Where to Donate for International Women's Day

Unsure which organizations to support in the fight for women's rights? Here are 10 we think are donation worthy.

International Women’s Day is March 8. It's a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women all around the world. It also serves as a reminder to contribute to the creation of a gender-equal world. By donating our time, money, and support to women’s rights organizations, we can ensure that gender activism—and the people who lead this tireless work—continue in earnest for the foreseeable future. There are so many organizations doing great work on behalf of women and girls that it can be hard to decide which ones should have your trust and confidence. Below, we found 10 organizations worth donating to this year in support of International Women’s Day.

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Room to Read

By partnering with local governments, schools, communities, and families, Room to Read strives to provide safe, child-friendly environments in which young girls can learn to read and write. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) there are 773 million illiterate adults all around the world, and most of them are women. Through its Literacy Program, Room to Read provides training to teachers and librarians, reading programs for kids, and books to libraries. Donate to the cause here.

AAUW (American Association of University Women)

According to a Pew Research Center analysis in 2020, women earn 84 percent of what men earn. Founded in 1881, the AAUW’s mission, as stated on its website, is “to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy.” By training women to negotiate for pay, benefits, and leadership roles, the AAUW advocates for federal, state, and local laws and policies that ensure gender equality. AAUW uses intersectionality to understand the different ways in which different groups, such as racial minorities who are also women, are affected, which is crucial in understanding the complexities of discrimination. Donate here.

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CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education)

By focusing on girls in impoverished districts in rural sub-Saharan Africa, CAMFED works with schools, communities, and educational authorities to tackle poverty and hunger head on. CAMFED knows that a lack of funds to buy school supplies keeps girls out of school. Also, early marriages prevent girls from pursuing their education. The CAMFED Association is driven by young women activists educated with CAMFED support who are now giving back to their communities and empowering more and more women. Visit the website and donate.

FAM (Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery)

For the first time in 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced new guidelines recommending that “midwives take the lead in providing care through pregnancy, childbirth, and afterwards.” Findings also showed that continuity of care is preferred by pregnant people and has been proven to reduce preterm births. It has been widely cited that more people die per capita as a result of pregnancy and childbirth in the USA than in any other high-income country. Deaths are disproportionately higher are among Black and Native American people. This organization advocates for North American families to have access to maternity care from community-based midwives. Support equality for all birthing individuals and ensure they have healthcare choices that keep them safe. Visit the FAM website and donate.

Emily’s List

Founded in 1985, Emily’s List (EMILY stands for "Early Money Is Like Yeast") is the first of its kind to back female candidates running for elected office. This organization aims to put more women in seats of power. Women often don’t have as much campaign funding as their male counterparts. As the organization's founder and chair Ellen R. Malcolm explained, “Every day, every election victory, we are helping to put women into office who have the power to put progressive change to work.” Money from individual donors is bundled together and used to fund a female candidate’s campaign. The idea is that early contributions help attract more big donors to the campaign. Donations can be made here.

Women Helping Women

Women Helping Women (WHW) aims to prevent gender-based violence and to help survivors get back on their feet. According to its website, this organization provides “evidence-based prevention and expert crisis intervention and support services for survivors of dating violence, sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking.” Services are also open to men and the LBGTQ+ community. You can donate on the WHW website. If you prefer to donate to a similar organization more local to you, another worthy charity, Domestic Shelters, offers a shelter locator by zip code or city.

CARE International

The aim of this charity is to fight poverty and social injustice, so that everyone can live with dignity, security, and equal rights. Realizing that girls and women are especially affected by poverty, CARE programs, alliances, and partnerships center around gender equality. Donate here.

Center For Reproductive Rights

This global organization sees reproductive rights as human rights. Through its litigation, legal policy, and advocacy, this organization aims to effect global change on issues such as women’s access to abortion, contraception, maternal health, and the prevention of forced sterilization and child marriages. All of these issues affect the lives, health, and well-being of women and in turn their families and communities. Donate here.

Women Who Launch

Sprouting out of an idea at an International Women’s Day celebration eight years ago, the founders of Women Who Launch saw a need for more support for women and non-binary small business owners and entrepreneurs. This organization helps them launch, grow, and scale their businesses through free education and networking. As a result, participants can launch business plans, contracts, and capital-raising opportunities. Visit the website and donate.

Women for Women International

Women and children are disproportionately affected by war and conflict. By working with female survivors, this organization provides women with the social and economic skills to transform their lives. Women for Women International understands that by empowering women, communities can rebuild—in safer and more self-sustaining ways. Donate here.

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