and diapers offers a major environmental advantage, especially since disposable versions are among the biggest global contributors to plastic waste. More than 300,000 diapers are thrown away every minute, ending up in landfills and polluting the environment and oceans. This issue is even more serious given how difficult they are to recycle, often taking years to break down. By promoting a circular diaper and pad industry, this initiative could prevent 38 million tonnes of waste each year.

What ECOWAS proposed and initiated was far beyond just hygiene; it is about dignity, breaking cycles of poverty within West Africa and socioeconomic inclusion.

– Liz Mendes

Liz is based in Vancouver, Canada and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Clean Water and Empowerment: Women-led WASH in Nepal

Women-led WASH in NepalIn the rural town of Thantikandh, Nepal, women once sat at the ends of water and sanitary decisions. Now, they are leading efforts to bring safe water and toilets to their community. Supported by SNV Netherlands Development Organization, the local WASH Coordination Committee is recognized for including Nepal’s women and people with disabilities in leadership. Within just 18 months, the area saw a sudden increase in participation in planning safe water access and cleanliness programs.

Chair of the WASH-CC, Mr. Dhir Bahadur Shahi, says, “Previously, we had little knowledge about the particular WASH needs of people with disabilities and women. The Disability Inclusive Development (DID) training, the inclusive WASH assessment and several activities organized by the WfW-BFL project sensitized us. These motivated us to include people with disabilities and women in the WASH-CC at [both] the rural municipality and ward levels.”

Women at the Helm

Across Nepal, women are leading a quiet yet powerful revolution in water and sanitation. In one of the SNV-supported programs, 20 out of 24 hamlets (tole) in Nepal are now managed by women-led WASH committees. In fact, these groups oversee everything from water safety to menstrual hygiene programs and public toilets.

Since placing women in charge of decision-making, projects have seen stronger follow-through and more sustainable outcomes. What was once considered “household work” has now become community leadership, as these women guide a future focused on reducing disease, saving time and improving livelihoods.

The Water and Poverty Connection

While access to water in Nepal has improved dramatically, challenges still remain. UNICEF reports that 95% of Nepalis now use an improved water source; however, 71% of all the water sources and more than 90% of those used by the most vulnerable group are contaminated with Escherichia coli bacteria. Furthermore, a recent BMC Public Health study among the Indigenous Kumal community revealed that 40% of households use surface water as their primary source of water.

Unsafe water leads directly to disease and a missed income, as women often bear the heaviest burden and walking long distances for clean water may still make families sick.

Solutions in Motion

To close these gaps, inclusive programs are changing the way water projects are managed. The Water for Women Fund’s partnership with SNV has reached more than 52,800 people in Nepal through community-led water and sanitation programs. These projects prioritize Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), ensuring women, people with disabilities and marginalized groups lead the way.

In Sarlahi District, women now head 20 of the 24 local water management committees. Their duties include overseeing sanitation campaigns, managing water billing and advocating for menstrual hygiene in schools. These systems have shifted WASH efforts from temporary aid to sustainable and locally owned solutions.

Beyond Access To Real Empowerment

Water access is only one part of the story, as empowerment fills the remainder. Indeed, through programs like SNV’s “Family Leadership” initiative, women now serve as chairpersons of local WASH committees and lead community outreach. In several Indigenous communities of Nepal, women manage sanitation systems, maintain toilets and run health workshops that reach hundreds of households.

This leadership has built significant trust within communities and strengthened local governments’ capacity to sustain progress. As SNV’s field reports note, women’s involvement has turned WASH work from a top-down effort into a community-driven movement.

The Bigger Picture

Nepal’s journey toward clean water and sanitation is as much about equity as it is infrastructure. With women-led WASH in Nepal, the country is improving health, education and economic opportunities, particularly for those who have long been excluded from decision-making. From Thantikandh to Sarlahi, women have demonstrated that access to clean water can also unlock opportunities for power, dignity and change. Nepal’s progress offers a model for how inclusive leadership can turn basic.

– Tiana Hermes

Tiana is based in Boulder, CO, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Breaking the Cycle: Ending Child Marriage in Costa Rica

Child Marriage in Costa RicaUntil recently, Costa Rica had one of the highest child marriage rates in Latin America, affecting more than 359,000 girls nationwide. About one in six young women married before turning 18. Poverty, social inequality and cultural norms that limited girls’ autonomy often drove these early unions. In the past few years, child marriage in Costa Rica has made remarkable progress. Through legal reforms, education initiatives and social programs, the country steadily moves toward eradicating child marriage altogether.

Poverty and the Roots of Child Marriage

Understanding why child marriage in Costa Rica persisted for so long requires examining the social and economic forces behind it. Poverty and gender inequality long shaped these early unions. While Costa Rica remains one of the least poor countries in Latin America, poverty rates fluctuated in recent years with national poverty rising from 20% in 2017 to 21.1% in 2018, pushing more than 23,000 households into poverty and more than 12,000 into extreme poverty. In rural and less-affluent parts of Costa Rica, families more often marry off girls at a young age – a pattern that aligns with broader regional trends.

Families withdrew many girls from school: around 70% of married girls aged 15–17 left education entirely, according to UNICEF. These girls often had little say in household decisions, and some believed that wife-beating was justified. Early marriage not only robbed girls of their childhoods but also entrenched cycles of poverty for future generations.

In some Indigenous communities, families consider girls eligible for marriage once they reach puberty. The award-winning film “Defenders of Life” tells the story of Esmeralda, a fictional Ngäbe girl representing this reality. By casting real community members and sparking national debate, the film shows how cultural norms influence early marriage—and how raising awareness can begin to change them.

Legal Reforms Bring Hope

In 2017, Costa Rica passed a law banning marriage under the age of 18 and closed loopholes that previously allowed minors to wed. The Patronato Nacional de la Infancia, UNICEF Costa Rica and local women’s rights groups championed this reform. Since then, Costa Rica sharply reduced registered child marriages. The new law also increased national awareness of children’s rights and gender equality, encouraging families to prioritize education and delay marriage.

Education and Empowerment

Legislation alone cannot end child marriage in Costa Rica. UNICEF Costa Rica and the Ministry of Public Education launched initiatives to keep girls in school and encourage adolescent girls to study science, mathematics and technology. UNICEF partners with civil society and private-sector organizations to amplify the voices of adolescent girls and young women. These programs empower girls to become leaders and changemakers, giving them the skills and platforms to advocate for initiatives that address key issues affecting children, youth and adolescents. By strengthening girls’ confidence and agency, these efforts tackle the root causes of child marriage and help girls shape their own futures.

Persistent Challenges

Despite significant progress, teenage girls still enter informal unions with older men, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities where poverty and cultural traditions remain strong. This includes communities such as the Ngäbe, where families consider girls eligible for marriage once they reach puberty. Persistent child marriage contributes to high teenage pregnancy rates: 16% of all births occur among girls under 18, rising to 27% in rural areas. Costa Rica must strengthen enforcement of existing laws and expand outreach to isolated communities to eliminate the practice completely.

A Model for the Region

Costa Rica’s efforts over the past few years demonstrate that determined action can drive real change and position the country as a model for the region. By combining legal reforms with initiatives that address the root causes of child marriage in Costa Rica – such as improving access to education and strengthening girls’ advocacy skills – the country is beginning to break persistent cycles of poverty and gender inequality. Continued collaboration between the government, NGOs and international partners will sustain this progress. Since 2015, UNAIDS, UN Women, UNICEF and other organizations have worked in a joint initiative to eliminate child marriage, reinforcing government efforts and laying the foundation for a future in which every girl’s rights and opportunities are fully protected. Costa Rica’s success offers a roadmap for neighboring countries facing similar challenges.

“Child marriage and early unions are a violation of human rights. Full Stop,” said Laura Flores, the Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations.

– Iona Gethin

Iona is based in Exeter, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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4 Charities Combating Period Poverty in Poland

4 Charities Combatting Period Poverty in Poland Poland has seen a significant rise in living standards in the last 20 years, with GDP per capita doubling since 2005. However, period poverty in Poland remains a significant issue.

Period poverty is when women lack adequate access to the quantity or quality of menstrual hygiene products. Many have criticized health care for women in Poland in recent years, not only for the abortion ban but also for poor levels of gynaecological care, a lack of funding from the national health fund and difficult access to contraception. Women’s health remains a taboo issue within Poland, with 41% of Polish women reporting that menstruation was never discussed in the family home.

The Kulczyk Foundation’s Period Study

In 2020, the Kulczyk Foundation conducted a large-scale survey on young girls and attitudes toward periods within Poland. This revealed shocking levels of menstrual shame and demonstrated high levels of period poverty. The study found that 21% of schoolgirls leave school due to a lack of access to menstrual products and that one-fifth of Polish women struggle to buy appropriate menstrual products. It also revealed that women and girls had misconceptions surrounding periods, with 25% of women thinking it was impossible to get pregnant during their period and 22% believing women should not go to the dentist during menstruation.

4 Charities Combating Period Poverty in Poland

Here are four organizations and charities that are doing the most to combat period poverty in Poland.

  1. The Różowa Skrzyneczka (Pink Box) Foundation. The Pink Box foundation aims to alleviate period poverty in Poland and reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation. This programme directly counteracts menstrual poverty through publicly available boxes containing free pads and tampons. Public spaces such as libraries, parks, transport hubs and schools are used to host these boxes. So far, major cities including Rzeszów, Sopot, Gdańsk and Łódź have implemented them.
  2. Menstruation Action. Menstruation Action aims to combat misconceptions about periods and provide access to period products for schoolgirls. Early efforts by Menstruation Action involve the purchasing and distribution of 1,000 menstrual cups for those most affected by period poverty in Poland, including single mothers, those in refugee centres and orphanages. In September 2020, the “Hey Girls” campaign launched, in which they provided boxes filled with essential sanitary products to schools and organized classes on menstruation for schoolgirls. More recent initiatives include the launch of “Padsharing.” Padsharing is a support network that connects women in need with donors. Through this programme, donors anonymously place and pay for orders according to the women in need’s instructions. Menstruation Action also introduced the “Heyday” initiative in July 2021 to create the first dedicated menstrual dispensers in Poland. The idea behind this project was so that companies and institutions that would like to introduce menstrual products into their toilets can do so despite lacking the resources to do so. They also provide “period help points” across Kraków, containing free sanitary products.
  3. Yestopads.com. Yestopads is a result of the Periodic Coalition, an association of charities, organizations and female experts who want to normalise and destigmatise female menstruation. The coalition consists of more than 40 partners and supporters, aiming to help the nearly 2 million girls aged 9–19 who are either menstruating or about to menstruate. They are currently attempting to introduce the first draft act on menstruation to ensure free access to menstrual products and provide girls with adequate education on menstruation.
  4. Gohealthygirl. Gohealthygirl operates a “pink clinic.” This is a safe space in which women and girls can see a doctor for any gynaecological reason without judgment. Studies performed by this organization have revealed that women experience unpleasant comments about appearance, knowledge and sexual orientation, and many often experience poor treatment from doctors. They also provide free health guides, podcasts and articles online on women’s health to provide women and girls with accessible education about their bodies.

Looking Ahead

Despite period poverty remaining a significant issue for women and girls in Poland, the work of these organizations suggests a positive direction for removing the stigma surrounding menstruation and the reduction of period poverty in Poland.

– Alys Gaze

Alys is based in Swansea, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Changing Weather Drives Gender-Based Violence in Somalia

Gender-Based Violence in Somalia

Prolonged droughts, failed rainy seasons and displacement are raising everyday risks for women and girls. The result is a sharp rise in gender-based violence (GBV) in Somalia, turning a climate emergency into a public health crisis. The solutions exist. From safe spaces to bringing water closer to homes, programs cut risks and restore autonomy. 

Water Scarcity Forces Longer, Riskier Journeys

Only 52% of people in Somalia have access to a basic water supply. When regulated systems fall short, families turn to distant or unsafe sources. Fetching water is usually the job of women and girls and the long walks can expose them to harassment and assault. This proves climate instability drives gender-based violence in Somalia.

UNICEF and partners extend pipelines, drill boreholes, repair systems and support community-led sanitation efforts so that water is closer to homes. Shorter walks mean fewer chances for abuse and more time for school and work.

Overcrowded Displacement Camps Heighten Protection Risks

Climate shocks destroy livelihoods and push families into cities. In many IDP sites, cramped shelters, poor lighting and unprotected latrines increase exposure to sexual violence. In 2021, Somali women and children made up 93% of reported GBV survivors and 74% of reports came from displaced communities. Lack of lockable latrines, privacy and lighting are major risks.

Changing climatic conditions are driving GBV in Somalia by worsening displacement, straining services and increasing the daily dangers women and girls face in overcrowded camps. Evidence shows that practical steps can significantly reduce GBV risks in overcrowded IDP sites. Safety audits in Baidoa revealed that camps lacking lighting or secure shelters left women particularly vulnerable at night.

In contrast, latrines equipped with locks and solar bulbs improved both safety and dignity for users. Together with better fencing, lockable shelters and alternative fuel sources to reduce firewood collection risks, these measures help create safer, more protective environments for displaced families.

Food Insecurity Drives Harmful Coping Strategies

Drought, conflict and price shocks erode income. Families face impossible choices that can increase GBV in Somalia, including survival sex and child marriage. UNFPA notes spikes in rape and IPV linked to displacement and scarcity.

Harmful practices like Female genital mutilation (FGM) are also used to increase girls’ “marriageability.” Cash assistance with protection measures, safe and inclusive distributions, plus GBV risk mitigation in food security programs. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlights how integrating gender analysis into food responses lowers risk while meeting needs.

Shocked Health Systems Limit Survivor Care

Climate and conflict damage roads and clinics, making reaching medical and psychosocial support harder. UNFPA reports gaps in rape treatment, case management and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in rural areas and camps, which can trap survivors in unsafe settings.

UNFPA’s One-Stop Centers and Women & Girls’ Safe Spaces provide confidential, survivor-centered care under one roof, from clinical services to legal referrals. In Bosaso, a UNFPA-supported One-Stop Center is fully operational and serving survivors. As weather changes are driving GBV in Somalia, these safe spaces are vital lifelines, ensuring women and girls have access to protection, support and pathways to recovery.

Women-Led Adaptation Reduces Exposure and Builds Autonomy

Women are leading climate solutions that also reduce exposure to violence. Training in solar energy, water systems and climate-smart livelihoods places women at the center of risk reduction. UNICEF’s Youth Empowerment Center in Dollow trained displaced youth, including young women like Amina, to install solar panels.

Bringing reliable power and water closer to homes reduces the need for trips to distant, unsafe locations. The UNDP and its partners are also scaling up water infrastructure and nature-based solutions in Somalia. As a result, thousands of women-headed households are gaining reliable water access, reducing the time spent on risky journeys.

Why This Is a Global Health Issue

Gender-based violence in Somalia is fueled by drought, displacement and stressed systems. Changing weather patterns are driving GBV in Somalia by worsening displacement, deepening poverty and heightening daily risks for women and girls. It raises trauma, maternal health risks and disease exposure in crowded sites with weak WASH services.

Tackling it means pairing climate finance with GBV prevention, expanding access to safe water and sanitation, investing in survivor services and backing women-led adaptation. These steps save lives, restore dignity and strengthen resilience to a changing climate, offering Somali women and girls a safer and more hopeful future.

– Lucy Williams

Lucy is based in Wrexham, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Education for Somali Women: Rebuilding a Nation

Education for Somali womenThe African country of Somalia has been ravaged by war for decades. Conflict began in the late 1980s and worsened after the fall of Siad Barre’s military government in 1991 at the hands of clan-based militant movements—the Somali National Movement (SNM) in the northwest, the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF) in the northeast and the United Somali Congress (USC) around Mogadishu. Over the next 30 years, Somalia’s conflict would take many different forms, according to BBC News.

In August 2012, after years of clan violence and Islamist insurgency, Somalia’s first formal parliament in more than two decades was sworn in. The following month, Somalia’s parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, marking the first presidential election since 1967, according to BBC News. Today, Somalia remains at war with Al-Shabab—an extremist Islamist group—yet the government has turned much of its focus toward reconstruction and long-term stability.

According to the United Nations (U.N.), 4.4 million Somalis are projected to face acute food insecurity through the end of 2025, and 1.85 million Somali children are likely to experience acute malnutrition. Somali government initiatives and nongovernmental organizations are working to support vulnerable populations, but shrinking international support threatens to stall progress.

Still, Somalia’s situation is not unsalvageable. The nation’s recovery depends not only on government institutions but also on its citizens’ resilience and commitment to rebuilding—a mission many Somali women have taken to heart. Women have become increasingly involved and influential in Somali politics, education, entrepreneurship and peacebuilding, according to the U.N.

Below is a closer look at how women across Somalia are leading the way toward a brighter and more stable future.

Driving Economic Recovery Through Entrepreneurship

For a nation rebuilding from decades of war, expanding economic opportunity is essential to reducing poverty and strengthening support for struggling citizens. In 2019, Somalia launched the Gargaara Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Financing Facility, designed to fund aspiring Somali entrepreneurs and small businesses.

According to the World Bank, by June 2024, Gargaara had lent more than $23 million to MSMEs across the country, with women-led businesses receiving half of all loans—at least 800 in total. Yet, despite this equal distribution by number, the total monetary value of loans to women was significantly lower than that of male-run enterprises, highlighting a persistent gender gap in capital access.

Even so, Gargaara and its partners at the World Bank have committed to expanding their reach—onboarding more Somali financial institutions, increasing available credit and building lending capacity—all with the goal of supporting a greater number of women-owned MSMEs. Their efforts underscore how vital women entrepreneurs are to rebuilding Somalia’s economy.

Expanding Women’s Political Influence and Representation

Women in Somalia are increasingly taking leadership roles in politics. In March 2025, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called on women to get involved in political and security work during a state iftar dinner with more than 100 women leaders, according to AllAfrica News. He praised the work women were already doing—supporting troops and caring for the wounded—and urged them to join political parties, run for office and organize beyond clan divisions.

At the local level, progress is already happening. In Hirshabelle State, women have been elected to district councils and trained in leadership, advocacy and peacebuilding through programs supported by Finn Church Aid (FCA) Somalia. FCA also works with “peace mothers” and female councilors to organize community forums where women, elders and local leaders discuss policy and inclusion. Women now hold roughly 23% of council seats in these areas.

Education for Somali Women

Education for Somali women has been a struggle for generations, but the script is finally starting to flip. “Historically, two groups of patriarchs denied Somali female children schooling—those were the Italian and British colonists,” said University of Minnesota Professor Abdi Ismail Samatar. “It’s really the liberation movement in the 1950s and then the country’s independence in 1960 and thereafter, where female children’s education was expanded. So those challenges still exist.”

Education has become one of the most powerful tools for Somali women to rebuild their lives and communities. According to the U.N., educator Amina Abdi Ali has helped more than 450 women in Kismayo learn to read, write and improve their math skills through a local adult literacy program. Larger initiatives like the Somalia Girls’ Education Programme, led by the U.N. Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) and CARE Somalia, have also focused on keeping marginalized girls in school by removing barriers that prevent them from learning—especially in rural areas. According to the World Bank, the Rajo Kaaba program recently awarded scholarships to more than 2,000 Somali girls, allowing them to study in fields such as teaching and nursing.

Peacebuilding and Social Healing

After decades of warfare, civilian bloodshed and displacement, women in Somalia are taking it upon themselves to advocate for peace. One way they have done this is by establishing the Joint Programme on Women, Peace and Protection (WPP) in May 2022. With support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), U.N. Women and the United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia, the WPP has taken steps to localize peace and security for women in Somalia.

The WPP has already achieved major accomplishments, illustrating its importance as a program for sustained peace. These include the development and launch of a Local Action Plan (LAP) with presidential endorsement, the formation of a Peace Working Group bringing together diverse community leaders and the establishment of a One Stop Center that supports victims of sexual violence, according to the UNDP.

Looking Ahead

“Over the last 35 years, women really have been very crucial to keeping Somali society together—not only the family, but the whole society,” said Abdi Ismail Samatar. From running businesses and creating jobs to taking leadership roles in politics, expanding education for girls and young women and pushing for peace at the local level, women are at the heart of Somalia’s recovery. Their efforts show that rebuilding the nation is not just the work of governments or aid organizations—it is also the work of women who refuse to let their communities fall behind.

– Jordan Venell

Jordan is based in Edina, MN, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Women in Fisheries in Sri Lanka: From Wreckage to Renewal

Women in Fisheries in Sri LankaThe Indian Ocean tsunami tore through Sri Lanka’s coast in 2004, destroying not only boats and nets but also the very social safety nets that kept the economy afloat. During the loss, women in fisheries in Sri Lanka stepped up. They organized a framework to provide mutual aid circles that transformed into cooperatives that process dried fish, market shellfish and advocate for the waters that feed their families.

Only two decades later, many of these groups are now stable, central businesses that have become anchors in the community. These women didn’t just survive; they changed who held power in coastal life. According to Sri Lanka’s Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management, S.S. Miyanawala, “Therefore, it is necessary to change the way we ‘invest.’ We need to focus not only on addressing the consequences of disasters but on reducing the underlying causes of vulnerabilities and enhancing the preparedness and resilience of people and communities.”

Mutual Aid To Market Power

In the early days of Sri Lanka, women traditionally leveraged skills such as salting, sun-drying and selling items to support household incomes. A comparative study from Ambalangoda shows households with women in fisheries in Sri Lanka differed significantly from those who chose not to, showing increased income and access to credit.

By formalizing into cooperatives, these networks evolved into small enterprises and some partnered with NGOs to reach better markets. After the war and tsunami, initiatives in Jaffna educated widows, showing them how to produce higher-quality dried fish for fair-trade outlets, turning a coping strategy into dignified work with a generous return. Today, dried fish remains a crucial, affordable protein for low-income households, stabilizing local demand while co-ops experiment with better processing and quality control.

Measurable Advances in Gender Equity

Women in fisheries in Sri Lanka have become symbols of economic resilience and their leadership has brought new skills, leverage and measurable gains in gender equity. WorldFish’s synthesis on women’s empowerment in small-scale fisheries outlines four pathways: embedding gender in every innovation stage, strengthening agency and leadership, improving resource access and transforming norms through collective action. These are the levers Sri Lankan co-ops pull, from leadership training to negotiating landing-site space and prices.

Sri Lanka’s dried-fish sector adds a vital dimension: well-being. Women’s control over processing and trade shapes income, social dignity, mobility and decision-making. Outcomes ripple into children’s education and household resilience. In a system still marked by informality and gendered barriers, collective organizing is the difference between uncertainty and progress. These cooperatives aren’t only about sales and personal growth.

They’re also about cultivating and repairing reefs, lagoons and mangroves. In Puttalam District and beyond, women’s groups tied micro-enterprises to ecosystem repair, focused on replanting mangroves, monitoring nurseries and campaigning for local protections. That work reduces storm surge, improves water quality and shelters juvenile fish, all classic “nature as infrastructure” benefits that make both catches and communities more resilient to the next shock.

Why It Matters Now

With supply chains evolving and climate extremes intensifying, Sri Lanka offers a living lab for community-first recovery. U.N. and national analyses of post-tsunami reconstruction emphasize community decision-making and moving recovery efforts locally. Women’s cooperatives became durable nodes in that local governance fabric because they knit income, care work and conservation.

International guidance has caught up with what these fishers practiced out of necessity. The FAO’s handbook on gender-equitable small-scale fisheries governance urges countries to center women in rules, markets and services. This approach is reflected in Sri Lankan co-ops that negotiate access to space, credit and training while advocating for better post-harvest infrastructure and quality standards.

What Success Looks Like

On the ground, success is pragmatic, not flashy. In Sri-Lanka, this success looks like predictable cash from a cooperative drying shed, a microloan that upgrades a smoker or a daughter who stays in school because fees are paid on time. Success also looks like a mangrove belt that blunts the next cyclone or a woman who chairs the meeting where the landing schedule is set. In places where formal jobs are scarce, these wins matter.

And the women who succeed scale their rewards out to the community. When collectives share methods such as pricing, grading, hygiene, bookkeeping and performance spreads horizontally. Partnerships with groups like the Small Fishers Federation (Sudeesa), international NGOs and university programs bring training and research to community doorsteps. At the same time, co-ops carry data and lived expertise back up the chain to policy tables. That two-way flow is how “pilot projects” become norms.

The Unfinished Work

Though there has been much progress, such as improved access to cold storage, challenges remain, including exposure to price shocks, credit terms that penalize informality and co-op bylaws that can still marginalize women at the harvest end of the chain. However, the evidence base is clear and growing: when women organize across the fish value chain, households diversify their income, nutrition improves and communities invest in the ecosystems that sustain them.

This policy isn’t charity; it funds what already works, including women’s collective enterprise tied to coastal stewardship. The lesson from Sri Lanka’s shores is simple: resilience is built locally by the people with the most at stake. When those people are women in fisheries who run the books, manage the drying racks, negotiate prices and plant mangroves, the result is more than just recovery. It’s a fairer, more durable coastal economy.

– Nicole Fernandez

Nicole is based in Reno, NV, USA and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons