Why Women and Girls?

We focus on women and girls because the return is exponential. When she is educated and empowered, her family, community, and country benefit too.

Around the world, women and girls are disproportionately affected by issues related to gender disparities in education, economics, and even climate change. Women and girls are also uniquely vulnerable to physical and sexual violence.

As of January 2023:

130 million girls worldwide are denied their right to education.
An estimated 736 million women globally (almost one in three) have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both.
Over 340 million women and girls, about 8% of the world’s female population, are projected to live in extreme poverty by 2030, with nearly one in four experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity.

Thailand Context

Although Thailand is classified as a middle-income nation — placing it outside the eligibility for certain aid programs — it continues to face significant challenges, including a wide wealth gap, severe inequality, and uneven access to services and education. As a result, the need for support remains great, particularly for women and girls in rural areas.

We All Benefit

The data is truly disturbing, and yet it turns out that in addition to the obvious need to provide support to individuals, there are broad social and economic benefits associated with the support of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Providing support does more than assist those immediately affected. It results in broad reaching social and economic benefits, including:

Economic Growth: Empowering women and girls, particularly through education and economic opportunities, can result in significant economic growth. Research shows that when women participate in the economy, it can lead to improved productivity, more diverse decision-making, and a larger workforce, which collectively contribute to national growth. Additionally, when women are economically empowered, they often reinvest their income back into their families and communities, which can stimulate local economies and lead to long-term socioeconomic development.
Reduced Poverty: Investments in girls' education, in particular, have shown to reduce poverty. Educated girls grow up to have better economic opportunities, are likely to marry later, and have fewer, healthier children. This can result in a poverty reduction cycle where each subsequent generation is better off.
Improved Health Outcomes: By supporting disadvantaged women and girls, there are often improvements in health outcomes. Better-educated women generally have healthier children and are more likely to seek and have access to healthcare services for themselves and their families. This has wider impacts on community health and resilience.
Gender Equality: Providing support to disadvantaged women and girls helps promote gender equality. This is not just a basic human right, but also a fundamental building block for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Achieving gender equality involves eradicating harmful norms and discrimination that can often leave women at a disadvantage.
Social Stability and Peace: When women are included in leadership and decision-making, societies often become more stable and peaceful. They bring unique perspectives and approaches that can contribute to resolving conflicts and creating more comprehensive and lasting solutions.
Innovation and Problem-solving: Diverse perspectives lead to better problem-solving and innovation. By supporting women and girls to become part of decision-making processes, whether in government or businesses, a broader set of ideas and solutions can be applied to societal challenges.

And so our mission to support women and girls is based simply on the fact that when they thrive, we all thrive.