Our Issues

An estimated one in three women globally will experience gender-based violence in their lifetime, and this number only rises in humanitarian emergencies. Gender-based violence may include rape, domestic violence, child marriage, female genital cutting, or sexual harassment. While women and girls are the primary victims of gender-based violence, men and boys are also victimized and face similar difficulties in obtaining treatment and post-assault recovery.

Violence against women has profound implications on survivors and communities, including increased risks for HIV and reproductive health complications. CARE is working to address women and girls' unique needs in the workplace and in humanitarian emergencies to ensure they receive support and services, and that their voices are included in decision-making.

Maternal and child deaths in the developing world remain tragically high where access to voluntary family planning is a matter of life or death, and access to women’s health services are even more limited as resources are diverted to curb the spread of COVID-19. Millions of women who want to delay or prevent a pregnancy lack the access, information and services they need. CARE advocates for policies and robust resources to increase the quality, access and availability of voluntary family planning as part of women’s essential health services, particularly in emergencies.

As the global COVID-19 pandemic becomes one of the greatest challenges of our generation, it will be imperative that the world builds back a more just, equitable, post-COVID world for all. We advocate for a global response to COVID-19 that includes a focus on the unique impact women and girls face by this crisis and the women’s leadership needed to respond effectively.

CARE focuses on long-term food and nutrition security programs that support farmers — particularly women and small-scale farmers — and families to grow, buy and access nutritious and adequate food. Women and children comprise the majority of the world’s chronically hungry people, and when food is scarce, women are often last to eat. To address the needs of today’s global food security challenges, we have the solutions at our fingertips. We need to tackle these problems with the right tools in both emergency and long-term food security needs, setting families and communities on a path toward independence.

Armed conflict, natural disasters and climate change have the greatest impact on the poorest, most vulnerable countries and disproportionately affect women and girls. Yet, women are crucial to informing responses to these emergencies. Their understanding of their own needs and capabilities can bring forth practical and effective solutions, such as more equitable food distribution, safer sanitation facilities, innovative solutions for reporting violence, and continuation of education and livelihood activities.