Female empowerment

Although the Indian family as a social institution is well known for the emotional and physical support that it provides to its extended members, it sometimes fails to respond to the needs of women, especially for women in difficult circumstances.

Due to a history of violence and a compromised capacity for law and order, issues of commercial sexual exploitation, rape and gender inequality run rampant in Cambodia.  ‘Bauk’ (premeditated gang rape) is on the rise and recent studies show that 1 in 5 Cambodian men aged 18-49 have admitted to sexual abuse.

Having been through three relentless decades of war, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a woman.  Unstable and corrupted systems of governance have led to ongoing human rights abuses, high maternal mortality rates and discrimination in education and employment.  

Many local development organisations in PNG have failed over the years for want of a sound system of leadership and administration.

Menstrual management can be difficult at the best of times.  Women with no disposable income may use multiple pairs of underwear, kitchen sponges or dirty rags in place of tampons and sanitary pads.  Due to the unhygienic nature of these ‘pieces’, they regularly experience rashes, sores, bruising and infections.