Why does CARE focus on women and girls? Our experience shows us that, when equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty.

There are two key reasons why we work with women and girls:

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by poverty and discrimation. 

Not everyone starts from the same place on the path out of poverty. Lack of education for girls contributes to early marriage, higher birth rates, and lower income. Discriminatory laws prohibit women from owning or inheriting property, holding bank accounts, or prosecuting abusers. 

Girls face the greatest risk, as they often have no choice but to leave school so they can help their family earn money, find food, look after younger siblings, collect water, and run the household while their parents work.

Women and girls are an important part of the solutions needed to truly overcome poverty. 

Women tend to transfer improvements in their own lives into the lives of their children, families and communities. To ensure this happens, we promote savings and provide women with small loans so they can turn their talents into businesses.

We work with both women and men to create more equitable relations. We work to enable more girls and boys to attend school, and receive a better quality education when they get there.

What the numbers tell us

• For every year a girl spends in school she raises her family income by up to 20 percent
• Educated girls grow into educated women, who have healthier babies and are more likely to educate their children
• When a girl in the developing world receives seven years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children
• Engaging men, boys, girls, and women can transform gender roles and increase gender equality
• When women earn an income, they reinvest 90 percent of it in their families.