The challenge
Why this matters
Rural women contribute to household livelihoods but are often excluded from decisions and from managing money. Limited schooling, safety concerns and few earning options hold them back.
What GDO does
- Women Saving Groups and equal participation in village forums
- Micro-loans so women can start and run small household businesses
- Sessions on gender equality, women's legal rights and gender mainstreaming
- Vocational skills centres for women and girls
- Encouraging women's voice in decision-making inside the family and community — within local culture and tradition
- Of GDO borrowers are women
- 80%
- Women Saving Groups
- 26
- Women in COs, WSGs and forums
- 80%
Projects
Projects delivering this programme
- Completed
AAWAZ Project
Community health awareness, conflict resolution and women's empowerment.
UC Basera · Apr 2011 → May 2016 · OPP/OCT · PKR 1.7 million
- Ongoing
Social Mobilisation — Women Saving Groups (SM-WSGs)
Organising villages into community organisations and women saving groups.
Karor Lal Esan · Aug 2011 → ongoing · GDO, OCT & RTI · PKR 1.4 million
- Ongoing
Microfinance & Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP)
Affordable micro-credit for income enhancement, with capacity building for small businesspeople. Clients are economically marginal women and men with no means of entering formal credit.
Karor Lal Esan · Aug 2013 → ongoing · OPP/OCT · PKR 612.5 million
Frequently asked questions
Questions about this programme
Why does GDO focus on women?
When women earn and save, whole families benefit. GDO's loans, saving groups and training are designed so women can take full part in livelihoods and decision-making.
Help us grow women's empowerment
Your gift, skills or partnership reach families who need them most.