Gender Equality

The challenge: We have seen significant reductions in global poverty since 1990, but not everyone has benefitted equally. Hundreds of millions of women and girls are still poor and remain disproportionately affected by poverty, including unequal access to resources, opportunities, and choices. According to UN women, not a single country in the world can claim to have achieved gender equality. Women and girls continue to face obstacles in law and culture which translate to a world where they are undervalued, work more, earn less, have fewer choices, and experience violence at home and in public.

Our solution: We strive towards a future where gender does not determine status, power to make decisions, or access to resources and services – a world where women, men, girls, and boys can all reach their full potential. We promote gender equality in all of our programs by engaging women and men, girls and boys, to address the underlying beliefs and practices that create and reinforce gender inequalities. We also empower the disadvantaged, whether male or female, to develop confidence and skills and take control over their lives, and invest in institutions and relationships that facilitate an environment that supports gender equality.

Growing together: Parental engagement in Pakistan

Since 2020, over 41,000 parents like Imtiaz in northern Pakistan have participated in training on topics like early childhood development.

Dispatch from the Fellows: Where running meets community

“Being part of Kampala’s running community and witnessing these initiatives firsthand has deepened my passion for sport for development. Sport

A long and winding road: Accessing health care in the mountainous Kyrgyz Republic

The road from Naryn to Bishkek is long, first tracing along the winding Naryn River before weaving through vast open

Dispatch from the Fellows: A letter to myself

“You’ve just finished packing up your life into three suitcases and have moved out of your apartment in Toronto. I

Meet two women in Tanzania redefining leadership in their communities

Along a dusty road and under the blazing sun, Coletha walks door to door, visiting homes around Nanyati, a village

“You can, we can”: How the Olu Alu campaign continues to transform youth and communities in northern Uganda

This article was written by Joy Stalteri-Roberts, an AKFC International Youth Fellow who is currently working in Uganda. Based on

With flying colours: How one Tanzanian teacher is transforming her classroom

Vibrant. Playful. Creative. Colourful. These are the words that come to mind when you first step into Teacher Sauda’s classroom.

Reshaping tradition: Meet the community leaders in Tanzania who are breaking cycles of harm

In many rural Tanzanian communities, deeply rooted gender norms continue to limit women’s economic and social agency. But in Mtwara,

Two years later: A Canadian’s cross-continental reflections

Muhammad is a development professional from Alberta, who participated in AKFC’s Canadian Development Exchange. In a conversation with AKFC, he